The holiday season isn’t about how much you spend on presents, but let’s face it… gift-giving is a big part of many winter holidays. It’s actually one of my favorite parts, but for less obvious reasons. I like to take the time to choose something thoughtful and personal for each person on my list, because I want to show them that they’re important to me, and I appreciate the ways that they contribute to my life. It’s my way of reminding them how much I care. However, showing them doesn’t have to mean going broke in the process. One of my favorite ways to give a gift without overspending is to make something myself, and these are the gifts that I find people love the most. It’s unique, it’s personal, it’s a great way to save or make a memory, and it’ll keep you within your budget. I wanted to share with you some of the things I’ve made this year and in years past, as well as a few I haven’t tried out yet but would like to. Hopefully they’ll inspire you to create a few things of your own!
1. My favorite gift to give is baked goods. I absolutely LOVE baking, and I think it’s fun to come up with new recipes based on my recipient’s favorite things. I bake up a few dozen cookies, brownies, or other treats, and ship them off in fun containers that I’ve found for a few bucks at Big Lots or the Dollar Tree. My costs stay pretty low because I almost always have an abundance of baking necessities already in my cabinets.
2. Speaking of treats, another great homemade gift to give is a mix in a jar. You can get mason jars (or something similar) at the craft store for about $1 each and you can fill them with so many different things that you probably already have at home, so let your creativity flow! Just include dry ingredients for things like cookie dough, brownies, pancakes, dips, breads, or pretty much anything you can think of. Be sure to include a cute recipe card so your recipient can bake up their treat once they receive it. Check out Taste of Home for recipe ideas – they offer a TON of ideas for different jar mixes to make.
3. Personalize a useful item. Every year, I’m responsible for planning our work holiday party, and I like to find a fun craft that everyone can make and either take home to keep or give as a small gift. This year, we’re using Sharpie markers to decorate coffee mugs and serving plates (I found a great example here that we’ll be following). We already had some colored markers sitting around the office, and I found the mugs and plates at the Crate & Barrel outlet for a steal, making this gift about $3 each.
4. Send some holiday cheer with homemade decorations. I’ve found that friends and family members (my mom and aunts, in particular) love receiving things they can hang up or put on a shelf to display. It’s like a little reminder that someone special is thinking of you! I’ve made wreathes with Christmas Tree bulbs from the clearance aisle as well as with leftover burlap from my wedding, both costing less than $10 each. I’ve also added personal touches to already-existing decor, such as these cinnamon stick candles.
5. Preserve a memory. Nothing is as thoughtful as capturing a moment of importance. I’ve saved wedding invitations or birth announcements from friends and given them back in ornaments to hang on their tree, which costs me less than $2 to do. I’ve also framed keys with a map from a close friend’s first home as a reminder of earlier years together, only paying about $5 for a small, simple frame from Target. These things are often the most simple and don’t cost much, but they are the most remembered.
Have you ever tried your hand at homemade gifts? What worked well for you and what didn’t? What was the most fun to make?
