Get excited–it’s almost the most wonderful time of the year! I can’t believe how fast this year went by. It feels like I was just making my New Year’s resolutions for 2015. The year might be almost over, but holiday season just started! As a college student, I know that holiday gift giving can add up and end up being very expensive. Today, I’m here to show you 3 do-it-yourself ideas for holidays gifts that everyone is going to love! Get ready to get crafty and save some money!
1. DIY Sharpie Mug
This is a perfect gift because you can personalize it for the person you’re giving the mug to. I’ve made this DIY project for my mom and dad and they absolutely loved it! You can really get creative and write or draw anything you want to. The instructions are really easy. All you are going to need is a mug (I got mine from the dollar store), sharpie of any color, and an oven. The first thing you want to do is clean the outside of the mug with rubbing alcohol, to make sure there is no dust or spots that might cause the sharpie drawing to crack in the oven. After cleaning the mug, it’s time to get creative–pick your design and draw it on the mug. The next step it to place the mug into a cool, non-preheated oven and bake it at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. This step is crucial. You cannot preheat the oven and then place the mug inside of it; the mug needs to heat up as the oven heats up. After 40 minutes, remove the mug from the oven, let it cool, and you are good to go!
2. Cookies in a Jar
Just like the previous DIY project, this one allows you to get creative as well! The sky is the limit when it comes to these cookies in a jar, you can do any type of cookie or baking recipe you want to put into the mason jar. This is a super easy and fun project to do and a great holiday gift for anyone who loves sweets! The fun part of this project is designing the label and decorating the jar to make it fun and festive. All you need for this project is a mason jar, decorations, and the ingredients for your cookie of choice. This is a no brainer–you have to give it a try!
3. Gift in a Jar
The final and last idea is a DIY gift in a jar project. This idea allows you to really show the person how much you love and know about them. You can get creative and do any type of gift idea. The one from the image below is a spa in a jar, but you can do anything you want to. I have done one of these for my mom and called it tennis player in a jar. Since she loves playing tennis, I filled her jar with band-aids, advil, chapstick, sunscreen, and even a gift card to her favorite tennis store! This gift is all up to you, you can spend as much or as little as you want. All you are going to need to complete this project is a jar, goodies for the inside, and decorations!
All photos courtesy of Pinterest.com