10 DIY Christmas Gifts to Make with Love!
I have put a challenge out to my family this year.
We have to make, with our very own hands, one gift for each other for Christmas!
This challenge was met with shock, then laughter and disbelief. When the hoo-ha had died down and they realized I was serious, their brains started ticking over and then ……… they started getting excited!
Trying to avoid the commercialism of Christmas time without being a Grinch is a pretty fine line. But this year, getting back to basics and making something with love for each other might just be the answer.
Now, DIY gifts may seem a bit daggy. But if you have been browsing Pinterest lately, you will soon see that DIY can be very funky, stylish and not all that hard, even for a creatively-challenged person like me!
We have all sorts of ideas lined up and I wanted to share a few with you that I have found with thanks to the wonderful world wide web.
Of course, I am going with natural and new age theme!
Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub
Simply mix 2 1/2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and a few drops of essential oils. Any of the citrus oils would go beautifully with this. For the full tutorial, go here. Put it into a pretty jar with some ribbon, a cute spoon and a home-made tag. Wonderful!
Christmas Tea
Oh how I love my tea and I also love these cute jars from Ikea, which I have a zillion of! I am looking forward to making some of this blend up for family and friends. Choose organic black tea and organic spices for extra goodness. Find some pretty Christmas ribbon and make some tags or find some free printable tags online.
Quote Crockery
This very cool idea has been going viral on Pinterest and Facebook. I can’t wait to try it. I can imagine all my favourite quotes on a whole dinner set! Draw some of the kid’s favourite characters with coloured Sharpies onto plates or a funny moustache for Dad onto a mug. The ideas are endless. Check out your local op shop for some white crockery and get into it! Go here to see how to do it.
Photo candles
How beautiful is this idea I found on Pinterest? I couldn’t find the original website, but the instructions were on the pin. Use glass vases (try the op shop!) Then print out your black and white photos on vellum (from a scrapbooking store or Spotlight) and glue them (or use double sided tape) to the outside of the vase. Add a soy tealight candle and you have a beautiful and heart-warming gift for family and friends!
Oil Diffuser
I love my aromatherapy oils! First, get yourself some good quality oils (check out the ones at Twenty 8). Then all you need is a pretty jar or bottle (try the op shop), some bamboo skewers and a carrier oil like almond or jojoba. I have also seen it done with twigs from the garden for a really rustic look. Go here to see how it’s done.
Aromatherapy Playdough
I used to make this all the time when my cherubs were little, but with a little imagination, it transforms beautifully into a special gift. Make a whole set of play dough, each with their own natural colour and scent! Use Hoppers natural food colouring and good quality oils so you know your littlies will be safe. You can even name them fun things, make labels and package in some upcycled containers. Go here to see how it’s done.
Upcycled Jewellery Rack
How sweet is this!! Find a piece of driftwood or old bit of wood you have lying around. Go to the opshop or hardware store and find some cute door knobs. Attach. I even think I could manage to do this one! You could make it a coat or tie rack for the men in your life using slightly more masculine knobs (ooh that sounded a bit rude). Get creative! Go here for the details.
Upcycled Tyre Swing.
A seriously cute and budget friendly idea for the kids. Get an old tyre, paint, attach hooks and chain and find a tree. Lots of fun! Go here for the info.
Okay, so that is some of the very funky and clever ideas I have found so far! We still have a few weeks to go until the fat man arrives, so we are busy thinking and plotting and planning. I am really pleased at how fun this is turning out to be!
I would love to hear from you. Do you make handmade gifts for Christmas? Do you have any more ideas or links to share with us?