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6 homemade Christmas gifts and decorations
Thinking of making your own Christmas decorations or thoughtful, personalised gifts for loved ones? Here are X DIY Christmas decorations and gifts for inspiration.
Never mind about jingle all the way, what about homemade all the way?
There’s no better way to put your personal stamp on Christmas than to literally create it yourself.
Creating your own treats and pulling together homemade Christmas decorations, cards and gifts, means every festive touch is unique and more cost-effective than buying everything.
1. Homemade Christmas cards
It’s estimated 1 billion cards are thrown away across the UK once Christmas is over.
But we’re no longer in an era where physical, shop-bought cards are the only option.
We can send e-cards, no cards at all, or we can make our own handmade Christmas cards to bring smiles to loved ones.
You can make snowmen out of buttons, cut leaves from the garden or your herb patch to make mini card wreaths, use your fingerprint to make holly berries and cut out festive shapes, such as stars and triangle trees, as well as use stamps to make festive scenes.
Most of the time you just need some scissors, glue, coloured paper/card and pens and old bits of fabric, ribbon, newspapers, or anything else that’s got an interesting colour or texture and looks festive - plus lots of imagination of course!
2. DIY Christmas decorations
Ahh yes, the humble Christmas decoration….the baubles that we dust off every year and the miles of tinsel that leave a trail of glitter everywhere.
Last, but not least, there’s the worn-looking fairy that you made when you were at school…
If you’re looking for a touch of classic Christmas home décor that you can personalise however you want, then handmade Christmas ornaments will bring happy memories year after year.
While the typical paper chains and hanging mistletoe will never stop being firm favourites, you can also create homemade Christmas wreaths that are simple, beautiful, and easy to make as a family.
These festive favourites are perfect for decorating both the outside and inside of your home - simply grab some evergreen leaves or garden offcuts (maybe your Christmas tree wouldn’t miss a few branches), a base and some ribbon and holly and you’ve got yourself a traditional wreath design.
Or if you want something a bit more modern from your homemade Christmas decorations, then try some foam balls or handmade pompoms glued together in the shape of a circle and jazz them up with a bow.
3. Homemade Christmas crackers
Speaking of decorations, Christmas simply isn’t complete without the customary Christmas cracker pull before you tuck into your Christmas dinner.
To make your own DIY Christmas crackers, simply fill a cardboard tube, like toilet roll or kitchen roll tubes, with an assortment of fun jokes, cute gifts, and homemade paper hats, and then wrap with either patterned or plain paper that you can decorate yourself.
Make sure to leave plenty of paper at either end for the ‘handles’, which you can twist and tie with ribbon or string. You can even buy cracker snaps if you’re after that traditional ‘pop’ moment!
4. DIY Christmas hampers
Part of giving a gift is how you present it, but spending lots of money on fancy gift boxes and wrapping can feel like a real waste, especially if you suspect it may end up in the bin or recycling soon after.
The solution?
Raid your stash of ‘recycled’ gift boxes from Christmases gone by or make your own!
Some ideas for making gifts look beautiful without needing to spend on wasteful wrapping paper include:
- Using fabric wrapping – cut any leftover fabrics you have into shapes and use them to bundle up your gifts. Then your friends and family can reuse themselves.
- Reuse magazines, comics, and newspapers – if you have any other types of paper in the house, you can use them to make your own wrapping paper.
- Repurpose old boxes and crates – decorate items you already have in the house and use them to create refurbished wrappings.
Check out our sustainable Christmas wrapping ideas to discover how to make gift boxes from toilet rolls and cereal boxes.
5. Homemade Christmas biscuits
Is it really Christmas time if you don’t have a biscuit or chocolate tin chilling on the coffee table or kitchen counter?
We don’t think so! But what if you don’t like the selections available, hate all the waste that comes with them, or need them to suit a dietary requirement (e.g., vegan or gluten-free)?
You have two choices, source an old tin to either fill with favourite chocolates and biscuits to create your own selection box or make some from scratch.
Here are some of our favourite biscuit and baking recipes for inspiration:
6. Homemade Christmas gifts
When you give somebody a handmade Christmas gift, you’re literally giving them a piece of your heart. Nothing says ‘thoughtful’ more than a homemade Christmas present does.
Here are some of our favourite homemade Christmas gift ideas:
- Handmade Christmas Ornaments
- Christmas tree decorations
Christmas tree decorations make a great gift because you know they’re going to come in handy every year.
Handmade Christmas decorations for the tree, such as snowflake ornaments made from wooden beads, fabric-covered tree shapes, paper ornaments and gold pinecones all look great hanging off the branches. Try these cinnamon tree decorations for a festive and fragrant option.
- Tasty treats
Homemade snacks and cakes are always going to be a winning gift for all ages, and you can shape the ingredients to suit their dietary needs. Some of our favourite recipes for homemade treats include vegan banana bread, gluten-free vegan Victoria sponge, Walnut & apricot vegan brownies, Manuka honey and orange polenta cake, and any of these three easy peasy chocolate cakes.
- Pamper packages
You can buy ready-made bundles of beauty and body care products or you could individually select the items to create more of a tailored package. Think sumptuous face masks and face packs, scented candles, revitalising face creams, indulgent bath bombs and salts, delicious snacks or even some soothing teas as a wintery treat.
Or, if you’re keen to DIY the whole package, you could try your hand at making some Christmas-themed homemade body scrubs or these homemade lemon and turmeric facemasks.
The Final Say
So, from handmade Christmas decorations to homemade Christmas gifts, hopefully, this guide has inspired you to take part in your very own DIY festive experience. For more ideas of gifts and treats for spoiling your loved ones (or yourself!) check out our Christmas shop – whether you’re after scents or snacks, we have you covered.
The advice in this article is for information only
and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare
professional before trying any supplements, treatments, or remedies. Food
supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and
a healthy lifestyle.
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