7 personal gifts you can make at home this Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and it’s now that time of year when the topic of present buying and gift giving comes into play. Of course, one can always pop to the shop or order something online for those dear to you but, for those who really want to give something special this year, why not consider embracing your creative side and making a home-made Christmas gift? After all, gift giving is all about showing that special person in your life that you care, so taking the time to create something unique and personal by hand will convey that more than any product off the shelves. From baked goods to crafts, there are all sorts that can be achieved with a little creativity. So, in this article, take a look at seven ideas for personal gifts that you can make at home this Christmas.

Gingerbread making kit

Gingerbread often goes down a treat at Christmas. This delicious treat is ideal for snacking on over the festive period and can come in great variety. With a little bit of creativity and the right tools, customised gingerbread men can become a reality. With all this in mind, why not opt for a gingerbread making kit to give as a gift this Christmas? Not only does it fulfil the ‘home-made’ requirement, but they can be great fun to make as well as eat. Michelle from the lifestyle blog The Purple Pumpkin Blog, which specialises in creative ideas and delicious recipes, recommends giving a gingerbread making kit this year. Michelle has a great post showing how to put together one of these fantastic kits, which you can read here. The post includes a full recipe list and you will also need the below items:

You’ll need:

• Gingerbread case
• Plastic bags
• Pipe cleaners
• Ribbon
• Icing tubes
• Sprinkles
• Cutters

Michelle is full of great advice for home-made gifts, especially over the Christmas period. Gingerbread kits are just one of them. Michelle also advises: “For gifts that can be cooked/baked, things like cookies, fudge, truffles (Christmas Pudding Chocolate Truffles and Ginger Snap Truffles) and other sweet treats go down well.

“Or, if you can't make them yourself, you can put together kits with the ingredients. Some recipes that are ‘all in one’ go well layered in a glass jar, such as a cookie recipe. You just layer the dry ingredients in a jar and add the recipe card explaining what wet ingredients need to be added (like an egg or milk for example).”

Home-made Christmas hamper

Some gifts are just perfect for Christmas and a hamper certainly falls under this category. Innately customisable, so many wonderful goodies can be put into a Christmas hamper, helping to make it an ideal gift. The effort that goes into tailoring a hamper to a specific person will certainly be appreciated by those who receive them, so why not get crafting and put one together for that special person this year? Trimcraft, one of the UK’s leading craft suppliers, has a wonderful website to help those looking to make home-made gifts. Recommending a Christmas hamper for a home-made gift, the team at Trimcraft said:

“If you are looking to make a unique handmade gift this Christmas then personalisation is key; think of all the things that special person loves and why not create a hamper to surprise them with. It could be a gift bag or box personalised with their name, some festive twine and embellishments. They will love the thought that has gone into creating something special and unique for them. Trimcraft sells a whole range of embellishments for making your handmade gifts extra festive and these can be purchased from the range.”

You’ll need:

• Wicker basket/box
• Christmas treats
• Christmas themed gifts
• Healthy snacks
• Seasonal foods
• Gifts tailored for the recipient

Home-made mittens

For those who enjoy sewing and creating garments of clothing at home, the option of making some cosy home-made mittens would be the perfect gift for friends, family, and especially grandchildren this Christmas. Running around the shops to find a gift is not exactly an attractive proposition for many, especially for those who require the use of an indoor stair lift, so why not get out that sewing kit, grab an old sweatshirt, and create something unique and personal. No one likes cold hands during winter, so some personalised mittens will go down a treat. Unique items like this will also be remembered fondly in years to come, providing great sentimental value to those who receive them.

You’ll need:

• Old sweater
• Paper
• Pen or pencil
• Scissors
• Thread
• Sewing pins
• Needle and thread

Take a look at the guide on Zappos for full instructions on how to make these mittens.

Hot chocolate gift jars

Who doesn’t like a nice mug of hot chocolate over the festive period? This warming, delicious drink is just the antidote to a cold day out, especially after coming in from a Christmas walk with the family. So why not consider creating a few home-made hot chocolate gift jars to give out this holiday season? They are fairly simple to make, requiring the likes of a mason jar, hot chocolate mix, and some tasty toppings like marshmallows and chocolate pieces. You could even make the marshmallows yourself if you feel so bold. Don’t forget to add that extra personal touch with a ribbon around the jar and a Christmas name tag for the loved one in question. Not only will the contents delight but when done right, the package itself is certainly attractive.

You’ll need:

• Hot chocolate mix (home-made)
• Dark chocolate
• Marshmallows
• Mason jar
• Ribbon, gift tags, wrapping paper.

Get started by taking a look at this guide to DIY hot chocolate gift jars by The Loopy Whisk.

Home-made Christmas cookies

Christmas means something a little bit different depending on the person you ask, but something most people can agree on is that Christmas is a time for a great food and indulging in yummy treats where you would normally restrain yourself. So, with that in mind, why not delight friends and family this Christmas by creating a delicious, mouth-watering tin of home-made cookies? Not only do they look great all stacked up in the tin, but they are easily shareable and will bring a smile to the face of family members of all ages. Another great thing about baking cookies as gifts is that they can be customised as much as the baker likes, with fillings, chocolate chips, and icing all bringing that personalisation factor to the table.

You’ll need:

• Butter
• Chocolate chips
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Flour
• Tin/tub

Jen’s Favourite Cookies is a wonderful resource for cookie recipes for those who would like a few tips.

Unique DIY mugs

For a truly personalised gift to give this Christmas, why not create something that will be truly specific for your loved one and create a unique DIY mug? Most people enjoy a hot drink or two, whether its tea, coffee, or a cup of hot chocolate, especially when it comes to winter. So, grabbing a plain white mug, some paint, markers, or even nail polish, and designing for your family members some custom DIY mugs should go down an absolute treat. Not only will these come in great use by the receiver but will surely be unlike any other gift they receive this Christmas. You can customise and design these mugs to your heart’s content, writing personalised messages, beautiful patterns, or even recreating favourite hobbies of grandchildren like football or music via illustrations on the mug’s surface. With a little bit of creativity and the right tools, a lot is possible!

You’ll need:

• White mug
• Oil-based marker
• Paint
• Oven for drying the mug

Take a look at this guide by Glued to my Crafts for further instructions and tips.

DIY keychains

Image credit: Think.Make.Share

For those among us who have a lot of gifts to give this Christmas, a fairly simple solution would be to make a handful of custom DIY keychains. If you possess the creative gene, making a DIY keychain from beads and thread will allow you to personalise each gift for the specific person in question and create something that can become a part of their life on a day to day basis. No one leaves home without their keys after all, so if you are looking to create something unique this year, making something attractive to attach to car or house keys could be just the solution. Better still, keychains like this don’t even need to attach to keys, as they just easily latch on to handbags and backpacks.

You’ll need:

• Key ring
• Piping Cord
• Beads
• Floss or yarn
• Scissors

Head over to Think.Make.Share to see their full guide and instructions of how to make DIY keychains.

Home-made Christmas gift ideas

Hopefully the above has provided some fun ideas for personal gifts to make at home this Christmas, helping you to truly stand out and be appreciated among loved ones on 25 December. There’s so much that can be done with a little prep, ingenuity, and creative spirit. So, go ahead and create something truly unique for your loved one this year. The above suggestions for home-made Christmas gifts are:

• Gingerbread making kit
• Home-made Christmas hamper
• Home-made mittens
• Hot chocolate gift jars
• Home-made Christmas cookies
• Unique DIY mugs
• DIY keychains