Homely Gift-Giving with a Twist

Giving a gift you’ve crafted, cooked, baked, bottled, or grown, has so much more meaning than anything you could ever buy from a shop. Now, you can make these homely gifts even more attractive and special – not to mention practical. Because when you gift the container that holds the gift, you not only double the love, you save the recipient the fuss of returning the receptacle! Ready? Then let’s head to the op-shop for ideas!

Cute and cake tins

Love to bake for friends and family? Then check out the charity shops for inexpensive cake tins to hold your goodies. Shine them up, and line them with fresh baking parchment. If you’re gifting muffins or cupcakes, buy baking trays (silicon or metal), and after removing the baking to cool, pop it back in the trays to hold the gift!

DIY in a tin

If you’re gifting to someone whom you know would like to bake, themselves, put together a DIY kit containing a simple cake or biscuit recipe and the ingredients to make it (measure out the ingredients and store them in labelled, individual snap-lock bags). Store the DIY items in an op-shop purchased baking container appropriate for the job (muffin pan, spring-form tin, bundt pan, cookie tray, or a novelty-shaped cake mold. Easie-peasie!

Ladies (or gents) a plate

If you’re taking baked goods to a friend, save yourself the fuss of hunting out a suitable container. Instead, head to the op-shop and have a ton of fun choosing a pile a pretty plates for just a few dollars. Pop your baking onto it, and be sure to tell the recipient they don’t need to return the plate – in fact, they can even pass it on after they’ve enjoyed it!

Bag a basket

Fresh, washed, colourful vegetables from your own garden are a treat to give and receive. They look even more eye-catching when presented in a basket – op-shops are full of cane baskets, from vintage styles to light-weight models, which can be bought for less than a dollar. Collect them up and keep them at the ready to hold gifted garden produce – there’s no need ask for them back!

Vase-ready

Fresh flowers from your own garden (or even those bought from a store) are a pleasure to give, but a pain to package! Instead of fussing about with paper to place them in, buy up inexpensive second-hand vase. Arrange your flowers before you leave home, and let your recipient know the vase is part of the gift. If you’re heading to a rest home or hospital with flowers, a vase is always appreciated as there are never enough to go around.

Labels and lace

Home-made preserves are a labour of love, so when gifting them, be sure to give them the presentation they deserve. Head to the ‘bits and bobs’ and haberdashery sections of the op-shop for colourful jar labels, coloured string and ribbon, and Lacey fabric from which to cut lid-covers. They’ll turn your already fabulous preserves into display items!

Make a meal of it

If you’re making a meal to take a friend or family member, consider gifting it in an op-shop appliance you know they will use again. It might be a rice cooker, a slow cooker, or even a steamer. Gifts given in this way can be perfect for a first-time flatting grandchild, or someone living alone who hasn’t been used to cooking for themselves. If they enjoy the meal, they’ll be bound to try out the appliance again.

Home-made or home grown gifts are filled with meaning and love. Help them stand out from the crowd even further with perfect packaging!