After a long, bumpy year, handmade gifts are a thoughtful way to show appreciation for the people you care about without even needing to say it. If you have some spare time this holiday season and are naturally crafty, or just enjoy getting messy, these are some ideas to inspire you as you enter into your creativity mode. Hopefully, these will give you a sense of all the cool things you can do with just some basic supplies and the power of your hands.
Food jars filled with soup, candy, or hot chocolate mixes are a great gift for the holidays. Print out a cake mix recipe from the internet and pre-make it or color coordinate an M&M mix and pour it in a mason jar to make it look even better. Make labels for the jars with the ingredients or the name of the mix written on them. For the final touch, write a cute personalized note and then tie it to the lid with a ribbon. Even after what’s inside is gone, the receiver will have a cute jar for storage (nobody has enough mason jars) and a note to remind them of what you made for them.
Add some spice to your favorite photos by making your loved one a framed heart collage. Find some cute selfies and funny photos from your time together, save them to an album, and have them printed at a photo printing lab. You can also simply use the printer in the office or at home if you own one, and still make the perfect assortment of memories. Then simply glue them to a poster board in the shape of a heart, or whichever shape you want, let them dry, cut the poster board however much you may need to, and then frame it. If you’re extra crafty, you can even personalize your frame by bedazzling it with glitter.
If you have any experience with stencils, this final do-it-yourself gift idea might be a deal-breaker for you. Make your gift receiver the luckiest neighbor on the block by creating their very own custom-designed silhouette doormat. Order your stencil online, or use freezer paper from the grocery store and pick a design that you know will put a smile on their face. If you are unfamiliar with stencil art, look up which paint and sealing spray to use or any other instructions you may need before you start.