Homemade gift ideas are going to be important this Christmas in the United States. Economists say tough times may be ahead. That’s why we went in search of Christmas gifts you can DIY that people will love to get, but won’t put you in financial distress.
Homemade Gift Ideas To Make For Christmas
1. Propagate herbs, flowers, or other plants and put them in nice little thrifted pots. Or, buy some pretty plain pots like these on Amazon and decorate them with paint. Get the tutorial here.
2. Add some dried flower petals to hand-scented Epsom salts and gift it in a decorated Mason jar. Get the how-to on Savvy Homemade.
3. Sourdough is having a moment. Add some starter to a thrifted wooden bowl, and toss in a pretty kitchen towel.
4. Flavored, infused vinegars are very popular right now. Learn how to make them at DIY Natural.
5. Dog bandanas are cute and inexpensive to make. Oh, and they’re no-sew! via Dalmation DIY
6. DIY herbal salves aren’t hard to make, and they’re wonderful to have on hand. There’s a great how-to here.
7. A pretty, hand-embroidered felt bookmark is great for the ravenous reader on your gift list. via Amy Sadler Designs
8. Make this large batch taco seasoning recipe from Iowa Girl Eats, put some in a pretty container, and add it to a basket with ingredients to make taco soup.
9. This recipe for Friendship Soup in a Jar is a great idea to add to your gift-giving plan this year.
10. Paint some pretty Christmas tea towels using stencils you make at home, or pick up at a craft store.
11. Make some candied pecans or mixed nuts and put them into pretty jars that the recipient can use all year.
12. It’s easy to make DIY candles at home. You can even buy unscented candles at the thrift, melt them down, and reuse the wax. There are so many things you can use for candle containers, like wooden bowls, jars, or teacups. Here’s how to do it.
13. Have you heard of the viral candied fruit called Tanghulu? It would make such a pretty gift styled with some festive ribbon. Learn how to make it here.
14. Do you have someone on your list who loves to create cocktails? Make some DIY flavored simply syrups. The basis for every simple syrup truly is “simple.” It’s one cup of sugar in one cup of water that you boil until it’s smooth. Reddit user wrensbirdbrain created a set of 24 flavor recipes that she then used to create an Advent Calendar. She kindly shared all her recipes and you can get them here.
15. Drunken cherries, like the simple syrups above, are super popular among folks who love a yummy indulgence. They aren’t hard to make! via Sweet & Savory Meals
16. Homemade Limoncello is just the best. Basically, you need lemons, vodka, sugar, and water. via That Skinny Chick Can Bake
17. Beeswax wraps are super popular now, and you can make them with some simple ingredients. This is an excellent tutorial.
18. What about making some Christmas piñatas? I’m betting any kiddo would be just over the moon at getting their very own. What a dream! Learn how to make one at home at Skip to My Lou.
19. If you have someone on your list who loves a good notebook, you can personalize the covers with paint and stencils in a way that will make them feel really special. Here’s a great tutorial.
So many of us are worrying about Christmas this year. Things are TIGHT! If you’re concerned about finances this Christmas, we’ve written a short, simple guide filled with ideas to earn extra money during the season. No fluff, just ideas that we know can help. Get your copy here.
20. If you crochet or knit, the options are limitless. But, if not and you would really like to create a nice scarf as a Christmas present this year, Sewrella will teach you how. You can do it!
21. Those of us who use wooden spoons and wooden cutting boards know that a good “spoon butter” (you use it to seal wooden utencils) is worth it’s weight in gold. I’m envisioning a gift of a small cutting board, some wooden spoons, and this DIY spoon butter from The Prairie Homestead.
22. Resin can be expensive, but most Dollar Tree stores carry small bottles. Using that, along with some Dollar Tree Christmas gift bags, you can create sturdy Christmas luminaries that someone would be proud to use year after year. Get the easy tutorial on Kraft Klatch.
23. Homemade shave oil is so rich and wonderful. It’s all about the oils you choose. Get a great how-to on Shelterness.
24. I love the idea of handmade salt dough Christmas ornaments to be given as gifts, or even just added as gift tags on wrapped presents. Get the directions at Curly Girl Kitchen. You just need flour, salt, and water. If you find you want to use some cookie stamps or cutters, make a run for the local thrift store.
25. Grab a blank canvas tote, fabric markers, and some transfer paper, and you can design the cutest personalized tote bags ever. Learn how at Overstuffed Life. (You can get a pack of these totes for cheap on Amazon.)
26. Every year, candy in the store gets more and more expensive. Looking at all the amazing candy molds available now, I’m thinking one purchase of a great mold would allow you to make lots of really eye-popping, delicious Christmas candy. Here’s one to try on Amazon, but I would encourage you to first head to the thrift because there are almost always molds on the shelves.
27. Put together an art supply kit for the little artists on your Christmas list. Grab a tote and fill it with handmade crayons you’ve made using old, broken crayons, notebooks you’ve decorated, pencils and pens, and odds and ends you’ve found at the thrift.
28. Homemade playdough is incredible. Way better than the store-bought stuff, for sure. (Here’s how to make it.) Create some coloring book pages to go along with it that are personalized for the particular kiddo using ChatGPT.
29. Neck wraps that you can heat up in the microwave are heavenly, and you can make them yourself. Here’s an easy tutorial.
30. Framed family recipes are so precious. There are lots of ways to frame old recipes to make them look pretty, and anyone would be thrilled to receive such a thoughtful gift for Christmas.
31. Jenga is such a fun game, but you can create a handmade Jenga set that’s sure to be played for years. It really is as simple as coming up with a theme and allowing yourself to be creative. Some people add sayings and turn the blocks into a silly drinking game. Others lovingly turn each block into an art piece.
@katieabreu_ Paint your own Jenga game! Great summer project✨ Not going to lie I had some ups and downs on doing this, but onces I figured it out it was a piece of cake! You’ll need: -paint (for the colors you want the blocks, paint for wood is best I used acrylic & it took much longer) -painting markers (makes it easier for the designs) -matte finishing spray (for the coating, makes the game not sticky from the paint) -plain Jenga game (got mine on @Amazon ♬ original sound – 🤍🥥S•phia🐚🍨
32. People who love to be outside in their yard or garden know what a rain chain is. (Big fan here!) Here is a list of DIY rain chains you can make as a gift that will have people swearing you bought them.
33. Who doesn’t love a good simmer pot during the holidays? There is something so wonderful about them. Make your own simmer pots as gifts using this list of simmer pot recipes.
34. This polymer clay trinket dish is stunning. via Laura Prado
35. There are thousands upon thousands of free Christmas printables online to use for homemade gift ideas. Grab some ornate frames from the thrift store, clean and paint them if necessary, and add a gorgeous printable. It will look like it came right from Hobby Lobby.
36. Isn’t this burned wood Christmas garland gorgeous? A gift like this would remain a treasured keepsake for years. via My Creative Days
37. How pretty are these DIY Essential Oil Diffuser Bracelets? Learn how to make them on Crazy Inspired Life.
38. These hand-painted tea towels are a wonderful handmade Christmas gift that’s both practical and fun. Get the how-to at Addicted2DIY.com
Sher Bailey is a writer in the Midwest who believes the power of humor, Mod Podge, and grandkids can fix most problems in life. You can find her at SherBailey.com.
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