I’ve always taken gift-giving very seriously, even from a young age. I try not to ask what people want because a part of me feels instantly guilty for not just knowing what people want. I’m always on alert for ideas, even when it’s not the holiday season yet. In fact, I often write little things in my notes app whenever a friend says they even remotely like or want something. Most of the time though, I either try to give people gifts based on things I remember them saying randomly, based off of their vibe, or by just flat out asking them.
I still do give gifts like this, especially when it’s crunch time, and these types of gifts aren’t bad at all! They still show that you’re a good friend, a good listener, and they show that you were thinking about the other person. However, I’ve always felt more gratified when doing a D.I.Y gift for a friend. I know it’s not about me and what I get out of making a gift for someone else, but it’s true. I also just generally feel like they’ve been more appreciated, more thoughtful, and can end up being cheaper than going to the store and finding gifts. Plus, you can personalize them to every person, so if you make multiple, they’ll never be exactly the same! So put on your resourceful and creative hats and maybe consider making some of these for your loved ones for the holidays!
1. “Things I love About You” Booklet
I made these for pretty much my entire friend group when I was in middle school and even received one myself. When I tell you there were many tears on both my end and my friends’, I’m not kidding. This one was inspired by a YouTube video of Bethany Mota’s that came out in the early 2010s. It’s made with a deck of playing cards and string to hold it together. First thing I did was use mod-podge to stick squares of paper to the cards so that I could write on them. I would label each of them with their number and one thing I loved about my friend and do the same thing with all the subsequent cards. You can use as many cards as you like, you don’t have to do all 52. At the end, make hole punches at the top and bottom of every single card and use string/ribbon to tie it together. This video linked is not Bethany Mota’s, but I feel it gets to the point quicker: https://youtu.be/OYsK-jaYB5A?si=EgpP3zN4TMRmVChS
2. Personalized Spotify Frames
This was something I made for my friend in high school. I bought a clear back frame with a stand from Michaels and printed the rest. All I did for this was find a song on Spotify that I knew they loved, printed out the album cover and Spotify code, glued them on the frame, and then wrote the album title/artist name, and drew the Spotify bar in paint marker on the frame. Looking back, I think this D.I.Y could be super cool if you made a playlist for someone and then put a photo of the two of you in the frame together as the “playlist cover.” This one is perfect for music lovers, and it doesn’t have to be Spotify themed, I just personally use it more than Apple Music or Pandora. Some examples: https://youtu.be/OYsK-jaYB5A?si=EgpP3zN4TMRmVChS and https://youtu.be/OYsK-jaYB5A?si=EgpP3zN4TMRmVChS
3. Hand Drawn Pet Portrait / Portraits
I used to be an art major, so this is just something that popped into my head. You don’t have to be an artist to take on this challenge though, it should be the effort that counts, right? You can also do this digitally, and there’s no shame in tracing. Experiment with oil paint, colored pencil, or watercolor too! You never know what it could end up looking like. Examples: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499266308683759478/ and https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499266308683759478/
4. Mini Photo Album Box
I’ve made this for two friends in my lifetime, and it has been my favorite thing I’ve ever made. You’ll need to buy a mini box from Hobby Lobby/Michaels, print out a bunch of mini photos (I’m talking X by X here), cardstock that you’ll eventually fold into a xylophone type thing, and a small piece of string or ribbon so that can “pull open” the xylophoned paper with each individual photo on it. Example: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499266308683759478/
5. Scrapbook
This one is a classic, and is similar to the last idea, but leaves more room to write personal notes on each page/ even doodle if you want to.
6. “Open When” Cards
This one is another kind of classic thing that’s good for people who love writing or are good with their words in that way versus more crafty (although you can always make it your own!) Example: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/499266308683759478/
If you make any of these gifts this season, don’t be afraid to tag us in a post on Instagram or DM us @hcballstate, or comment below! Happy Holidays everyone!