It is finally becoming the most wonderful time of the year, but one thing that is not wonderful is breaking the bank to get Christmas gifts! One of the best ways to save some money around the holidays and give a very meaningful gift is by making a gift by hand. These gifts are so special and thoughtful, and are especially good gifts for parents, best friends, or anyone else on your list! Here I will be giving you my 5 favorite DIY gift ideas to help you “sleigh” the gift-giving game this holiday season.
(I will also give the average price of the materials so that you have an idea about which DIYs best fit your budget)
- Box of Sunshine
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If you have a VSCO or have scrolled through Pinterest, I’m sure that you’ve seen at least one variation of the “Box of Sunshine” gift. This gift is super easy to put together and is sure to brighten anyone’s day both during the holidays or just if you know someone who could use a thoughtful gift. (Cost: $15+)
How To: Gather your materials. You will need a cardboard box, yellow paper, glue, Tape, markers, yellow tissue paper, yellow treats, and anything else you want to help make your box special. Step 1: Get an empty cardboard box. Cover the inside of the box in yellow paper. Step 2: Fill up the box with little gifts in the same color as the box theme. In this case it is yellow (but you can customize your box to match your friend’s favorite color), so you could put in things like a lemon face mask, a Burt’s Bees lip balm, or Peanut Butter M&M’s. Step 3: Fill in the rest of the box with the same colored tissue paper and finish it off with a card.
- Bottle of Memories
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Another thoughtful DIY that may take a bit more time to plan out and find the materials but is absolutely worth it is the Bottle of Memories. I made one similar to this for my mom before I went to college and she absolutely loved it. I picked out little things that reminded me of her and our relationship and put them in the bottle. For example, she loves to write so I put in a mini pencil and she loves dogs so I put a small dog figurine inside. I put other little things that made her think of me such as a little glass heart bead, a coffee cup, and an enamel pin from a trip we went on. This gift can be very universal as you can give it to anyone in your life including parents, friends, or significant others. I also included a list that told the reason why I included each item in the bottle and why it was important. I think she really appreciated it and we loved getting to go through memories that we both hold so dearly. (Cost: $5+)
How To: Go to the craft store and pick out the bottle or jar you are going to use so you know how much space you have. After you’ve picked the bottle, go look in the dollhouse section for miniature sized objects that remind you of the person you are making the bottle for. You may also find other little objects in the children’s craft section such as small animals or beads. After you find all of your objects, you put them all in the bottle and decorate as much or as little as you desire. Lastly, write your list about each object inside the bottle and why you chose it.
- Digital Illustrations
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This was another popular trend that went around Instagram and Tiktok earlier this year and I am still totally obsessed! This DIY is rather for some as it basically consists of taking the digital photo of your choice and drawing it on digital software to make it a sort of faceless illustration. I myself have hoped for this trend and have started commissioning them for family and friends and love how they look. This DIY is completely free or rather inexpesinve because you can print it out at your local pharmacy and frame it as well for an extra touch. The software I like the most is Procreate ($9.99 in the App Store, there is also Procreate Pocket which is a free version) which I use on my iPad with an Apple Pencil, but there are many apps that let you do this for free as well. If you aren’t as artistically inclined, you can purchase one of these illustrations on Etsy for less than $10! These illustrations make adorable gifts for best friends or those going off to college soon for wall decor. (Cost: Free-$20)
How To: This one is a bit more complicated to explain, so here are two YouTube videos that I think explained it really well: How to make Digital Illustrations (easy) on iPhone! and how to make digital illustrations of photos on phone, laptop, OR ipad. To find on Etsy, simply search for “faceless illustrations”.
- Custom Tie-Dye Matching Set
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Although this could be the most expensive and tricky DIY on this list, I think if executed right it could be an amazing Christmas gift! One of the biggest fashion trends of 2020 was tie-dye, and as the cold weather approaches, tie-dye sweat sets are all the rage. If you’re anything like me and love the trend but can’t seem to find a set with colors you like, this DIY is the perfect answer. For this DIY you can go to Target or Walmart to find a plain white sweatshirt and sweatpants and then a tie-dye kit. Then tie-dye the set to match your gift recipient’s favorite colors! It can be as crazy and unique as you want, or you can even make you and your bestie matching sets. This gift could take some time and practice, so make sure to watch a few tutorials before dying the clothes! Overall, I think this gift is adorable and will become a new favorite in your friend’s wardrobe. (Cost: $30+)
How To: Again, this is another more complicated DIY to explain, so I’ve listed a few tutorials here: how to make DIY tie dye clothes bc we’re stuck at home! , DIY TIE DYE: Matching Sets! *how to*
- Spotify Scan Wall Art
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Of course I had to include another Tiktok DIY on this list! I am obsessed with this idea and plan on making them for some of my best friends this year. This gift is super thoughtful and perfect for a significant other or anyone in your life you share a special song with. It looks a bit complicated, but it is pretty straightforward! All you need is a “float frame” (other frames will not work for this, but you could also just get a plain piece of glass), a paint pen, modge podge, and a square image you want to use for your “album art”. You will also need to make a custom Spotify Code of the song you’re using. This gift is super trendy but also very thoughtful and makes an adorable piece of wall art for any dorm or apartment. (Cost: $10)
How To: Once you have your materials, print out the custom Spotify Code so you can place it under your frame to trace it onto the glass. Before you do this, use a ruler to measure out where you want your album art to be, and make sure to leave space for the song title, the play/pause button, length of the song, and the code. Using a ruler, fill in the information for your custom song to make it look like how it would on Spotify, and add the code at the bottom of the glass so they can scan it and listen to it whenever they want. Make sure to use a paper printed image, not a glossy one, otherwise, it will not stay down on the glass as well! Here are a few YouTube videos with great explanations and visuals: Spotify Glass Artwork using Cricut [As seen on Tik Tok!] , and diy glass album cover WITHOUT a cricut !! *cheap and easy!* (tiktok)
Hopefully, this list helped you find the perfect DIY to create and gift this season, or at least got your brainstorming about other gifts! Other great sources of inspiration are Pinterest for infinite DIYs as well as Gift Lab Co., which has tons of lists for gift ideas for every person and every occasion if DIYs are just not your thing. Happy holidays and a happy new year!