11 Easy DIY Gifts You Can Make This Christmas

One of the best ways to share the joy of Christmas is through the tradition of gift-giving. Gifts don’t have to be expensive; you can buy something small yet meaningful or, even better, consider handmade gifts. All you need are a few supplies, a good plan, and a bit of patience. Making DIY Christmas gifts for family and friends will be rewarding for you, and the receiver will find your present twice as meaningful.

Christmas Ornaments

Handmade ornaments can be as simple or fancy as you’d like them to be. You can simply collect clear glass or plastic baubles and fill them with whatever you like, such as fake snow, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices. If collecting supplies seems like a hassle, you can purchase DIY ornament kits that have all the supplies. These are available for around $5 to $25. Using them, you can make a wide variety of ornaments, including a custom gingerbread alphabet ornament, a snowman, and a wooden Christmas tree. Making ornaments is a fun and easy Christmas craft for seniors and kids alike, so you can ask your grandchildren to join you in this activity.

Decorative Wooden Garden Gnomes

If someone you know is an enthusiastic gardener, decorative garden gnomes can be a perfect gift. Even those who don’t like gardening or don’t have a garden would love these cheerful little figurines. They could keep these figurines on their porches or mantles to add a touch of fun and whimsy to their homes. You can make garden gnomes by cutting small wooden blocks or logs into triangular or rounded shapes and painting tiny hats, noses, and beards on them. Buying a DIY winter gnome kit, priced at about $20, can make it easier to create these DIY Christmas presents.

Christmas Gift Boxes

If you have reusable boxes, you can use them to make small and decorative gifts for your loved ones. Any sturdy cardboard or wooden box, such as those used to package electronics or delicate items, will work. You can also purchase such boxes from craft stores if you don’t already have them at home. Once you find a box, you can decorate it with patterned paper, ribbons, buttons, or festive paint. You can also add a personal touch by writing the receiver’s name or a short holiday message on the box. To make the boxes festive, fill them with chocolates, handmade soaps, or other small tokens.

Embroidered Wall Hangings

When you want to give someone a thoughtful and lasting gift, an embroidered wall hanging can be a great choice. The best thing about this gift is that you get to pick up a new hobby while creating something nice for someone you love. You can buy the supplies, such as embroidery hoops, linen fabric, and colorful thread, individually or get DIY kits online. Some DIY kits include ready-made designs to refer to, such as a cozy winter village, a Christmas wreath, and a Christmas tree. These kits usually cost between $10 and $20.

Solar Print Artworks

If you want to make easy yet trendy homemade festive gifts for loved ones, solar-print artworks are a great option. To make these, you can gather leaves, ferns, or holiday cutouts, place them on special solar print paper, and let the paper sit in direct sunlight. After a few minutes, remove the objects and rinse the paper to get beautiful silhouettes. Instead of collecting supplies separately, you can also buy kits for about $10 to $20 that include everything. Once created, you can frame the prints to make a minimalist and artistic Christmas gift.

Macrame Holiday Decor

Macrame isn’t as difficult as it looks. With simple cords and knots, you can create all things festive, including snowflake ornaments, hanging plant holders, and wall trees. To make things more convenient, just buy a DIY kit for about $30. Besides selling supplies online, some hobbyists use social media to share DIY ideas for making beautiful holiday-season Macrame gifts.

Holiday Potpourri

A homemade potpourri mix can make for a wonderful festive gift that fills a home with cozy holiday fragrance. You can mix dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cranberries, and pine sprigs in a small bag or jar. Once done, tie a nice tag with instructions for using the potpourri effectively, such as “Add this to a pot with 2 cups of water, simmer gently, and enjoy the scent.” If this seems like too much work, or if you need a last-minute gift, you can buy ready-made simmer potpourri bags for $10 to $60.

Baked Goodies

Few things express the holiday spirit in its true sense like baked goodies made in your own kitchen. From classic cookies and mini loaves to hand pies, there are many things you can whip up. If you don’t bake these treats yourself, you can buy DIY kits for $20 to $40. These kits include pre-baked cookies in different shapes, such as gingerbread men and sweaters, which you can paint and decorate yourself using edible colors. To give them the ultimate festive touch, pack the baked goods in tins or parchment-lined boxes. These cookies can serve as great handmade holiday gifts for both grandparents and grandkids with a sweet tooth.

Holiday Cards

To make holiday cards at home, you can buy supplies, such as cardstock, watercolor paint, pressed flowers, or even recycled wrapping paper, from a craft store. With personalized messages inside, these cards show more warmth and meaning than any store-bought gifts. You can make a few sets to share with friends and family, each card expressing your creativity and love. Holiday cards are among the most budget-friendly Christmas crafts for older adults and are easy to make by following online tutorials.

Advent Calendars

Let your loved ones have a bright and cheerful countdown to Christmas with a homemade Advent calendar. You can use small envelopes, matchboxes, and cloth bags hung on a ribbon or pinned to a board. Alternatively, you can also buy empty Advent calendar kits for around $10. Fill each box or bag with small trinkets, notes of gratitude, or Christmas treats.

Hot Cocoa Kits

Most people love a warm cup of cocoa during the festive season, when temperatures drop. You can give your loved ones the gift of warmth with homemade cocoa kits. For this, layer small mason jars with cocoa powder, sugar, and mini marshmallows, and then tie on a small spoon or candy cane for stirring. Add a small, personalized note with mixing instructions. For detailed instructions, you can watch an online video tutorial.