This year instead of getting all your holiday shopping done on Amazon, try making your gifts! Not only will this be a cheaper option, but it will also mean more to the person you give it to. I’m making almost all of my presents this year and I wanted to share all the fun ideas I’ve come up with so far.
- Homemade Candles
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I hate throwing away the last little bit of wax in a candle and the beautiful jar it comes in! I have always saved these jars, but it wasn’t until recently that I figured out a way to repurpose them. If you get a pot and boil some water, you can put your candle jar right into the water (if it’s glass). When the wax melts you can (carefully) pour it into a small jar with a new wick and boom you have a new candle. If you want to get super crafty you can even add pressed flowers or rainbow sprinkles to the outside of the jar before you pour the wax in to make it even prettier. Wicks are super easy to find at any craft store or online.
- Heating Pad
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A couple of weeks ago I was in so much pain and was frantically searching my house for a heating pad. I found an online tutorial that showed that you can make a heating pad out of an old sock, rice, and essential oil. I loved it so much I decided everyone in my family needs one! Instead of using an old sock I decided to bust out my sewing machine and sew a little 8inx6in the pocket, filled it with rice, and then closed it up. It’s a really practical gift and it fun because you get to make it!
- Coaster
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This is something I’ve been doing forever. I take 4’x4’ tile (super cheap from any home improvement store) and then use Modge Podge to seal your family picture or pattern on. There is a new type of Modge Podge that claims to be waterproof, but I recommend sealing it with a more heavy-duty sealer in order to save it from water condensation. If you find a tile you like enough, then you might not even want to add a picture to it. Another nice touch is to add a couple piece of felt to the bottom corners, so it doesn’t scratch your tables.
- Gift in a Jar
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Remember those empty candle jars we had? Now it’s time to fill that back up (or grab a mason jar). I think it’s nice to do a theme. Depending on the size of your jar you could do a spa jar with a face mask, bath salt at the bottom, some chap stick, ect. Another classic theme would be sweets! Everyone appreciates a jar full of their favorite candy and snacks. You can also pick a color and fill it with all things that color. It will look super pretty and is a great way to get creative.
- Ornament
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There are about a million ways to make ornaments. I will give you a few ideas, but I also highly recommend getting on Pinterest to find a design that fits the person you are gifting it to best. The first option is to go with a little wood slice. You can do a picture transfer, paint on some letters, or use a Circuit to cut out vinyl lettering. The next idea is to go and get some of the classic clear glass ornaments. The sky is the limit when it comes to a starting point as simple as this! You can fill them with glitter, paint, fake snow, or really anything. Same as the wood slice you can also add paint or vinyl on the outside. My final idea is to just grab a premade ornament from a craft store and then decorate it. This is perfect for people who aren’t super crafty but still want to make something personal.
Hope these ideas helped you get in the crafting and Christmas spirit!