Best DIY Holiday Gifts
Twenty quick, easy and affordable gifts you can make yourself.
By
A handmade gift is a thoughtful, personal way to spread holiday cheer no matter what you’re celebrating this year. DIY gifts can be more affordable than store-bought presents and they’re a fun way to get both younger and older kids involved in celebrating the season—and maybe even get them to appreciate an experience rather than a toy.
Worried you can’t compete with Martha Stewart? Don’t be. These DIY holiday gift ideas are quick and easy, and most involve items you can pick up at a craft or grocery store or buy online.
Happy crafting—and happy gifting!
Boho Holiday Garland
This modern, neutral garland is really easy to make with only a few simple supplies. It complements almost any decor and can be hung on walls, strung through bookshelves or placed anywhere you need a little extra holiday cheer.
Photo Luminary Candles
Looking for a way to show off cute family photos? These candles use photos printed on vellum (a type of translucent paper) to create a unique and custom look. We especially love these for grandparent gifts.
Marbled Ornaments
These look a whole lot fancier than they are—and that’s the whole point. You’ll use nail polish and nail polish remover (and a few other things you have around the house) to create this gorgeous marbled pattern on white glass ornaments. You can use any color you’d like, though we’re pretty partial to the blue shown here.
Modern Kwanzaa Kinara
One of the most symbolic rituals of Kwanzaa is lighting the kinara, and a homemade version makes this celebration even more special. This kinara uses a wooden plank for the base and small glass jars as candle holders. With a bit of help along the way, it’s easy for even little hands to make.
Peppermint Bath Bombs
These bath bombs have a creative holiday twist. Scented with essential oils, they’re fun to make and are a great gift for anyone who loves relaxing in the tub.
Hot Chocolate on a Stick
And speaking of eating…hot chocolate on a stick FTW! All your lucky gift recipient needs to do is drop one of these treats into a mug of warm milk for instant hot chocolate deliciousness. The sticks don’t take very long to make, and you can customize them with all different types of sprinkles, marshmallows and other candies.
Photo Keepsake Ornaments
If you have 10 minutes and a few basic craft store supplies, you’ll be able to make these distressed photo ornaments to give as a gift to family and friends. We love the vintage look of the black and white photos and their handmade feel.
Fabric-Covered Wooden Spoons
Need an easy gift for a home chef or baker? You can never have too many wooden spoons, and these handmade ones are as beautiful as they are easy to make. You can have fun customizing the fabric choices for whatever look you like best.
Five-Minute Lip Balm
Homemade lip balm sounds intimidating, but it really only requires three ingredients and comes together in about five minutes. We love gifting these to friends and family or using them as stocking stuffers.
Kwanzaa Unity Cup
You can bring together multiple generations to help make this unity cup. It’s quick and simple, and you may want to buy extra supplies so you can keep one for yourself and gift the other!
Hanukkah Stained Glass Cookies
These cookies are almost too beautiful to eat. (Almost.) The “stained glass” effect looks complicated but is actually pretty easy to achieve. Package them in a glass jar with some ribbon and a personalized tag for an easy, festive holiday gift.
Terracotta Christmas Tree
This DIY Christmas tree is a super kid-friendly craft that has “great grandparent gift” written all over it. We love the endless possibilities for decorating the tree with whatever supplies you have around the house. And don’t forget to add a star on the top!
Stitched Ornaments
You will need a drill for this one, but the rest of this homemade project can be completed by kids as young as three or four (with a little help, of course). We love how the ornaments stand out from the usual holiday fare and that you can get creative with different shapes and designs.
Stovetop Potpourri
You can get everything you need for this DIY gift at the grocery store—it doesn’t get much easier than that. The mix of orange, cranberry, cloves, rosemary and cinnamon sticks creates a sweet scent that will fill any home with holiday cheer.
Wood Block Menorah
Even little hands can help with this adorable wood block menorah, and all you need is some wood blocks, paint, and candles. Just tape off the tops of the blocks to keep the paint off areas where you don’t want it, and have your kids paint the remaining areas. Once put together, this menorah makes a great decor piece for kids’ rooms and play areas (just use flameless candles) or a gift for beloved relatives.
Star Salt Dough Ornaments
These salt dough ornaments are easy to make for little hands and make cute gifts for teachers, neighbors, and relatives. Mix up the dough using three simple ingredients and shape your ornaments into stars (or any other shape) with cookie cutters. When they’ve baked, you can add bells and ribbons or even paint them before adding a clear glaze. These homemade ornaments are made to last—making them a great gift.
Homemade Soup Mix in a Jar
There are few things better than warm soup on a cold day, so these soup mix jars make a great, holiday-neutral gift for friends and neighbors. Choose from Italian Barley, Split Pea, Coconut Curry, Five Bean, Chicken Noodle or Spicy Black Bean—or make a variety pack with all six kinds. Don’t forget to include the instructions for your recipient!
Cookie Cutter Tea Towels
Your kids will love helping out with this easy craft and you can personalize them for each recipients’ holiday of choice by changing up the cookie cutters you use. Just spread some fabric paint out on a plate, dip your cutters in and press gently onto your towel. Quick and easy, no stress.
Name Crayons
Personalized, homemade crayons make a perfect gift for nieces, nephews, and cousins and they are way easier to make than you might think. If you have a bunch of broken crayons laying around the house (what toddler parent doesn’t?), reusing them to make gifts is smart and sustainable.
Evergreen Candles
This evergreen candle trick can be done on both candle holders or pillar candles in less than 10 minutes—just add glue—making it perfect for gifting to the host of your holiday celebrations. Evergreen not your thing? Try eucalyptus, rosemary, thyme or any plant that holds together well when dried.
Maccabee Cookie Boxes
DIY cookie boxes can be adjusted for your preferred holiday—just use the cookie cutters and colors of your choice—and is a fun gift to bring for little ones at holiday parties. Setting the kids’ table with a few of these cookie boxes offers a engaging activity to keep them busy as the adults mingle and prepare dinner.
