A handmade gift carries a personal touch, and there’s no doubt that the person receiving it will feel very loved when they see that you’ve put time and effort into creating something. Plus, that gift will be unique, as it’s something that they can’t pick up anywhere else.
Autumn is the perfect time to start thinking about DIY gifts, as Christmas is just near enough to start feeling inspired, but far away enough that there’s plenty of time left to get crafting. From candles and snow globes to gingerbread fudge, here are 18 homemade gift ideas that you can make for your loved ones this Christmas.
1. Stuffed toys
Stuffed toys can be a wonderful gift to give to children and grandchildren (or possibly even adults!) at Christmas. Whether it’s used as a nighttime companion, an ornament on a shelf, or as a cuddle buddy on a bad day, a soft toy is a sure way to bring a little joy to someone’s day. You can knit, crochet, or stitch them – and they can be any size, colour, or character that you choose!
If you’re completely new to needle crafts, but you’re keen to make a stuffed toy, then crocheting is a good place to start. You only need one hook, as opposed to two needles (as with knitting), and the process is generally much quicker.
Hobbycraft has a helpful guide that’ll show you how to get started with crochet – then, for some stuffed toy inspiration, why not have a look at the video below? It’ll show you how to make cute crochet turtles.
2. Gingerbread fudge
For someone with a sweet tooth, fudge is a delicious gift that the recipient won’t be able to resist. If you want to add a touch of festive twist to this sweet treat, then why not make it taste like gingerbread? This recipe from Delish.com only has five ingredients – sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate, and spices – and will only take about one hour and 20 minutes to make.
Alternatively, if the person you’re looking to make a gift for doesn’t like gingerbread, then you could try this boozy rum and raisin fudge recipe from ThermoBliss, or this delicious cookies and cream white chocolate fudge recipe from Carnation.
Why not taste test one (or all!) of these recipes yourself first and let us know what you think in the comments below?
Infused olive oils are a practical everyday gift that a cooking enthusiast will love – because it will give their cooking that extra punch of flavour. You can infuse olive oil with chilli, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, garlic, oregano, rosemary, or something else entirely – it really depends on the tastes of your giftee!
Infusing oil is really straightforward and can be done in just a few simple steps – have a watch of the video below to see how it’s done. To store your infused oil, you’ll need some empty glass bottles (which will need to be sterilised – you can find out how to do this here).
You could either save empty bottles that once stored things like alcohol or vinegar – or you could pick up some glass bottles on Amazon*. If you want to add a special touch to your oil bottle, consider adding a bow* around the neck before giving them to your giftee!
4. Snow globe
Snow globes can make beautiful gifts and are surprisingly quick, easy, and inexpensive to make. It’s up to you to decide what you want to feature in your glass bubble – you might want to stick with something Christmassy like a reindeer or a Christmas tree, and fill your globe with white beads to look like snow.
Or, if you want to make a gift that someone can enjoy year-round, then you could include something like an animal, a cartoon character, or a famous landmark, and fill your globe with glitter or multi-coloured beads.
Hobbycraft has a useful guide that’ll talk you through the process of how to make a snow globe – and you can also pick up your materials (such as a globe, white beads, and your chosen centrepiece) from there too. Alternatively, you can also buy these on Amazon. If you want to make use of what you have at home, then consider using an empty jar, as this could save you some cash.
5. Macrame plant holder
