Each year in the fall I spend a day making homemade Christmas gifts. It is a day that I treasure and hopefully brings some joy to the recipients at the holidays. Throughout the years, the gifts and the recipients have varied. One year it was canned pears for all of the adults who were influential in my children’s lives. The list included Sunday school teachers, a piano teacher, various schoolteachers and several bus drivers. Recently it was strawberry jam given not only to relatives that live close, but also mailed family members in 4 different states. This year, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what to make. I have settled on homemade applesauce and the big day is next Wednesday.
In this materialistic world, often times homemade gifts include so much more than simply their contents. They represent time and love. As some of our outdoor gardening activities wrap up, please consider spending some of your time making a few homemade gifts for Christmas. Here are a few ideas.
Homemade Soaps are a wonderful yet practical gift idea. Check out this Lavender Oatmeal Recipe.
10 ounces of melt and pour goat’s milk soap
1 Tablespoon dried lavender flowers
1/4 cup quick cook oats
1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil
Chop the melt and pour soap into chunks and add the oats and lavender. Microwave until melted. Add the lavender essential oil and mix well, then pour into soap molds. Allow to fully cool until hard before popping out of the molds.
Gardener’s Hand Scrub is another idea for a homemade gift. This is a recipe for a Lemon Scented scrub.
Zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup liquid dish soap
5 drops tea tree essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil
Zest one lemon and mix together with the coconut oil. Add the sugar and dish soap, and mix together until it forms a paste. Add tea tree essential oil and the peppermint essential oil, adding a soothing tingle. Store in a sealable glass container. The hand scrub is safe to keep on the counter for use until it’s gone.
Hand painted rocks have become so popular. Several times this summer, my day has been brightened by finding a rock with an inspirational saying on it sitting in a public place around my hometown of Hampshire. Feeling creative? Grab a few rocks from your yard and spend the afternoon painting them. It may sound basic, but the results can be beautiful!
Terra Cotta Pots. We have 3 painted terra cotta planters that are children did years ago. We treasure them. Want to the younger members of your family something that they will treasure? Consider personalizing the outside of a few terra cotta planters. Not only can they be painted, but they can also be decorated with decoupage or using seashells.
And if you, too, would like to make homemade applesauce.This is a favorite recipe of mine.
4 pounds apples
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Wash the apples. Cut into slices or chunks no thicker than 3/4-inch. Put the prepped apple pieces into the slow cooker, and mix them with the sugar and spices. Combine the water and lemon juice. Pour the liquid over the apples. Give all of the ingredients in the slow cooker a good stir. Cover the slow cooker. Cook the applesauce on the low setting for 6 hours, or on the high setting for 3 hours. Depending on the consistency you like, run the sauce through a food mill using coarser or finer screens as desired. To freeze, simply transfer the applesauce to freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. To can applesauce, fill clean pint or half-pint jars leaving 1/2 inch of headspace between the top of the food and the rims of the jars. Use a butter knife or a small spoon to release any air bubbles. Wipe off the rims of the jars with a moistened paper or clean cloth towel (any food stuck to the rims could prevent a good seal). Fasten canning lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com
Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
