# Mom wants me to make her something for Christmas **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260 "2015-01-19T05:42:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/1 "2015-01-19T05:42:55Z")
She’s close to 80 and I’m 50. I’m pretty skill-less. No carpentry, building, metal working, ceramics…or the typical trades when one thinks about making something. HELP! What are some suggestions for making here something? ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/2 "2015-01-19T05:45:35Z")
You’ve got plenty of time to learn, 11 months in fact. Figure out something creative you’d like to learn how to do and get on youtube. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/3 "2015-01-19T06:11:04Z")
You could make a pretty epic scrapbook of her life over the next 11 months. ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/4 "2015-01-19T12:27:23Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > You could make a pretty epic scrapbook of her life over the next 11 months. This is what I would have suggested. Generally by the time you’ve reached 80 there aren’t many things you still need. My mother in law loves all the mini photo books we send her during the year but a nicely made scrapbook is an excellent idea. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/5 "2015-01-19T14:26:52Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > She’s close to 80 and I’m 50. > I’m pretty skill-less. No carpentry, building, metal working, ceramics…or the typical trades when one thinks about making something. > > HELP! What are some suggestions for making here something? Most people can learn to crochet in a couple hours. Perhaps she’d like an afghan. A scrapbook could be fun if you have access to plenty of old pictures. Skip all the cutesey-wootsey stuff they sell at “scrapbooking” shops and it can be a pretty inexpensive project. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/6 "2015-01-19T17:30:39Z")
What kind of stuff does your mom like? That could help point you in a certain direction. Does she like music? (You could make a set of wind chimes.) Does she like gardening? (You could help her set up a small container garden for herbs and small veggies.) Is she religious? Politically active? Interested in her genealogy? ---
**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/7 "2015-01-19T17:40:44Z")
Both we and the in-laws have moved entirely to making online photo books for Christmas presents (I use adoramapix, my sister uses shutterfly, etc.) which everyone likes way better than the useless store-bought gifts we used to do. I like shiny things, so my first answer to the question would have been jewelry… you can learn how to do wire wrapping pretty quickly (google wire wrapping tutorial or even jewelry tutorial). Or stringing beads together on string or wire; my sister took up wirework with beads and made some really pretty necklaces for me. You will have to buy pliers, and depending on what metal and stones you use it can start to get pricey pretty quickly, but you can also keep costs down by using copper and relatively cheap stones. Another easy cheap thing to make is chain maille. Google “byzantine chain maille tutorial” for simple instructions for something that looks complicated but is actually pretty easy to make. (And if this is too complicated, you can start with “2 in 2” or something even simpler!) You will need two sets of small (jewelry) pliers. You can also buy colorful anodized aluminum jump rings to play with from a number of different places… e.g. [this person](https://www.etsy.com/listing/175550203/18ga-316-shiny-anodized-aluminum-multi?ref=shop_home_active_21) seems to sell a bunch for less than $10 or so. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/8 "2015-01-19T19:14:40Z")
The scrapbook idea is brilliant. If you can sew at all, or want to learn, a simple quilt in pretty colors is quite easy and makes anyone feel loved. ---
**Author:** ![vomit\_comet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/73ab20/32.png) [@vomit\_comet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vomit_comet)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/9 "2015-01-19T19:20:17Z")
Soap is pretty easy to make and you can make it simple or cutesy if you want to. Lots of youtube videos on the subject. Now would be a good time to make a nice castile soap as it is pretty soft until it cures for at least 6 months to a year in a well ventilated area. There are recipe calculators and forums you can look at for help, tips etc. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/10 "2015-01-19T19:26:09Z")
I used to make candles. Go to a craft store and look at molds, scents, and colors. Melt wax, add color and scent, then pour and cool. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/11 "2015-01-19T19:30:25Z")
Can you cook or bake? Is there a special treat she loves? Biscotti? Fudge? Cabbage rolls (portion and freeze)? If you want to try knitting, there are some simple patterns that make a quick and easy lacy scarf. I bought one ball of super soft merino wool (expensive-ish) and made a scarf for a friend this year. If all else fails, how about a macaroni enhanced picture frame. Bonus for spray painting it gold. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/12 "2015-01-19T19:47:47Z")
I would suggest something in the macaroni or modeling clay mediums. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/13 "2015-01-19T19:56:13Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > I would suggest something in the macaroni or modeling clay mediums. I was tempted to say something like this, and not 100% as a joke, either. OP, did you ever make your mom something when you were a kid that she seemed to particularly like? If so, is there a “grown-up version” of that you could make? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mom-wants-me-to-make-her-something-for-christmas/710260/14 "2015-01-19T19:56:42Z")
Does your mom use Facebook? Do you? If you do and she doesn’t, you should download a bunch of photos from family members and family friends from Facebook and have them printed out like at Walgreens, and give her a photo book of all the swell family photos she will probably never see because she’s not on Facebook. I did this for my nieces - who are 3 and 5 and don’t use Facebook - and they love it!