Make your own gifts for loved ones this Christmas

HANDMADE gifts are by far my favourite presents to give and receive.

I have made some lovely bits for friends and family that, quite honestly (unless they are all fantastic actors!) are well received and much appreciated.

Now, more than ever, people really understand the effort that goes into a handmade gift and there is a certain sense of appreciation that goes with being gifted something, that you know the giver spent time and effort creating specially for you.

I am a huge fan of a handmade gift and there are lots of wonderful ones you could make this winter for friends and family that will go down a treat. They usually involve a little time to make, so here’s some ideas that might inspire you - and you still have plenty of time to get creative.

I absolutely adore candles, I nearly always have one lighting in the kitchen, not only to battle the odour of dinner but it gives such a lovely welcoming scent when you enter a room.

I am one of those oddballs that save every lovely glass jar and bottle, so I have plenty of jars to fill. To clean them, I just soak them in very hot water - that lifts any waxy residue and makes it easier to remove the labels.

A little bit of nail varnish remover will remove any excess glue left after labels, giving you a lovely blank canvas to create your own labels. You could always use vintage China teacups too from a charity shop. For the candles, I got my supplies from Irish company Bomar Aromatherapy. They have everything you need from wax (I bought the eco soy wax and it is very slow to burn, which is brilliant), wicks, scents, and for €40 I got enough supplies to make eight candles and they are honestly fabulous. It’s very simple to do and if you need any guidance there are lots of tutorials online.

I met a friend outside the school gate this morning who told me she is knitting a scarf for her mother. I don’t have the patience to knit but my grandmother used to be an avid knitter and crocheter, so she showed me how to crochet instead. I find you can make progress more quickly with crochet so I prefer it because I have no patience. Granny squares are very simple thing to crochet, again there are plenty of tutorials online and supplies are usually easy to come by. You could make a lap blanket pretty quickly, which undoubtedly would be a very thoughtful gift this winter, especially for older people or those who sit at a desk during the day to keep them warm.

The last couple of years, I have made an infused vodka that has gone down really well with friends and I love it myself. I got a bottle of vodka (in the duty-free on the boat during the summer, surprising foresight for someone so disorganised!) and put some chopped up pear and apple into a large bottle with the vodka. Leave it for a week to infuse, giving it a gentle shake around once a day.

After the week, pop in two cinnamon sticks and leave overnight. Then strain the liquid through a muslin cloth (most parents have a few hanging around the house!) and you’re done. I save small bottles during the year which I clean and sterilise by putting in the oven for about 15 minutes at 140 degrees. There are so many different infused drinks you can make - my father-in-law makes us sloe gin and damson vodka, so yummy!

A lovely, simple gift that requires little skill or effort is a bath soak.

Simply get some Epson salts, which are cheap and widely available in pharmacies, and add a few drops of essential oils to make a gorgeous, relaxing bath soak. I have lavender growing in the garden that I take in and dry upside down in the hot press. I crush up the dried head of it and add it to the bath salts for a little extra colour and scent. A nice, thoughtful gift to encourage someone to take some time out for themselves and relax (if they have a bath!).

There are also lots of food gifts you can make to give to friends. One year I made cookie jars, which are a great hit, especially with children. I layer the dry ingredients needed to make cookies then add a little tag with the instructions and what wet ingredients to add. This is a lovely one as baking is always a nice thing to do with children. However, if you’re pressed for time or can’t cope with the mess from weighing out all the ingredients, this is the perfect gift as it takes the hassle out of baking!

Other food gifts that work well include homemade granola, pickled cucumber and homemade jams or chutneys. My Dad made a gorgeous chilli jam for us lately so that is my next thing to try, it will make a lovely gift around Christmas to go with a cheese board.