Christmas can not only be expensive, but it can also be quite stressful. The rush of the holidays is often based around getting the perfect gift for those we love. However, it doesn’t need to be like this. Making gifts instead of buying them can lead to stunning presents without the added hassle of busy shopping centres or waiting for deliveries as well as taking it easy on your pocket.
Here are some easy DIY Christmas gifts for you to try at home.
After periods of quarantining last year, it’s probably fair to say that many of us are experts at baking things like banana bread. Why not incorporate this into a Christmas present? Simply cook up your finest batch and pop it in a jar. Dress it up with a cloth on top, tie some string around it and leave a lovely hand-written note.
Perhaps you’re not the baking kind, but want to surprise your friend who is. Gather ingredients for something sweet, measure them out and pour them layer by layer into a jar. Write out instructions (even though they may not need them!) and seal the jar. Simple, but effective!
2. Body products
Who doesn’t love a good pamper session, especially around the holidays? Instead of buying your loved ones a body gift set, try making one. There are countless recipes online for things like bath bombs, body scrubs, body butter, face or hair masks and lip scrubs, to name but a few. Most will need things lying around your house, but you may have to buy things like essential oils for smell or certain organic ingredients.
Some recipes can be incredibly simple, like these two-three ingredient ones from Beautywised.com and some can be more detailed like this Grinch themed bath bomb and soap project from Steampoweredfamily.com. Check out this baked version of the Grinch heart!
3. Photo gifts
Incorporating photos into gifts can add an incredibly sentimental touch that the receiver is certain to love. There are many ways to give the gift of a photo instead of simply placing it in a basic plain frame. You can always paint and decorate the frame to give it a more personal feel.
If you’re feeling even more creative, you can attach a photo to the lid or cork of a small jar with a string and let it hang down to create a cute photo in a bottle look. Another idea is to spray paint a hula hoop, decorate it with string, leaves and flowers and hang photos from it for a lovely feature piece. If you’re looking for a big project, these photo coasters from Hellocreativefamily.com would make a great Christmas present!
4. Painted pressies
If you find you’re a master with a paintbrush, then Christmas is certainly the time to put this to good use. Any form of a painted picture on paper, canvas or cardboard would be an excellent gift to give. However, maybe you’ve already done this in previous years or the receiver of the gift doesn’t seem to have much more wall space to spare. Fear not. Simply buy some fabric paints and some clothing and get cracking!
In recent years, many people have started styling denim jackets with painted masterpieces on the back of them. It’s a really cool look and can be simple to create. Once you have the correct paint, you can personalise any fabric you want. There are endless possibilities – pillowcases, socks, tote bags, t-shirts, towels, blankets etc.
5. Games
Can’t think of anything to get your playful pals? Personalised games can bring a fun spin on old classics and can be quite easy to put together. Bring life back into your old games by adding pictures of your friends and family or the names of your favourite places. You’ll need to take some time on this present to make sure you get it right, but it will be well worth it at the end.
Here’s a guide of a customisable Monopoly game from thecraftables.com and a Guess who-style game from Almostmakesperfect.com.
