What are some ideas of low-cost homemade Christmas gifts I could give? I'm REALLY broke and embarrassed that I can't buy nice gifts, but I want to try to give something. I have a large fam, so ideas for both young and adult m and f are appreciated.

For the adults, you might want to consider making hot sauce or a spice blend. We have an enormous garden and grow lots of peppers and spices every year. Hubby makes the hot (mild, medium, hot) sauce from an online recipe (try epicurious). The spices he dries out and then uses a coffee grinder (not every used for coffee!) to grind into spice rubs/blends. Even if you have to purchase the peppers, it shouldn't be too expensive; spices might become expensive. We've tried jarring somethings like spaghetti sauce in the past but we just could not seem to get it right and worried we might poison someone! The nice thing about these items is that they don't need to be consumed right away. Some of my nieces and nephews have gotten themed sleepovers, cooking lessons (matched with inexpensive cookbook), and computer classes (how to set up their own web sites) in the past. Hubby is a good cook, I know how to work a computer. Best of luck! I have 12 nieces and nephews and like to get them something small every year. It can get expensive and challenging!

Consider giving a set amount to a good charity and telling everyone their name is on the gift.

Homemade cookies are always nice to receive. If you are not much of a baker, you can make them from a 98 cent box of cake mix. Allrecipes.com has the directions. You could give gift certificates for anything from a homemade meal like spaghetti that you make and bring to them or a night out while you babysit their kids. Little girls love jewelry and it's easy to make some really cool pendents with polymer clay and use ribbon to string the pendents on. If you can't afford the polymer clay, make your own. Old white bread [crusts removed] kneaded with Elmer's glue and food coloring makes a fantastic clay that lasts forever and is as hard as a rock when dry.Pocket books are a snap to make. Use old jeans or fabric from clothes that you no longer wear. I once took a thick sheet of clear plastic and a sharpie and drew pictures[coloring book style] on it. Give the kids a pack of dry erace markers with it.They had a blast drawing and coloring on it. Need more ideas? I have a million of them!

For very reasonable presents, I tend to do a small hamper for my mum and dad filled with stuff from Boots Chemist their basic range and stuff from the pound shops with a lot of basic things they need for the house. e.g liquid soap 59p, foam bath 69p, pack of 4 soap 89p, basics shampoo 50p, conditioner 50p, bath sponge 60p, toothpaste 40p Total = £4.20, or food they'd never buy themselves that's on offer e.g chocolate biscuits.50p, custard creams 50p, fruit cake 70p, scones 50p, a pot of jam 60p, a pot of honey 69p, crackers for cheese 50p, total = £4. I wrap an old shoe box with cheap wrapping paper and use either tissue or paper I've used from my shredder to fill the box, putting the goods in between the layers. I then either have some plastic clear film I cover the box with and put a bow on or just wrap another sheet of paper over it, taking care not to put another product on top of it, otherwise it will break the outside wrap. Mean aren't I.