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It has been a tough financial year for many people. Instead of spending a lot of money of gifts this year, consider making some of your gifts. I have made homemade gifts for as long as I can remember. Sure, there are many people I buy traditional gifts for. But, I have always incorporated homemade gifts into my gift giving.

Homemade Candy:

There are so many recipes out there for homemade candy. I have been making candy since my early teen years. I generally make fudge, English toffee, peanut brittle and peanut butter balls. Make some cookies as well and you will have a nice variety of treats! Place the candy on a holiday plate, tin or a ziploc container and give them out to your neighbors and friends. For more tips on candy making, head on over to Madame Deals.

My English Toffee recipe:

Image via Wikipedia

Prepare cookie sheet by lining it with foil. Add 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts and 1 finely chopped Hershey chocolate bar.

2 cups sugar
2 cups butter
2 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
6 Tablespoons Water

Combine all the above ingredients in a heavy duty stock pot. Boil until your candy thermometer reaches 290 degrees. You need to stir constantly to prevent burning. I find using a long wooden spoon works the best as you will get hot!

When the mixture reaches 290 degrees you will pour it on your prepared cookie sheet. Let cool until it cracks easily apart.

Preserves and Canning:
Another homemade gift idea is to give canned goods. Jams, jellies and preserves are always a favorite. It may be a bit late in the season to take on this task now. However, if you have canned over the summer, people enjoy getting preserves as gifts! My parents were thrilled last year to receive a gift basket full of homemade canned goods. My mom said “the best gift you can give me is consumable goods.” She already has everything and she knows the canned goods were made with love.

Family Cookbook:
Last year, we had several family gatherings that produced many great tasting family favorite recipes. In order to preserve them all, I made a family cookbook! I used an online photo site to turn a photobook into a hardcover family cookbook. The great thing about using a photobook is that you can add pictures of your family throughout the book! I made a 20 page book and arranged the pictures to match the recipes. You can also use your photos as a background for the page. With so many photobook deals out right now, a family cookbook can be produced for $15 or under. This gift will be treasured for many years and it is a great way to pass down recipes.

There are many homemade items that can make great gifts. I challenge you this year to think outside the box. Put some effort in at home and make gifts that are heartfelt.