Shopping for Christmas gifts is always fun, but sometimes it can be hard to find the right gift at the right price. This is where homemade gifts can be a much better option. You can make a wide variety of gifts at a low cost and make them more personable. Homemade gifts range in all kinds of categories, like food, clothing, and photography.
Here are some ideas for homemade gifts to help you get started:
1. Food Gifts
Food gifts are always appreciated. Who doesn’t like to eat, right? There are all kinds of things you can make as food gifts. Most food gifts come in a mason jar, like soup in a jar, cookies in a jar, or homemade coffee creamer in a jar. You can make recipes in the crockpot like apple butter and jar it up to give to friends and family.
Christmas cookies wrapped in potato chip tins (think cleaned Pringles tins), snack mixes in tins, and waffle or pancake mixes in jars are also good choices. Homemade candies, cocoa mixes, and flavored spoons for coffee are also great ideas.
2. Pampering Gifts
DIY bath products are a great idea for gift-giving. Since they are homemade, you know what the ingredients are, which is even better. You can make things like sugar scrubs, milk baths, hand lotions, sugar scrub cubes, soaps, lip balms, body butters, etc. You can find all kinds of recipes for the season, like peppermint and chocolate, to more traditional scents like lavender or citrus. It’s fun having a wide variety of scents to choose from, especially when you can incorporate them into the look of your product.
I made some homemade bath products one year, and they were a hit. Even though you are making these yourself, double-check with your recipients to make sure they don’t have any allergies to anything. (The last thing you want is for someone to break out because there is something in your gift that they are allergic to!)
3. Knitted Items
If you know how to knit and are talented at it, make someone you love a sweater, scarf, or a pair of mittens or gloves. Personalize it with their favorite color or colors, and if possible, monogram it. (Keep in mind if your loved one has any allergies to any type of fabric.)
4. Photo Gifts
Photos are some of our most precious memories. Instead of leaving them in an old photo album or in a folder on the computer, bring them out and give them some life. You can make all kinds of gifts with photos. Things like personalized photo candles, photo magnets, ornaments, acrylic photo blocks, calendars (print off a template online), photo boxes, coasters, shadow boxes, etc. are great options!
Other ideas include pillows, blankets, and coffee mugs. You can go through the photos on a friend’s or spouse’s phone or computer and then send them to yourself (so long as you have permission!). This way, you will have one of their favorite photos to use and surprise them with.
5. Coupon Books
Coupon books make fantastic gifts. One year, my mom made one of these for my aunt and uncle and they loved it. She put coupons for an hour of child care, cleaning the house, making a meal, etc. You can make coupon books for kids and adults.
For kids, you may add things like a sleepover with you, help to clean their room (one time), a night out at the movies, making dinner together (age-appropriate), an afternoon at the park, a trip to the children’s museum, etc. Look ahead at your community calendar and see if there are any kid-friendly events coming up that you can take them to.
6. Craft Gifts
If you have a knack for sewing, jewelry making, or any sort of crafting, you have all kinds of options for gifts. Things like sunglasses cases, drawer satchels, t-shirt produce bags, hair scrunchies, beanies, stamped towels, etc.
Another idea is hand or ear warmers, trivets, or some kind of organizer. There are all kinds of ideas with instructions online. With your creativity and sewing skills, the sky’s the limit.
7. DIY Kitchen Gadgets
Who knew you could make homemade kitchen gadgets? You can! Projects you can make include stamped wooden utensils, a tablet holder from a cutting board and some pieces of wood (so you can read that recipe on your tablet while you’re cooking), and embroidered kitchen towels. Consider buying a few wooden utensils and painting them if you are artistically inclined.
8. Homemade Candles
Homemade candles are also a wonderful gift. You can personalize them to the recipient’s favorite scent and even make up a quirky name for that scent. Most people pour homemade candles into jars, but I’ve also seen people put them into teacups. Just keep in mind any scents the recipient doesn’t like or that other family members could be sensitive to.
9. Family Book
Write a book for your family. This could be a book of family recipes, a story about someone’s life, or a collection of writings from a child. It could also be a work of fiction or nonfiction that you want only your family members and maybe a few friends to read.
You can create a book online to purchase for print, or you can purchase a journal and handwrite your book. No matter which you choose, this personalized gift is a special way to let family and friends see your creative side.
10. Framed Art/Poetry
If you have a flair for art, create some for your friends and family. Think about what your friends and family love and then paint or draw a picture.
If you enjoy writing and poetry, write a poem for someone and frame it. Make it as personal as possible. One idea is to write a simple poem using someone’s name. For example, say your friend’s name is Lisa. Her poem would read Loving/Intelligent/Sweet/Amazing. Simple, to the point, and personal. You could even print it out using her favorite colors and adding a few sticker embellishments or something to dress up the paper before framing it.
You could even write poems about your friends’ kids, pets, or one for each member of their entire family. Then they could hang them on the wall together to display your amazing creativity.
There are all kinds of homemade gifts you can make for your loved ones this holiday season that don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. For any of the ideas above, do a search online on how to make them and go to town with your creativity. For the food items, you may already have recipes you want to use, and that’s great!
From sweets and snacks to gifts for pampering and everything in between, your loved ones will love the gifts you make because they are one-of-a-kind treasures created with love, made to make this Christmas the best one yet!
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/paulaphoto
Carrie Lowrance is a freelance writer and author. She has had her work featured on Crosswalk, iBelieve, Huffington Post, and the Penny Hoarder. She is also the author of three children’s books, three clean romance books, one romance novella, three books of poetry, and one non-fiction book. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and baking, reading, and hanging out with her husband, and sweet cat, Cupcake. You can find out more about Carrie and her writing at www.carrielowrance.com.
