Life-time crafter, excited to plan a homemade Christmas

[SuzyHomemaker]

Hi all!
You can call me Suzy. I've been crafting for as long as I can remember though I've never been on a craft forum before. I am an American currently living in the UK for my husband's career.
I'm here, on this forum, because I was hoping to find like-minded people to chat with about my Christmas ideas. Hopefully I can benefit from the creative minds of others, and with any luck I maybe able to give alittle something back to the crafty community as well.
My mother did home-made Christmas a time or two when I was a child, and I always *LOVED* it. Now I have a little 3 year old boy (currently pregnant with baby #2), and I've gotten my husband to agree to trying a homemade Christmas this year for our family. Meaning gifts, decorations, everything will be homemade by our own loving hands. I am in a crafters bliss planning and prepping for it all!

[MornieG Jewellery]

Hi Suzy and to the Crafts Forum and to England. You have come to the right place on both counts, lots of friendly helpful people on here to chat to and England ain't such a bad place to be either but I may be biased. You wll find other American residents on here to, firstly our own Mod, CosmicGrammie from Texas who i'm sure will pop up later for a hello.

Always wanted to do a homemade christmas but life always seems to get in the way usually ends up being a 10% homemade christmas and that's the food and maybe a few gifts.

Would love to hear how you get along with it. Why don't you write a blog about it's progress and we can follow you ?

Mo.XX

[Caroleecrafts]

Hello Suzy and welcome to the forum. Handmade Christmas is a must and giving your time by making is worth far more than shop bought.

[SuzyHomemaker]

Thank you both for the warm welcome!
I'm anxious to share my list of gifts I plan to make (as well as ask ideas for those I have yet to decide what to give). Where would the appropriate place be to do so? Should I post in General since the gifts aren't seasonal items, or should I post in Christmas since the items will be Christmas gifts even if they aren't Christmas related?

[rosiepinkStudio]

Hello and welcome Suzy!
Your children will love helping you make some easy decorations. How about paper chains and paper snowflakes?
They could make simple Christmas cards using the potato printing method and lots of glitter.

They could also help make the Christmas pudding and cake - oh the delicious smells.

Homemade advent calendars are great - you can sew a simple, flat, wall hanging fabric tree with bright numbered 'pockets', each containing a Christmas chocolate or small gift.

Homemade crackers are wonderful (lots of online free instructions). You can make the paper hats and riddles and find small suitable gifts and you can buy the snaps/bangers for about 2p each in craft shops.

Nearer the time, you could take a walk with the children to find suitable foliage to make a rustic wreath for the door.

I'm getting all excited just thinking about this - so can understand how you feel!

[rosiepinkStudio]

In response to your last question - Maybe in both sections?

[SuzyHomemaker]

Ok, then....I guess I'll post in the General section for now and see if maybe that'd be ok.