One of my favorite activities this time of year is creating homemade gifts for family and friends. The joy in a handmade gift is that it says to the recipient she was thought of, considered, and special! Including your children in the process is also a wonderful way for them to actively participate in the season. Afternoons of making mixes, goodies from the kitchen, bath salts, and more have become traditions in our home and something my children look forward to each holiday season.

Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are fun to prepare. The options are limitless, but I have a few simple, easy-to-assemble basket options for you.

A gift basket does not necessarily need to be an actual basket. Be on the lookout for other creative options. Craft stores have a large selection of metal tins with lids that have a Christmas theme printed on them; even simpler would be a box wrapped in pretty foil Christmas paper.

Breakfast Basket 1
Homemade Granola
Homemade Cocoa Mix
Coffee Mug
Potholder (this can be handmade too!)

My Favorite Granola
This recipe is the granola I have been making for my family for years. I have given it away as a gift many times!

12 cups uncooked oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup powdered milk
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1½ tsp. salt
1 cup light olive oil
11/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 cups raisins
2 cups nuts of your choice, chopped

You will need a very large bowl for mixing. Combine oats, coconut, flour, powdered milk, cinnamon, and salt and mix well. In a saucepan heat oil, honey, and vanilla until just warm. This helps the mixture pour easily. Pour this over the oat mixture and stir well. I start out by stirring it with a large spoon but end up mixing it with my hands to ensure that everything is evenly mixed. Spread this in a thin layer on 2 to 3 large cookie sheets and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Stir it about every 15 minutes. I bake two trays at a time and switch the position of the trays each time I stir so that the granola browns evenly. When the mixture is done you can pour it into a large bowl and allow it to cool. When it is completely cool, stir in the raisins and nuts. You can store the finished granola in any airtight container or even a couple of large zip-type storage bags. This recipe will make approximately 20 cups of granola.

Big Batch Hot Cocoa Mix
I like this recipe because it uses organic sugar and does not use powdered coffee creamer. Coffee creamers have unhealthy oils added to them that are best avoided.

16 cups powdered dry milk
1¼ cup cocoa powder
5 cups Sucanat or cane juice crystals (both are organic sugars and can be found in health food stores)
½ tsp. salt

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight container or zip-type storage bags. For a smoothlooking finished product (like storebought cocoa mix), run cocoa mix through the blender a few cups at a time.

Package in glass canning jars or ziptype storage bags and attach a card that says,

For a delicious cup of hot cocoa, put 1/3 cup mix into a large mug, pour in boiling water, stir, and enjoy.

Breakfast Basket 2
Cinnamon Pancake Mix
Jar of Homemade Syrup
Dish Towel
Spatula

Cinnamon Pancake Mix
This mix can be packaged in a ziptype storage bag and a label or card attached with instructions on how to use it.

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tbsp. Sucanat or cane juice crystals
2 Tbsp. baking powder
4 tsp. cinnamon
1¼ tsp. salt

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients well. Put in container for gift giving.

Attach a gift card with these instructions:
11/3 cup Cinnamon Pancake Mix
¾ cup milk (buttermilk works well too!)
1 egg
2 Tbsp. light olive oil or coconut oil

Stir all ingredients together until everything is moist and slightly lumpy. Cook on a hot, buttered skillet. Makes about 10 small pancakes.

Sucanat Maple Syrup
2 cups Sucanat (organic sugar; can be found in health food stores)
1 cup water
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
pat of butter (optional)

In a saucepan heat Sucanat and water until just boiling and the Sucanat has dissolved. Remove from heat and add maple syrup and butter.

Put this syrup in small canning jars and top with a canning lid and ring. Seal in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes or give directions to store in refrigerator if you do not want to can it.

Bathroom Basket 1
Bar of handmade soap (purchased)
Homemade Bath Salts
Loofa sponge or sea sponge
CD of soothing, relaxing music

Basic Bath Salts
3 parts Epsom salts
2 parts baking soda
1 part sea salt
Essential oil of your choice (my favorite choices are peppermint & eucalyptus, lavender, or orange & eucalyptus)

Mix all ingredients together well. I find that using my hands to mix this does the best job of distributing the essential oil. Put in glass canning jars or zip-type storage bags.

Bathroom Basket 2
Homemade Bath Tea
Soy candles
Natural fiber type bath mitt (ramie, hemp, organic cotton, flax. These can be purchased online or at health food stores.)

Bath Tea
(Dried herbs can be purchase online or at some health food stores.)
1 cup dried rosemary
1 cup lavender buds
1 cup rose petals
1 cup dried mint

Mix herbs together and put in a ziptype storage bag, a decorative paper bag, a muslin bag, or a canning jar. Make a label with these instructions:
Measure ½ cup herbs in 1-2 cups water in a saucepan. Set on stove and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and allow the herbs to steep for 15 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth. Add the tea to your bath water.

Simple Gifts
Small, simple homemade gifts are nice to have on hand. They are perfect for handing out to friends, Sunday school teachers, the mailman, or your neighbors.

Popcorn and Seasoning
Put ½ to 1 cup of popcorn in a small canning jar (or other container choice) and attach seasoning mix.

Cheesy Italian Popcorn Seasoning Mix
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt

Mix all ingredients in blender. This may take 2-3 minutes to combine well. Store in a canning jar or package as desired for gift giving. Add a gift card with these instructions:
Pop the popcorn, butter to taste, and sprinkle on some Cheesy Italian seasoning. Toss everything to coat evenly.

Tea Mix
Small jars or containers of tea mix can be given alone or can accompany a mug.

Chai Tea Mix
This is a delicious tea mix that I make every Christmas.

2½ cups cane juice crystals (organic sugar)
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered milk
1½ cups unsweetened instant tea
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cardamom

In a small bowl combine cane juice crystals and vanilla and allow to dry. After it has dried out, break up any clumps. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. In a blender, blend the mix one cup at a time until it is a fine powder. Put mix into containers for gift giving and attach the following instructions:
For each mug of tea, mix 2 rounded tablespoons of chai tea mix with hot water and enjoy often during this holiday season!

Merry Christmas to you all. May you have an enjoyable holiday season creating handmade gifts and making memories with your children!

Crystal Miller lives in southwest Washington with her husband, Tobin, and six of their eight homeschooled children. She lives a homesteading life filled with goats and chickens and enjoys making cheese and soap with her own goat milk, baking bread, gardening, and caring for her family. Crystal has a website to encourage homemakers desiring to live a simple life (www.thefamilyhomestead.com) and a small ebusiness selling her handmade goat milk soaps and other items (crystalscountrystore.com).