7 Ideas for DIY Holiday Gifts

Making a gift is a great way to show someone how well you know them, and that you cared enough to put time into creating something special with them in mind. It’s also a fun, and budget-friendly, activity the whole family can take part in. So make your list, check it twice, and create some of these homemade gifts!

Pickles

If you have a pickle fan on your gift list, make your own custom pickles to give them as a one-of-a-kind gift! It’s actually easy — slice cucumbers and mix them with garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, sugar, dill, or any other spice or herb you want to be in your signature mix. Put in a jar and close tight. Shake the jar a few times a day, and they’ll be ready to eat in about a week, depending on if you do a quick or slow method. If you need some tips on the processes, this article has information about how to do each

Body Scrubs

There’s no need to spend a lot of money on store-bought body scrubs when it’s easy to make your own with inexpensive ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen! Mix equal parts sugar with melted coconut oil, and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a nice-smelling, moisturizing exfoliant. If you like the smell of coffee, you can substitute coffee grounds for the sugar, as they also make for a wonderful exfoliant. Put your scrub in a cute jar and give it as a gift — they’ll love it just as much as something from an expensive boutique! 

Family Memory Game 

Have you ever played the board game Memory? The concept is simple — the game contains multiple pairs of cards that have pictures of objects and animals. They are placed face down in rows. A player selects two tiles on each turn and looks at the cards — if they match, they keep the pair, and if they don’t, they place them back on the board, face-down. The goal is to remember where each item is on the board in order to find a match, and the player with the most matches after all the tiles have been picked wins.

A special homemade gift idea is to make your own game by using photos of family, friends, pets, and memorable occasions. Print two of each photo and glue to card stock or foam board cut all in the same size. The gift recipient will love seeing all the special photos every time they play!

Hot Sauce

There are many ways to make hot sauce, and the types of peppers you use are up to you! Traditional hot sauce uses hot peppers or a mix of hot and sweet peppers. Combine with aromatic veggies like garlic and onion, ferment, and then blend with vinegar. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of fermenting — check out this article for information

Good Scents

Everyone loves a good smelling home, so create your own yummy smelling gifts. Here are two easy-to-make and budget-friendly items that make a great gift. 

  • Pomanders: A pomander is an orange pierced by cloves, and it smells fantastic as the fruit dries. Making one is easy as it sounds — simply take a ripe orange and stick fresh cloves in it, arranging them in a pattern if you want to make it fancy! For a stronger scent, roll the finished orange in a mix of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and ground clove.  
  • Potpourri: All you need to make your own potpourri is fruit, spices, and an imaginative nose! There are endless variations, so get creative and try different combinations. Put your creation in a mason jar, wrap it in a bow, and your gift is ready to give! Here is a recipe you can use for inspiration

Personalized Scarves & Socks 

An easy and creative DIY holiday gift is to customize a scarf or pair of socks. Use iron-on letters or simple embroidery stitches to personalize — from monograms to inspirational quotes to funny inside jokes, you can give a clever, very personal gift that’s easy and affordable to make!

Sweet & Spicy Nuts

A jar of homemade flavored nuts is a simple and delicious gift. To be honest, this is also a great gift if you need something in a hurry because it uses things you may already have in your kitchen. There are many variations of flavors you could do, but sweet and spicy nuts feel right in  the colder weather.  This recipe uses oil, coconut sugar, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, sea salt, and maple syrup, but the end result will still be delicious if you substitute ingredients with what you have handy. 

The most important step in making homemade gifts is to have fun creating something special for the people you care about! 

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