I'm glad you got everything sorted out OP. After all, it is the thought that counts. :)

OP those are wonderful and well thought out presents. You can see the time you put into making them these things by the way you said it. I would love it if my relatives would get me these kinds of things

I wish I knew you, I would LOVE to get homemade stuff as a gift! (I'm not being sarcastic, I love creativity and that's really cool!)

ugh homemade stuff like that is my favorite. I like that so much more than store bought shit that nobody needs

Aaw, OP, you're the best type of person. I wish you were my friend, I used to love getting handmade gifts from grandma. Keep doing what you're doing. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! WOOO, PARTY!!!

These are very wonderful presents and I hope that one day, if I am ever not lazy enough to make home made things (I did this year but it was the first year I have ever given presents to my parents as I am pretty young), I want to do it like you. :)

We need more people like you in this world

op, your writing skills are impeccable

you OP are awesome.

You are the true spirit of the season!

Well at least she explained why she remarked the way she did and I know about pain and wish I could find something to get rid of mine. 5 different types if pain pills don't help and I “am to young" for them to up the dosages of the morphines. And I am glad the two of you made up and she appreciates how much more you do then just buying something. I know you said you were atheists but GOD BLESS you and be safe over there I know it's not as bad as some other places in the world but that's the price we pay to try to keep law and order on the streets

I agree that gifts you make are more sentimental, although in 3rd grade I once made my dad a car on a stick, and now he'll never stop mentioning how much of a shitty gift it was.

******* best op's comment ever. So vivid and detailed; really made me respect you as a person.

this is so sweet from you and I know how you feel lebanese moms always get it out on their children when they are angry, wa yen3ad 3lyke OP :)

Your gifts were very thoughtful and it's great that you make them something instead of getting caught up in the commercialism like everyone else. Also you participating in Christmas even though you have a different religion is great. Keep being you no matter what anyone says.

Nice to see people still know the true meaning of christmas.

Some of these OP replies really need a TLDR.

I love homemade things like that. My Mum makes things like that all the time. :D I'd so love to learn how to do that, so I can give people things like that for Christmas. I'm glad your mother apologized to you. There was no need for a comment like that.

You're honestly the sweetest person ever and I'm disappointed that your mother didn't appreciate your gifts. I hope your other family members liked them. I'm atheist in a religious family too, but I do wish you a Happy New Year.

I think that anyone would be honoured to receive such a thoughtful gift! the fact that each gift is made specifically for each family member with their situations in mind shows you are a carrying and compassionate person. Happy to hear that you and your mom now see eye to eye on the issue!

You are the sweetest person...I like your personal touch, I try to do it myself. I don't like to send automated birthday wishes to my friends. I sincerely hope your financial position gets better soon. Are you single by any chance??

#133 - Extract from OP's comment reads as follows, "I am an atheist lesbian..." LESBIAN

so happy that everything turned out well for you in the end :)

Well, now Christmas is basically the American holiday of capitalistic consumerism... So I think you failed on that part. Oh well.

you're a sweetheart. the only gift I was able to give this year (due to extenuating circumstances) was a memorial portrait of my sister-in-law's mom's dog who was viciously attacked and killed. I really connected with it. the best gifts are ones we make with love.

The presents u made r so cool. I wish I could make something like these.

Out of curiosity OP, what did you make that shaving cream out of?

Why thank you, and judging from your wording, I bet yours is too :)

Hey, #112, tell me what kinds of pain you're feeling, maybe I can help?

How do you make your heating/cooling pads?

Heating pad: Tube sock, fill it with rice (doesn't have to be pricey, the cheapest rice you can find will do), sprigs of dried lavender, a few drops of Lavender essential oil, a few drops of Rosemary essential oil, sew the open end of the tube sock and voila! Anytime you need it, pop it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and enjoy :) Cooling pad: Get a ziplock bag, fill it with water (add another ziplock bag over it so if it leaks it says inside, I learned that the hard way :P) but not too much, about half of the bag, so that when you lay it on its side the water spreads evenly. Pop it in the freezer. Then when you need to use it on an injury, take it out, wrap it in a thin cloth (pillow cases are good in this case), and spread some aloe vera gel mixed with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil on the injured area before putting the frozen pad. Yeah, it's that easy :)

Aw, thanks #119! I just saw that! Hope you are having awesome holidays full of laughter and warmth :)

@134, Well I am a guy. I really thought that OP is very sweet and it was just my gesture to show that people like her are still valued.

Yen3ad 3leyki wa 3eyltik kaman (Excuse the mistakes because I'm Lebanese but I live abroad so don't get to practice Arabic typing much ^^)

w 3layke ya rab bel 5er wel so77a wel 3afye :)

atleast all is forgiven

Heyy !!! I'm lebanese ! I was looking through old FMLs and I like making hand made stuff like I do cards sometimes but it's all I can do since I'm only 14

With you in that one. Apparently younger people can't have chronic pain because they are " too young"

What the hell does you being a lesbian have anything to do with your original post?? sure I agree handmade gifts are awesome because of the time spent on them. shows the person cares.... still...no one on here cares about you being a lesbian, or if you have homophobic family... that part of your reply it's rather pointless... it seems more like an attention grab.."ohh boohoo poor me lesbian got bashed by my mom and I have family that's homophobic"

Wow. You truly are a wonderful person. I wish more people could be like you. I have a atheist lesbian 'friend' who just bitches about everything and is awful to pretty much anyone religious. It's refreshing to see people like you, who despite differing opinions and views, treats people kindly. And those gifts sound amazing! Wish I could get stuff like that haha.

#109 But yet, she can't spell arthritis correctly

I tell my wife's family this all the time... It's not the gift, but the thought that matters most. If you are broke, buy someone a card and write something meaningful and sentimental I'll always appreciate that more than a gift I always say. I like how you don't impose your lifestyle on others and yet accept theirs, and also just from reading your FML you seem very expressive and caring... We need more people like you in this world... Merry Christmas and Happy holidays

On a slightly related note - Lebanese food is awesome!

As someone who one year made presents for some of my family, I'll never do it again. But only because it too a wild amount of time AND money! I don't know why people think home made items are some kind of cop out. I made several kinds of bath products and between high end ingredients, cute bottles, instructions, and packaging, it was insane! Good for you for doing that every year. Several people liked my presents and wanted me to make more but no way. Too hard. I'm sure the rest of your family loves the presents and the time and effort you put into them.

doesn't sound cheap to make all that stuff, and needing all the ingredients. so you spent a bunch of money AND time and efforts. double awesome.

OP you sound like a wonderful person! I'm glad you confronted your mum and got it sorted and got an apology. Don't let anyone quell that spirit of yours for giving. Homemade gifts are great. Much more personal.

whoever "moderated" my comment on #168 is a big baby. if the truth hurts, then move on and cry on to mommy...

do you know of any good pain remedies for chronic severe back pain, by chance? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, OP! :) I love doing home made gifts. one year I made my mom some special stress relief bath salts, she loved them. :) I can't imagine if she'd hated them or asked for a receipt.

i honestly wish i knew how to make presents like that! and every year until i got an actual job i made my gifts and once i learned how to make handmade jewelry those became gifts too and now i go out and buy store bought gifts but i like seeing the expressions on peoples faces when they see the time and effort you put into a gift that you were making them. not store bought so i see where you are coming from. but i still buy cards and put my own thought and words into them to make them more special.

Every year, whether its for anniversary, christmas, or his birthday, I always make my boyfriend homemade gifts, usually they're stuffed animals. The stuffed animals are always either a representation of an inside joke of ours, or a character from a movie. And he always loves them, even though I usually get them to him a little late.. But even though I always give my boyfriend homemade gifts, this is actually the first year I'm giving the rest of my family homemade things. For my mom and dad, I made them candy dispensers. And for the rest of the family, I made goodie bags. I made 30 in total, and each one has 3 chocolates, 3 chocolate covered oreo balls, and 3 chocolate covered pretzels. And I used dark, milk and white chocolate. I spent only about $30 on everything.

Wow.. enty Arab atheist lesbian.. Allah y2aweeky you're so strong as it is enk t-go against societal norms in a culture that holds on to them so strongly. And the handmade gifts sound amazing so don't let anyone convince you otherwise. I know you don't necessarily believe in Christmas, bs kol sana wenty tayeba anyway :)

Sounds like it ended very well! Keep up the good work!

I second this

I third this your awesome OP

Hehehe well why not!! Send me your address and i'll send you a little gift :):) Goes for #118 and #122 too!

Happy to come to Lebanon and collect it as well :) I really want to visit Beirut :) Merry Xmas

You are such a sweetheart OP!

@146 holy shit another Jew on FML COOL!!! Although I consider myself to be more agnostic, Judaism is a part of my identity.

No, we don't, because we're not. OP clearly isn't, being an atheist. I'm not, like many others who see Christmas as merely a cultural holiday spent with family. Doesn't mean we don't understand that a handmade gift should be appreciated rather than scorned.

yes we all know that and yet we still choose to remember his birth on this day. nothing wrong with that.

Maybe for some people, but Christmas hasn't been about Jesus for a long time. If it was, we all would be at church on Christmas. Instead, for two months, we are running around like crazy people buying a bunch of shit for people we pretend to like. Sorry, but that's reality.