Homemade Christmas Gifts

There's nothing better than receiving a homemade gift at Christmas time. Any relative or friend would be so pleased to get a present that was unique, thoughtful and handmade - what a surprise to open on Christmas day!

It takes time to create some of these gifts, sure, but it's definitely worth it! Here are a variety of ideas for you this holiday season, each taking a different level of commitment and skill: 

     1. Christmas Cards
Get crafty and create your own christmas card design this year. It's simple to do, and there are plenty of ideas out there for you to be inspired by. Keep it simple for the most classy effect, a simple 'Merry Christmas' stamp and a sparkly snowflake or star. Write cute quotes inside them and send them in beautiful decorated envelopes.

     2. Personalized Set of Napkins
Why not create a beautiful set of unique napkins? Find some fabric you like, hem it nicely on a sewing machine (or buy pre-prepared napkins) and then stitch in some initials in the corners, use an iron-on print or add a cute ribbon around the edges.

     3. DIY Chocolate Truffles
It's easy to create your own truffles. Start with a ganache filling, one part simmered double cream poured over two parts 60% chocolate. Mix until combined and place in the fridge. Once harder, scoop out teaspoons, roll into balls and pop in a bowl of melted (but not hot) chocolate to coat, then put in dessicated coconut, roasted chopped hazelnuts or cocoa. Place in cute chocolate bags or boxes with plenty of ribbon for extra flair!

     4. Hand Painted Tea Towels
This is a little time consuming, but worth it as they are a fantastic present to receive, and come in very handy around the house! Buy a multipack of plain white tea-towels, then use some fabric paints to paint on a design (simple colorful dots or stars are great). Iron in the design and wash through a few times. Iron again, and place a pair of them in a decorated box with a cute label.

     5. Jams and Chutneys
There's nothing more fantastic than a gift of food waiting under the tree, and jams and other preserves are great to make too. Not only can you create lots of your Christmas gifts throughout the summer months when the berries are ripe, but it's very simple to create jam, and a great way to relax. Just remember the rule of half the amount of sugar to fruit (so 1kg of strawberries needs 500g sugar) and that it's great to add a little extra flavour like mint leaves or a vanilla pod to make it extra special.

     6. Fudge
Fudge is wonderful, and there aren't many people who wouldn't appreciate a nice box of fudge during the holidays. It's easy to make also, see this recipe for instructions. Be sure to try out different flavors, as a mixed bag shows more effort and looks much more professional. Some ideas for flavours are: vanilla, chocolate, fruit and nut, peanut butter with dark chocolate chunks (especially if it's for dad) and white chocolate and cranberry(especially if it's for mom).

     7. Appliqued Initials Cushion Covers
This is much easier than it sounds. Simply purchase a plain cushion, or whip up your own one - it's much easier than it sounds, just go to these instructions for making an envelope cushion cover. Then purchase some felt squares from a craft shop, and draw out some initials on the squares. Cut them out and hand sew them onto the cover with thick embroidery thread (if you are smart, work out how to put this on before you sew up the cushions as it will be far easier!). See here for inspirational pictures.

     8. Personalised Painted Clothes Pegs
This is a really cute idea, and is a great gift for a crafty member of the family, or just someone who likes cute home decorations. This is also relatively cheap to create too, and something that children can get involved with. You can do this in several ways, so experiment until you find a way that suits you - you can paint, stain or cover pegs in decorative paper. Then you can add cute buttons, flowers or ribbon for extra flair with a bit of strong glue. If you want to go one step further, try adding some magnets so you give the gift of magnetised clothespins for the fridge - perfect for holding postcards!

Homemade Secret Santa Gifts
If none of the above work for you, check out the Gifts By Person section of this site for some more ideas on what sort of gifts to make for Christmas for different types of people. If in doubt, chocolate truffles always go down a treat, and are relatively inexpensive - so if you have a budget limit (as is most frequent in corporate work Secret Santa challenges) then this is a good option. Otherwise, you could give a homemade bar of soap, which is another gift any person would be pleased to open.

Homemade Christmas Clothes
If you are a professional crafter, or at least someone who's up for a challenge, you could try making some Christmas clothes for your loved ones. Knitting is the method of choose for cold days, so why not whip up a chunky scarf, big hat or some gloves. Personalise it by choosing some luscious wool, and adding on some glitter thread or big buttons. Or, for your little relatives, why not sew up a cute outfit, with matching red dress with stars on and a knitted maroon cardigan and slipper boots.

For more ideas, check out these links:
 ♥ Why not make a 'make-your-own gingerbread house' kit for an early Christmas gift?