For our loved ones, we always are on the search for the perfect gift to give. Holiday gift giving doesn’t have to be a stressful, expensive experience. In fact, it has potential to be quite the opposite. Instead of trying to predict what every person on your list may like and then going hunting for those items at the store, gather some art supplies and your closest friends and family and make a day of creating some DIY holiday gifts. That way, you’re not only eliminating the stress of buying tons of gifts, but you’re creating a get-together and spending quality time with those you love.
Here are some of the most creative DIY holiday crafts and personalized gift ideas to include in your crafting day:
1. Peppermint Candy Ornaments
The taste and scent of peppermint is associated with the holiday season – so why not create a craft out of it? For this craft, you’ll need cookie cutters, crushed peppermint candies, parchment paper, a cookie sheet, and an oven. Place the parchment paper over the cookie tray, then put the cookie cutters on the tray in a single layer. Arrange the peppermint candies inside the cookie cutters in a single layer with a small space in between each candy. Bake until the candies have melted down and fused together in the shape of the cookie cutter. There you have it! A fun, easy gift for neighbors and friends.
2. Salt Dough Impression Heart
This gift is perfect for anyone with kids or grandkids. Whip up a basic batch of salt dough and arrange in a heart shape. Press the child’s feet into each side of the heart (or if there are two children, have each child press one foot into one side) and press their names above or below their footprints. Bake the salt dough heart until hardened and paint the piece in the recipient’s favorite colors.
3. Cupcake Holder Holiday Tree Garlands
Give the gift of holiday spirit with these fun Christmas tree garlands! All you need is a couple packs of cute, holiday-themed paper cupcake holders, star stickers, glue, and twine. Fold the cupcake holders into a triangle position and layer them in groups of three to form tree shapes. Glue those together and then put a star on top of each tree. Attach the trees with the twine and you have an adorable holiday tree garland!
4. Holiday Candles
This is a fun one for the kids to help out with! Buy some plain candles at your local dollar store in holiday colors like green, red, gold, and white. Buy some pom poms, ribbons, stickers, and anything else that would help you to decorate the candles and have fun creating snowmen, reindeer, holiday tree, and other festive candles. Just be sure to keep any decorations away from the actual flame to avoid fire hazards.
5. Sparkly Holiday Ornaments
Pick up some plain clear ornaments at your local store as well as some fun, holiday-colored glitter and glue. Take half of the ornaments and coat the outside in glue then dip them in a bowl of the glitter. Take the other half and unscrew the top of the ornament and fill it with glitter. Now you have a fun mix of sparkling ornaments to give as gifts! Make them extra special by inserting a special photo or other paper memorabilia.
Crafting holiday gifts instead of buying them has many benefits including a lower cost and more quality time with your helpers. This holiday season, whether you skip the lines and get creative or tirelessly search for the perfect gift to buy, spending time with family is the reason for the season. Happy holidays!
