I grew up with a big family, which made it hard to buy everyone something nice at Christmas.
My gift options were to shop at the dollar store or do it yourself.
While the dollar store is by far the easier path, DIY gifts are a genuine labor of love.
Tina Russell/The Penny Hoarder
But you dont have to be Martha Stewart to explore the DIY route.
Its more about the gesture than making a perfectly crafted artisanal present.
Your loved ones will likely appreciate a heartfelt and useful gift more than a store-bought one.
Plus, staying at home to make these gifts will save you from theimpulse purchasesshopping can bring.
12 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas to Try This Holiday Season
1.
Use some Mod Podge (a glue-punch in sealant) to adhere your printed photos to the base.
Once dry, glue magnet strips to the back of the base.
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.
Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.
Or, you might use adhesive magnetic sheets for bigger images.
you could make hundreds of these personal DIY gifts and inexpensively give your friends and family all the feels.
Baked Goods
The fastest way to someones heart is through their stomach.
Home-baked treats will do the trick.
Family Cookbook
Covertly gather recipes from your family members and put them into a special family cookbook.
Maybe grandma has a box of handwritten recipes it’s possible for you to convert.
Create an accessible digital version online or assemble your own hard copy.
Free and low-cost templates and software are available if you want to do it yourself.
The cookbook will be a treasured gift for generations to come.
Just dont tell anyone else whats in the sauce, because we all know thats a family secret.
Pickled Fruits and Veggies
Use a hot water bath to pickle fruits and vegetables.
you’re able to pickle anything from cucumbers, green beans and carrots to cauliflower and pears.
Find out your relatives favorites and surprise them with a homemade jar or five.
Go a step further and create your own cheeky product labels for the jars.
Framed Pictures
Love that photo of you and mom on vacation?
What about the one of all your best friends together?
Or spruce up and decorate an old picture frame with buttons.
Each print usually costs less than $1.
Too many photos to narrow down?
Assemble an entire photo album.
Spend a Saturday and craft them all yourself, or get the kids or significant other involved.
Start a tradition and create a new one every year.
Mason Jar Mixtures
Assemble an ediblegift in a jar.
Shoot, you’ve got the option to even go thealcohol routeandinfuse vodka.
All you need is a case of Mason jars, your ingredients and a recipe tag.
The tag should include ingredients and any baking instructions.
If its really good, youll have everyone excited for next years batch.
Kid Art
Theres nothing wrong with this kind of child labor.
The rugrats get creative and you get cheap DIY Christmas gifts out of it.
Let them go to town.
Once its finished and dry, cut up the project into frameable pieces.
Sign and date the bottom like a true artist.
Frame the pieces and give them out as gifts.
I have the one my nieces made me in 2011 on my desk.
CraftDIY coastersout of ceramic tiles,wood slices and pressed flowers,mason jar lids,popsicle sticksor fabric.
The picture magnets mentioned above can double as coasters if you skip the magnetic strips.
Sets of four are standard, so put on some Netflix and settle into a project weekend.
There are a surprising amount ofpressed flower projectsto try.
While theart of flower pressingtakes time, the elegantly preserved souvenir will be worth it.
Blend a piquant taco seasoning,dry ruborapple and pumpkin pie spice mixes.
Just dont forget toadd your own labelsfor that extra zing.
Knitted and crocheted goods are truly one-of-a-kind gifts.
Something as simple as a hat, scarf or bag will carry sentiment forever.
The only thing they really cost is time, which makes a finished product feel more valuable.
There are free patterns galore online.
Probably not a new hobby to take up 10 days before Christmas, though.
Stephanie Bolling is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
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