OP, our family has been drawing names for several years, and trying to buy local. It helps that Eugene, OR has a wonderful indoor local market! Most of our family is there, so they can utilize that well.

For the rest of us, my husband has gotten into woodworking, and just bought the makings for breakfast boards (a European idea that has a hole for a soft boiled egg and room for toast next to it). My kids have had them at our house for years... this year they get their own.

I'm crocheting up a storm. I make crocheted caps all year long for the Salvation Army (it's not too hot even in the summer for a small crochet project), and in the fall and winter I work on bigger projects like afghans.

I've been pushing for hand-made gifts at work for the past three years, and sometimes we get a good response, and other times everyone just shrugs and buys something for the gift grab.

Let's not give up just because people look blankly at us. I'd rather someone just wish me a truly Merry Christmas, than have them buy some crap just to have something in their hands.