I am also going to throw down the gauntlet on this Christmas challenge. I usually spend at LEAST a $1000 on Christmas presents (husband, 2 kids, nephew, 2 sets of parents, SIL, the odd friend), plus whatever my husband spends on me, and then the extra for random xmas crap. Tons of cash for stuff we don't need. The issue has always been that I love Christmas. I love Christmas decorations, food, and giving gifts. I will generally try and make something for my girlfriends, last year it was awesome wide infinite scarves made out of scraps of really nice wool material that I had kicking around with flowers from different material sewn on. Turned out really sharp, and of course I made one for myself.
This year my challenge is to spend $200 on gifts. That’s it. For many that might seem like a lot, but for me it’s a huge drop. Ideally I would have even cheaper but there are some tough ones out there, mainly my dad and my husband to a lesser extent, plus I need to get some supplies for crafts. Anyone with ideas for men are greatly appreciated. My dad is a horder, disorganized, if he can’t find it he buys a new one, has tons of stuff, has zero financial control etc…you’re probably getting the picture. I like to get him something nice, but am always unsure. One year I got him a Canadian tire gift card, cause he always shops there, but he just gave me this “WTF look..and said what do I need a gift card for I can just pay with my visa…”. He does get semi-regular massages from a massage school tho, so I thought a few prepaid visits to that and a bottle of baileys (which I already have stashed away in a cupboard from a recent trip through the US – duty free).
These are some of my ideas for gifts:
Felted wool bowls for my lady friends. I have a few skeins of cowichan wool from ages ago that I can use. I would love a gift like this.
http://www.heavydutydesign.com/alicethelma/2009/03/free-pattern-felted-nesting-bowls/Stenciled beer glasses for my husband (he loves skeletons and bones, we have weird spine sculptures in our home) so I will stencil skeletons on them.
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=314891.0#axzz2jnC2AGidMy husband also loves metal, so I’m thinking this for him as well.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Clock-out-of-a-Bicycle-Brake-Disc/I’m going to do a few batches of melt and pour soaps – I did this a few years ago and it was a hit with everyone. Bath bombs etc as well.
Some stuff out of cement, because we have a few bags that are just sitting around, so free free free
http://www.papernstitchblog.com/2012/06/22/9-cool-things-you-should-make-with-cement-this-weekend/We also do calendars every year for parents, grandma, SIL. Generally we just do this at Walmart and they cost us about 20$ per calendar, so we spend about $100 on them. I would like to do this myself, by designing it and then printing it at Staples or something and binding myself or using staples. Maybe not as nice, but definitely cheaper.
The kids are a hiccup to the plan – haven’t thought too much about them. But we may introduce them to a toned down Christmas this year, since we’ve had big expenses moving this year and we are planning a big family vacation in the spring with my inlaws to cuba or something for their 50th.
Any other cool knitting projects or crafty gifts ideas for men would be greatly appreciated.