Gift giving at Christmas can be a wonderful experience. Watching your favourite fellow humans open presents they love from you will proffer all kinds of good feelings.
But we spend a lot more cash than we need at Christmas. According to Nationwide, “people in the UK spend, on average, £117 on Christmas presents for their partner, £145 on presents for their children, and even £20 on their pet.”
The solution? It’s simple. Create beautiful, handmade Christmas gifts that are just as thoughtful and much less expensive than anything you could buy at a shop.
Even if you simply want to do something different this year, get your friends or family involved for some valuable bonding time, or crafting is a hobby you want to explore further, these six brilliant gift ideas are a great (and affordable) way to try something new this festive season.
1.Galvanised Shrubbery Pot
Add a personal touch to your green gift this year! Turn a galvanised bucket into a trendy plant pot that will twinkle its way into your loved one’s heart.
You will need:
A chalk pen
- Galvanised buckets
- Fake or real greens
- A vase for each bucket
- Ribbon
- Battery powered fairy lights
Step 1: Using your chalk pen, write whatever you desire on each bucket.
Step 2: Add water to each vase and then place your greens inside.
Step 3: Place each vase in your buckets.
Step 4: Tie a ribbon around the top of the buckets.
Step 5: Add fairy lights by wrapping them around the plant.
2. Charming Wreath
Get creative and add your own personal style to this enchanting wreath that will look gorgeous on someone’s front door this winter.
You will need:
Green floral wire
Step one: Spray the embroidery hoop with your desired spray paint colour. Leave to dry for two hours.
Step two: Attached your faux greenery and ornaments to the bottom of the hoop using the thin floral wire.
Step three: Secure additional greenery to your taste.
3. Mischievous Pine Cone Elves
A fantastic gift for the little ones. Create an adorable felt Christmas Elf and inject a little magic into somebody's home this festive season.
You will need:
Step 1: Cut out your felt pieces using a small cone hat pattern.
Step 2: Blanket stitch the felt triangles into cones and sew a bell on top.
Step 3: Cut out small felt triangles to create elf feet.
Step 4: Glue the feet on the bottom of the cones.
Step 5: Using dots, draw on eyes and a mouth onto the wooden balls.
Step 6: Glue your felt hats onto the wooden balls.
Step 7: Glue the Elf’s head onto the cones.
Optional: Create felt scarfs and glue them so they sit around the top of the cones.
4. Homemade Raspberry Lemon Sugar Scrub
Give your friend this chemical-free scrub and make their TLC time extra special. Coconut oil is amazingly nourishing, and sugar is a natural exfoliant that will leave the skin glowing.
You will need:
Granulated sugar
- Coconut oil (melted)
- ¼ tsp Raspberry extract
- ¼ tsp Lemon extract
- Red food colouring (optional)
Step 1: Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl, then add the lemon and raspberry extract.
Step 2: Continue mixing until you are satisfied with the scent and colour.
Step 3: Spoon your mixture into a jar and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes, then leave it at room temperature.
Optional: Create your own labels and attach them to the jar with some twine for an extra festive effect.
5. Reindeer Treat Bags
These simple gifts are super-easy to make and a great stocking filler for kids. You might even have some leftover chocolates to make your creative work all the more enjoyable!
You will need:
Maltesers
Step 1: Mix your chocolates together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Put two strawbs into the bottom of your bag.
Step 3: Carefully place your mixed chocolates into the bag.
Step 4: To secure the bag, tie one brown pipe cleaner around the top and fix in place like reindeer horns.
Step 5: Stick your googly eyes just above the middle of the treat bag.
Step 6: Store in a cool dry place.
Optional: Fill your reindeer treat bag with animal treats for a seriously-cute present for your favourite pet.
6.Jewelry Storage Frame
Do you know someone whose middle name is shabby-chic? Then this gorgeous handmade jewelry storage will surely put a smile on their face this Christmas.
You will need:
- 1 Medium or large picture frame
- ½ Plywood backing cut to size
- Hooks and screw eye hooks
- Screws
- Paint
- Gorilla glue
Step 1: Measure your layout, keeping in mind how many earring hooks you want to install and (if possible) the length of the necklaces your chosen gift receiver has.
Step 2: Screw the hooks into the plywood to your preference.
Step 3: Glue the plywood backing to your frame using the gorilla glue.
Step 4: Leave the glue to settle for one hour.
Step 5: Paint the frame and plywood with your chosen paint.
Step 6: Leave to dry for two hours.
What will you create this Christmas?
It seems that Santa’s elves might not be the only ones crafting Christmas gifts this year! It might take a little extra effort to create your presents from scratch rather than heading towards the shops, but the benefits will be worth it.
Create your own presents this year and …
Save money
- Personalise your presents
- Display your thoughtfulness
- Create multiple gifts easily
- Improve your crafting skills
- Get your family and friends involved in the present making process
- Eat your leftovers! (Except maybe the plywood and screws…)
