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If you’re looking for something fun and creative that’ll help you save money, why not make your own Christmas gifts this year?
Handmade Christmas gifts are entirely unique and carry a personal touch; plus, there’s no doubt that the people receiving them will feel loved when they see the time and effort you’ve put in.
Now’s also the perfect time to start thinking about DIY Christmas gifts, as the festive season is near enough to feel the holiday spirit, but far away enough that there’s plenty of time left to get crafting.
From candles and snow globes to gingerbread fudge, here are 18 homemade gift ideas that you can make for your loved ones this Christmas.
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If you’re looking to get started on anything from art and papercraft to crochet and knitting, check out Hobbycraft, the UK’s leading craft retailer.
1. Stuffed toys
Stuffed toys make wonderful handmade gifts for children and grandchildren (or even adults!) at Christmas.
Whether it’s used as a nighttime companion, ornament, or cuddle buddy on a bad day, a soft toy is a sure way to bring a little joy to someone’s day. You can knit, crochet, or stitch them – and they can be any size, colour, or character you choose!
If you’re completely new to needle crafts but keen to make a stuffed toy, crocheting is a good place to start. You only need one hook, opposed to two needles (as with knitting), and the process is generally much quicker.
Check out our helpful guide to get to grips with crochet basics. Then, for some stuffed toy inspiration, why not take a look at the video below? It’ll show you how to make cute crochet turtles.
2. Gingerbread fudge
If you’re looking for a homemade food gift that’ll satisfy your loved one’s sweet tooth, why not make some fudge? You can even add a festive twist by making it taste like gingerbread.
This recipe from Delish only uses five ingredients – sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate, and spices – and takes about an hour and 10 minutes to make.
Alternatively, you could try this rum and raisin fudge recipe from ThermoBliss, or this delicious cookies and cream white chocolate fudge recipe from Carnation.
Why not taste-test one (or all!) of these recipes yourself and let us know what you think in the comments below?
3. Infused olive oil
Infused olive oils are a practical present that every cooking enthusiast will love. They’re great for giving our dishes an extra punch of flavour.
You can infuse olive oil with chilli, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, garlic, oregano, rosemary, or something else entirely – it really depends on your giftee’s taste.
Infusing oil is really straightforward and can be done in just a few simple steps. Have a watch of the video below to see how it’s done. To store your infused oil, you’ll need some empty glass bottles (which will need to be sterilised – you can find out how to do so from this Good to Know guide).
You could either save empty bottles that once stored things like alcohol or vinegar, or pick up some glass bottles on Amazon. To add a special touch to your oil bottle, consider adding a bow around the neck before giving it to your giftee.
4. Snow globe
Snow globes can make beautiful, homemade Christmas gifts and are surprisingly quick, easy, and inexpensive to create. It’s up to you to decide what to feature in your glass bubble. For example, might want to stick with something classically festive like a reindeer or a Christmas tree and fill your globe with white beads to look like snow.
Or, if you’d like to make a gift someone can enjoy year-round, you could include something like an animal, cartoon character, or famous landmark, and fill your globe with glitter or multi-coloured beads.
Hobbycraft has a useful video below that’ll talk you through the process of how to make a snow globe – and you can also pick up materials (such as a globe, white beads, and your chosen centrepiece) from there, too. Alternatively, you could buy a snow globe-making kit on Amazon. To make use of what you have at home and save some cash, consider using an empty jar.
5. Macrame plant holder
Macrame plant holders are becoming a popular way to hang houseplants – and they’re great Christmas gift ideas.
Simple yet stylish, these plant holders are quick and easy to make. They’re ideal for plant lovers who are running out of windowsill space or like finding interesting new ways to display their leafy friends.
To find out how to start crafting these macrame plant holders, watch the video below. All you need to get started is some cotton cord and a brass ring, which you can pick up for a few pounds on Amazon.
6. Soap
Soap is one of those things we all need and appreciate but don’t consider making ourselves. However, making soap can give you greater control over what goes into it – and designing it can be a lot of fun!
There are a few different ways to make soap, but the easiest is the ‘melt and pour’ method. Have a watch of the video below to see how it’s done – or follow this guide.
You can get everything you need to make soap from Amazon or Hobbycraft, including the soap base, moulds, and dyes. Just be sure to take care when melting and pouring your soap base, as it can get very hot.
7. Jam, chutney, or marmalade
Jams, chutneys, and marmalades are traditional Christmas gifts. They’re a great accompaniment to foods like meat, cheese, and bread, which many of us eat lots of over the holidays.
If you’d like to make your loved one a really unique gift, you could try making them a jam, chutney, or marmalade with an unusual flavour – one they wouldn’t typically find in the shops. Why not try grapefruit marmalade from Allrecipes, rhubarb and date chutney from BBC GoodFood, or pear and ginger preserve from Serious Eats?
To save money, it’s worth keeping hold of empty condiment jars throughout the year so you can use them to store your homemade jam, chutney, or marmalade. Great British Chefs has a useful guide that’ll show you how to sterilise them first.
8. Cosy blanket
Blankets are great gifts for anyone who enjoys getting cosy in the winter – or for anyone who appreciates having a nice blanket or throw draped over their sofa. If a blanket is particularly intricate (for example, a patchwork quilt), some people might also use it as wall art.
You can have a go at making a patchwork quilt by following this tutorial from Love Crafts, or try this YouTube video for beginners, which will show you how to crochet a soft blanket in three hours.
If you fancy trying something a bit different, you could also give hand-knitting a blanket a go, which requires no needles at all. You just need your hands, some jumbo yarn, and a few hours. Have a watch of the video below to see how it’s done!
9. Bath bombs
If you know someone who loves treating themselves to a hot bath after a long day, you could consider making them some bath bombs. Bath bombs are a bit of a novelty because they’re a step up from the essentials we use day to day, like soap and shower gel.
Not only is it entertaining to watch them fizzing away once they’re dropped into water, but they usually smell great and can add things like essential oils, moisturisers, and colourants to your bath.
If you’ve ever been to a Lush shop, you’ll know just how creative and unusual bath bombs can get. They come in pretty much any colour, take various shapes and sizes, have a variety of smells, and contain anything from rose petals to lemon zest!
This bath bomb guide from BBC Good Food will show you how to get started – and you should be able to get most of the ingredients from your local supermarket. For essential oils, it’s worth having a look on Amazon, where they have a wide range at variable prices.
10. Personalised doormat
Perhaps you know someone who’s recently moved into a new home or appreciates household gifts with a difference. If so, you could give them their very own personalised doormat.
All you need to get started is a plain coir doormat, which you can get from Amazon. You’ll also need some fabric spray paint, some scissors, and a large piece of cardboard.
Then it’s as simple as drawing your design on the card, cutting it out to create a stencil, placing your stencil over your mat, and applying spray paint. You can get as creative as you like with your design. For example, why not have lettering, pawprints, hearts, flowers, or anything else you can think of? You could also use a range of different colours.
DIY blogger Kezzabeth has a full tutorial of the process, which you can find here.
11. Gourmet marshmallows
These gourmet marshmallows are the ultimate luxurious treat and can offer a grown-up twist on what’s often a childhood favourite. These marshmallows are soft, light, and packed with flavour – and the best part is they’re fun to make yourself.
This gourmet marshmallow recipe from Country Living can act as a great guide, but you can also get creative with a range of flavours – such as chocolate, coffee, raspberry, and lavender.
12. Flavoured gin
For an adventurous gin-lover, flavoured gin can make a wonderful Christmas gift!
While it’s not hard to get hold of flavoured gins in supermarkets, these can often be full of artificial flavours and overly sweet. By making your own, you can create a gin with a more natural, authentic flavour – and pretty much any ingredient will leech into gin if you give it long enough.
BBC GoodFood’s rhubarb, sloe, strawberry, raspberry, damson, and plum are popular options. Sainsbury’s Magazine also has a gingerbread gin recipe, which is perfect for Christmas.
Most gin recipes only consist of three ingredients: a bottle of standard gin, the ingredient you want to flavour it with, and some sugar. Often, it’s as simple as mixing the three, storing them in a sterilised bottle somewhere cool, and leaving them to steep for about two weeks.
13. Candles
Candles are a lovely gift for any occasion, but particularly during the winter months when people like to feel cosy. They’re great for adding a relaxing ambience to a bath, dinner time, or a night in front of the TV.
You can add different colours and scents to your candles, and you can make them in different shapes, sizes, and styles. Hobbycraft has a helpful guide that explains what equipment you’ll need – for example, wicks, moulds, and wax flakes. Alternatively, you can follow the video tutorial below.
Tip: You might already have things you can use as moulds at home, such as China teacups that you no longer use, jars, or glass containers from previous candles
14. Mosaic coasters
Coasters are a practical everyday gift that nearly everyone can appreciate, whether they drink coffee, water, wine, or tea!
These mosaic coasters are a fun way to learn and develop your mosaic skills while creating something unique for someone special.
All you need to get started are some MDF circles or squares, glass mosaic pieces, grout, and PVA glue. The video below will show you what to do next…
15. Blondies
Blondies are dense, chewy treats that are very similar to brownies but without the cocoa. Instead, they’re usually flavoured with ingredients like vanilla, caramel, white chocolate, or peanut butter. There are also red velvet recipes like this one from BBC GoodFood, and Bakewell blondie recipes, such as this version from Jane’s Patisserie.
If you know someone who’d love an indulgent, gooey treat this Christmas, why not have a go at this white chocolate and caramel blondie recipe from My Gluten Free Guide, or this butterscotch one from Sainsbury’s Magazine?
16. Stovetop potpourri
If you’d like to gift someone the warm and inviting scent of Christmas, you could make up some little bags of stovetop potpourri.
A stovetop potpourri gift is a selection of Christmassy fruit, herbs, and spices that the recipient can simmer in a saucepan or slow cooker to fill their home with festive smells.
It’s really simple to put together – you’ll just need to put fruit like cranberries, oranges, and lemons, along with some herbs and spices like rosemary and cinnamon, into a small gift bag. You can then attach a label to it with instructions on how to use it. These are really inexpensive homemade gift ideas, but they’re incredibly thoughtful and sure to make a loved one smile!
One Lovely Life has a helpful guide that’ll show you how to make stovetop potpourri gifts and give you the option to print gift tags.
17. Flavoured salt
Flavoured salt is a fun and practical gift for any foodie. You can flavour salt with curry powder, herbs, chilli, ginger, garlic, or something else entirely – and the process is as easy as grinding salt together with other ingredients.
Once you’ve flavoured your salt, you can store it in little labelled pots. Many people choose to gift a selection of five or six different flavours.
This guide from Country Living will show you how to make a selection of different salts – let us know what some of your favourites are in the comments below!
18. Wine bottle hats, scarves, and cosies
If you’d normally gift someone a bottle of wine but want to add a personal touch, you could consider adding a mini hat and scarf to each bottle.
If you’re looking to learn how to crochet these mini accessories, there’s a useful YouTube tutorial that’ll explain how. Part one will show you how to knit the scarf, and part two will teach you how to knit the hat and attach a pom pom. Alternatively, you could consider making a larger cosy by repurposing an old jumper sleeve, as seen in this guide from All Things G&D.
Whichever option you go for, these homemade winter warmers are sure to bring festive cheer this Christmas!
Final thoughts...
From fabulous food gifts like festive fudge and Christmas-inspired blondies to thoughtful items like homemade coasters and candles, we hope there’s something on this list that your friends and family will love – and that you’ll enjoy making!
For more craft ideas and inspiration, why not check out our learning section? Here, you’ll find introductory guides to creative skills like calligraphy and carpentry, as well as inspirational content like 10 interesting craft ideas to try at home.
And for more Christmas-related content, have a read of our articles; 12 Christmas recipe ideas to bring the festive cheer to your kitchen and 12 tips for a low-cost Christmas.
Do you have any additional homemade Christmas gift ideas that you’d like to share? Or perhaps you’re planning to make some of the gifts above? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
* Links with an * by them are affiliate links which help Rest Less stay free to use as they can result in a payment or benefit to us. You can read more on how we make money here.
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