December is an expensive month for a lot of people. There’s gift exchanges among friends, family, co-workers and neighbours. There’s dinner parties to attend, family dinners, presents to buy and give to your cousin’s ungrateful and materialistic children – unless your cousin’s children are grateful and not materialistic… In which case, you’re a lucky, lucky person who doesn’t have barely-teenaged boys asking her to crochet just about everything under the sun just because I could. (I’m always far more likely to make things for people who don’t ask all the time… It’s just the way things are. People who ask less, receive more – fun logic, right?)

But for those who think that gift cards are impersonal, and don’t want to spend too much money and are unsure of gifts to get for people who are overly demanding, undeserving or just someone who has ‘everything’, here are some gift ideas for you:

• Homemade baked goods. Cookies, cupcakes, muffins. Especially cookies. I personally like making shortbread and sugar cookies. These would probably be better for someone who has ‘everything’ rather than people who are overly demanding or undeserving.
• Candles (scented ones for those without issues with scents). It’s the only time of year that I receive candles.
• Get a nice mug (with or without holiday-themed decorations), fill it with wrapped chocolates and mini candy canes, wrap it with clear or red or green cellophane and top it off with a ribbon. Seems to work well for gift exchanges where you have a price limit (I’ve received this more than once, so has other people in my family – we get a lot of decorative mugs that way).
• Make a donation to a charity (that the person would actually have an interest in) in the person’s name. For example, if the person feels very strongly about animals, make a donation to WWF or to your local animal shelter. For those who believe in increasing literacy rates, make a donation to an organization which helps support education, like Room to Read. Making it a gift to a whole family, for an organization that they would all like, would kill 2 (or 3 or 4…) birds with one stone (erm, donation).
• For the younger set on your gift-giving list, stuffed animals are always good (or maybe that’s just for me…) as well as craft kits. Maybe some premade ceramic pieces with containers of paints and a brush. Or I’ve even seen kits that teach kids how to knit, crochet or sew (keep in mind these are generally geared towards girls, so good luck finding one that doesn’t have purple or pink as the main colours!).
• Or, if you’re feeling really nice and feeling crafty, you could crochet or knit hats and scarves. Many charities, especially in your local area, will take them: homeless shelters, hospitals (preemie sized hats are very helpful), organizations that put together food and toy baskets for families with children always need things like hats, scarves and socks.

What are some of your gift ideas for the people on your list that you just can’t think of anything to get? Or for those who you’re not actually sure who’s receiving the gift (i.e. gift exchanges without actually having a name to go with the gift)?