Christmas is almost here, which means you need to finish up all the presents fast! Whether you’re here because you forgot a person on your list, need to round out some presents without spending a lot of money, or there was a last-minute addition to your list, we’ve got some homemade gifts your friends and family will love that you can put together quickly and easily over the next few days.
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Homemade Play-Doh
If you’re looking for a quick homemade gift for kids in your life, homemade playdough is a great option! This recipe calls for ingredients you almost certainly have around your house, but if you’re looking for a more festive option, try this Gingerbread option. Put it in a cute jar with a fun ribbon, and you’ve got yourself a fun and easy homemade gift. However, if you’re looking to take it up a notch, you can pair this with some cookie cutters, fun figurines, or other toys that inspire sensory play. And if you’re trying to keep the budget low, you can almost certainly find some of those add ons at a local thrift store!
Bread
It’s hard to go wrong with a loaf of homemade bread! I love sourdough, so if you have a starter, this is my go-to recipe for a sourdough boule. However, if you don’t have a starter and/or are intimidated by sourdough bread, this is a great option that uses yeast and will still taste amazing. While these would be a great gift on their own, you can also pair it with a fancy jam (homemade or store bought), herb butter, or dipping oil mix (just keep the oil and mix separate).
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Meal Basket
What family wouldn’t love a nice gift basket with meal components? The trick to making this feel really special is to buy a nicer version of what you or they would normally get (or a homemade version). For example, you could do a pasta basket with the fancy pasta from the store and a really nice brand of marinara sauce. Alternatively, you could make some homemade pizza dough (provided you could refrigerate it before and after they open the gift) along with some more artisanal pizza sauce or homemade pizza sauce. Other ideas within this category, might be prepping multiple freezer meals for someone to make things easier on them in the new year, or doing a basket that is more of a treat. For example, a pancake basket with nice maple syrup, homemade pancake mix, chocolate chips, maybe a spatula, etc, or an ice cream basket with cones, sprinkles, a variety of syrups and topics, etc.
Beard Oil
Looking for something for the men in your life? If they have a beard, you could make this beard oil, provided you have some essential oils on hand. One of the carrier oil options is avocado oil, which you may already have in your pantry or could easily find.
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Sugar Scrub
Looking for something for the ladies instead? Try a sugar scrub! This link has four festive options: sugar cookie, gingerbread, eggnog, and candy cane.
Candle
A nice candle can be a great gift for a stocking or a fun addition to something like a sugar scrub or a fun gift basket. And I know what you’re thinking, a candle seems a little complicated, but this option really isn’t! All you need is an old candle, a wick (you can find these at Hobby Lobby), and a clean jar. Melt the old candle in the oven at around 250 degrees Farenheit until it’s completely liquid. Glue the wick to the bottom of the jar to help it stay in place before pouring the melted wax in the jar. Once the wax is in the jar, wrap the wick around a pencil and center it to help it stay in place as the wax hardens. That’s literally it! I promised it was easy!
Salt Dough Ornament
Salt Dough ornaments are pretty easy to make, and they can be another great option when you need something small to round out a stocking or gift basket. You could also make multiple of these to make it feel like a full gift on it’s own. And while you’re probably thinking of the salt dough ornament options where you use a child’s handprint or footprint (and these are great options for other parents or grandparents), if you’re even a little artistic, you can also use salt dough ornaments to make some really fun and unique ornament options for anyone in your life.
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Build a Fort Kit
Need another option for kids? Try this build your own fort kit! It’s relatively cheap and easy, and I don’t know a kid who wouldn’t love it. All you really need is a sheet or blanket (if you need to keep the budget low, look around your house or thrift one and wash it well), some rope or bungee cords, and some heavy-duty clips. The one linked also includes a flashlight, which is a fun addition, but if you don’t have it or need to keep the budget as low as possible, don’t worry about it. You could package this in a large Ziploc bag, one of those clear bags your sheet sets come in, a small plastic tote, or a sturdy box.
Boredom Bag/Tinker Tray
Looking for another option for a child? Try a boredom bag or tinker tray! The basic idea behind both of these concepts is to use some sort of container and fill it with supplies that kids can use to be creative and that are often things they use around the house anyway. For example, you can include masking tape, straws, pipe cleaners, small cups, rubber bands, popsicle sticks, etc. These would work for most kids age 4 and up, although you might have to change out some of the items based on age appropriateness and is a great alternative to toys. What makes it so budget friendly is you could easily head to the dollar store and spend no more than $5-10 and have a great set up.
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Hot Chocolate Mix
Looking for another gift you can make with ingredients you already have in your pantry? Try this easy and delicious hot chocolate mix! You could make a whole gift basket with this paired with some marshmallows, cookies, sprinkles, and/or to-go cups, but you could also gift it on its own.
Christmas Cookies
A great homemade gift that doesn’t break the bank is also a classic: homemade Christmas cookies. They’re a favorite and a classic for a reason, and this is a great option to get your kids involved in too!
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