DIY Christmas

We are less than a week from Christmas! Maybe you still have a few people on your list that you still need to get gifts for. Maybe nothing you think of seems good enough. Maybe you are just short on your budget. Whatever the case, here are a few Do It Yourself Christmas gift ideas! Not only will it be easy on the wallet, but it will also be more heartfelt and intentional than buying something from the store.

1. Homemade Ornaments. My family made these one year with little paw prints for all our animals! It’s super easy. Make the dough, make an impression, bake it, then decorate it! Start with 4 cups of all purpose flour and 1 cup table salt in a large bowl. As you mix these together, slowly pour in 1 1/2 cups of water. Finish mixing with your hands and knead until the dough is soft. From there, go ahead and preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out the parchment and use cookie cutters (or whatever you have) to cut out shapes. Use a straw or toothpick to make a hole for ribbon or an ornament hanger.  Once the dough is ready, you can use your dog’s paws to make an impression. It doesn’t have to be your dog though! You can do hand prints of the little ones, your finger prints, etc. Once impressions are done, bake in the oven for an hour. After the hour, take them out to cool. For the final part, you can paint, write, and decorate to your heart’s desire!
2. “Open When” Letters. These are great for a friends, your significant other, kids, and family! My top love language is words of affirmation, so I think hand written letters and notes are one of the sweetest things you can do for someone you love. “Open When” letters are exactly what they sound like. You write various letters that are intended to be opened during a specific moment. Here are some examples:  Open when you need to know how much I love you, open when you are stressed, open when you are feeling lonely, open when you need a good laugh, open when you’re frustrated with work, open on Christmas day, etc. You can do however many, or little, you want! And the prompts are endless. The only rules for the receiver are they have to open when the letter applies. they can only open one at a time, and no peaking until they really need it!
3. Food or Baked Goods. If you can cook, why not use that to bless someone? I bake cupcakes. When I want to bless someone, but can’t really go out and buy anything, I look to my cupboards! Almost everyone loves receiving food. So, go bake a sweet treat, or cook that person their favorite meal. Not only will it fill up their stomach, it will also fill their heart.
4. Mason Jar Goodies. I did this one year when I was in college. I got a pack of mason jars, a bag or two of candy, then I printed pictures off of my polaroid (you can also print them for cheap at Walmart). I filled each jar with some candy, added the photo in, then tied a ribbon around it. It was cheap, intentional, and my friends loved receiving them!
5. Homemade Sugar Scrub. I didn’t make this for Christmas, but I did make it for a college event a few years ago, and they were a hit. Get 1/2  cup of coconut oil, 1/4 cup of sugar, and you can either add 2 tablespoons of a citrus zest or 10 drops of your favorite essential oil scent. Once all the ingredients are prepped, mix them well in a bowl. Transfer to an airtight container, and you’re good to go! This can be stored for up to 2 months when stored at room temperature. In order to keep the sugar scrub fresh do not introduce moisture to the jar.

These are just a few DIY ideas that have worked well for me in the past. Feel free to use them, or find other DIY ideas online! Christmas gifts don’t have to be pricey, they just need to say how much you love and appreciate someone. At least, that’s what I believe. I would much rather have a homemade gift than something generic bought from a store. I hope these helped and have a very Merry Christmas!