A Homemade Christmas: Top 10 Gifts To Make
Christmas is upon us and it is a wonderful time for showing love to the people in your life. For some people this means acts of service or others it is gift giving. Gift giving doesn’t have to be an elaborate gift from a store, it can be something from the heart, something that you made yourself. Homemade gifts are ones that are made with love, and a personal touch, something that you have put your thought and time into. Below are some wonderful ideas that you can make yourself, that your loved ones are sure to love!
Bath Bombs
Bath Bombs are a wonderful way to soak your worries of the day away. Tidbits has a wonderful tutorial for creating your very own bath bombs. These bath bombs have Epsom salts for detoxifying, essential oils for calming effects, fragrance and to add an ambiance to your tub. Don’t forget pure baking soda to calm itchy or irritated skin, and makes the bomb fizz.
Instagram Calendar
Instagram is a great place to share your pictures with friends and family. Here is a great tutorial by Kristi Murphy to take all of those wonderful pictures and turn them into a calendar. Imagine every morning flipping the page to a new picture to enjoy. Sounds like a great way to start the day!
Beard Oil and Balm
Beards are very trendy right now, and you may have a man in your life who would love a beard oil or balm. Using a balm makes the hair soft, smooth, and smelling wonderful. Adding essential oils of your choice is a good way to make sure you get a smell that everyone will love! Cedarwood is great for hair growth and healthy skin, while creating a more manly smell.
Reed Diffuser
Everyone loves for their homes to smell nice, so why not make a reed diffuser. Any vase or glass bottle with a narrow opening will work. As a base you can use oil or a combination of vodka and water (yes you read that right!) Reed sticks can be purchased online or kitchen bamboo sticks will work if you cut the points off the end.
Chocolate Bombs
Young and old love hot chocolate. This is an easy gift that would be good for teachers, neighbors, or as a stocking stuffer. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate would make amazing hot chocolate bombs. Here is a great tutorial to make these sweet little treats. Think about adding crushed peppermints, mini marshmallows, or even mini chocolate chips inside for an extra taste sensation.
Candles
Candles make a great gift, and are very easy to make. Making your own candles also has the added benefit of creating and customizing it to their favorite fragrance. This tutorial by A Pumpkin and A Princess uses peppermint oil for the fragrance, this is a great choice for Christmas, and as a bonus it is also great for people who have sinus issues.
Infused Oils
Do you have a chef on your Christmas list? Infused olive oil makes a unforgettable gift, one that will be enjoyed over and over again. Try making it with lemon, garlic, or even fresh rosemary. You will want to use a glass bottle with a cork to store your beautifully concocted oils.
Soap
Goat milk and honey soap is a luxurious gift that anyone would love to receive. The softening and nourishing properties in the goat milk and the honey will leave your skin feeling soft and subtle. This recipe has all-natural ingredients and will not irritate even the most sensitive of skins.
Fillable Ornaments
Fillable ornaments are a wonderful way to personalize your Christmas tree, but they are also a great way to send a personalized, thoughtful gift to a loved one. There are many different things you can add to these ornaments, a sprig of pine needles and berries for a rustic look, feathers and ribbon for a softer look, and my favorite, swirled paint to create a marbled look.
Stove Top Potpourri
Do you love the smells of Christmas? Stovetop potpourri creates lasting smells in your home that will bring back memories of Christmas morning. This tutorial creates a large quantity so it is perfect for gifting to neighbors, friends, and teachers. There are many different ingredient combinations to try, but for a warm Christmas smell try cinnamon, nutmeg, dried orange slices, and cloves.