It’s that wonderfully expensive time of year again. While we’re busy with finals and preparing for the end of the semester, we also have to think of Christmas gifts. And although it’s wonderful to give and receive, it can also get extremely expensive. Here are some great homemade gift ideas for the man in your life that won’t break the bank but will also add a nice, personal touch.
1.) 12 sealed envelops with a month on each one. Fill each of these envelops with a planned out date, it can be anywhere and anything that you want to do. Make an instruction sheet for the envelopes when they will be opened each month. This is a great idea for those in a long term relationship!
2.) Is your guy the type of guy that always says “Nothing” when you ask him what he wants for his birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc. Make him a “Nothing Jar!” Take an empty, clean jar and create a sticker for it with a creative message that says in essence “You wanted nothing, so here’s nothing!” and stick it on the jar. Don’t fill it with anything but air. It’s a perfect gag gift for the difficult man who won’t admit what he wants.
3.)Make your man feel like a secret agent and create him a secret hideaway in a book! Here are the instructions on how to make one.
You need:
A book
A box cutter
A brush
Puzzle glue (or regular glue mixed with water 80% glue 20% water)
1.) Go find/ buy a book. I would recommend going to a used book store because you can normally pick up a good hardcover book for less than $10.
2.) Start marking off your pages. Leave a few pages to a chapter in the front untouched so it looks like a real book. From there, wrap the cover and the untouched pages in a plastic bag as you don’t want them to be covered in glue.
3.) Next, after the book is marker off and covered, close the book and brush the glue on the OUTSIDE of the pages. Put a few layers on the pages but make sure to smooth out any globs which will turn white. Press the book firmly between your hands to keep the pages together as you brush them with glue.
4.) Put the book under a heavy weight or a vice while it dries. Use several large, heavy books or something equally heavy as you do not want the book to warp as it dries. Leave it for about an hour or so.
5.) After the book is done drying, use a ruler to trace the outline of your secret compartment on the first page of the glued part of the book. It can be any size or shape that you want but make sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch margin.
6.) Now it’s time to cut the pages. Using your box cutter, follow the outline, taking it slow. Corners are the hardest part. Go back from time to time and smooth the edges out. If you have access to it, you can also use a scroll saw to save time.
7.)Now brush glue on the inside pages, if you need to brush it on the outside once more as well.
8.) Now glue felt inside your secret compartment to give the book a finished look and to hide any ragged pages.
4.) If your man is a real foodie, create a food passport! Take a small notebook and on each page write the name of a restaurant/bar you both have been dying to go too. Add in cute little messages here and there. As you go to the restaurants, stamp the pages that they were on. This project allows you to be really creative without breaking the bank!
5.) Who doesn’t love candy?! If your man has a real sweet tooth, make him a “six pack of candy bottles”. Take clear, clean bottles and fill them with his favorite small candies such as M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces! Fill a different bottle with a different type of candy and he’s sure to have his sweet tooth satisfied for the next few weeks (or days!).
6.) Do you two love to take pictures? Create a photo album of your favorite photos and organize them in chronological order. Bonus points if you include small stories on the back of each photo!
7.) Are you a couponer? Well put it to good use and make your boyfriend a homemade coupon booklet! On each page write something that he can redeem the coupon for, without an expiration date. Ideas are a coupon for a kiss, his choice of movie for the night, anything you can think of!
8.) If you’re extremely domestic, take over his kitchen one night and surprise him with his favorite meal. Break out the candlesticks, cloth napkins, and good dishes to make it feel like a real restaurant. Follow it up with desert too! (This can also be done with a pre made meal from the grocery store! Just throw out the boxes so he’ll never know!)