30 DIY Christmas Gifts That You Just Might Keep For Yourself

Christmas is almost upon us and for many, this means that it is time to start shopping. But instead of spending your money at a store, why not try making homemade gifts this holiday season? DIY Christmas gifts offer more room for personalization than store-bought and ensure that your gifts are as unique as your loved ones. Check out our top thirty DIY picks for everyone in your life!

Gifts For Him

Leather Mason Jar Mug Coozie 

If you have never worked with leather, it might seem a little intimidating at first, but fear not! This DIY project is an easy way to get started and a gift that any coffee or tea drinker will want to use daily. For this project, a rotary cutter, leather punch, and hammer are recommended, but the tutorial does offer ways around purchasing some of this equipment. Check out full instructions at Doodlecraft.

Alcohol-Infused Toothpicks

These toothpicks give a new meaning to the phrase "pick your poison." While they might be a small gift, they pack a lot of flavor, and will make a perfect gift for those on your list who love a good cocktail. While these instructions use whiskey to infuse the toothpicks, you could use any alcohol of choice, and customize them to your recipient's taste. After drying out your infused toothpicks, all you have to do is put them in a small jar with a label and wait for your loved one to be amazed! See how to make these toothpicks from Home Stories here.

Firewood Tote

This firewood tote will make trips to the wood stack easier than ever. Using just a flat-weave rug, a wooden dowel, some no-sew hem tape, and a couple of common tools, you could whip up this gift in an afternoon. Anyone with a fireplace or woodstove will love using this gift to keep their home warm on chilly winter nights. HGTV has the full instructions here.

Beard Balm

If the men in your life love their beards, make them up a batch of this beard balm. Beards can get dry and itchy if not properly moisturized. This balm will prevent that with its mix of cocoa and shea butter. Mixing up this balm, once you have acquired all the ingredients, only take minutes. After stirring together the ingredients, pour the balm into small tins and attach a festive label to the front. Check out Beardaholic for the full instructions.

Bottle Cap Fishing Lures

Who knew that bottle caps make such great fishing lures? These lures would be perfect packed in a small toolbox for any fisherman in your life. After collecting their favorite bottle caps, you will need to purchase treble hooks, swivel snap connectors, and round slip jump rings, all of which can be found on Amazon. With the help of a small drill, these lures come together quickly, and will be a favorite gift this holiday season! Go see how cute these are, and find the full instructions here.

Gifts For Her

Peppermint Foot Soak

Sometimes a spa day is a perfect pick me up on a cold winters day and this peppermint foot soak is sure to give an extra boost. Using powdered milk to soften skin, Epsom salts, and loose leaf tea, this DIY gift comes together quickly. If peppermint is not a favorite scent of the intended recipients, feel free to use another kind of herbal tea. Chamomile or lavender would make a great replacement! See the exact recipe over at Suburban Simplicity.

Flannel Blanket Scarf

These flannel blanket scarves are a stylish way to keep warm during the winter. A no-sew scarf, these come together quickly and don't require much more than some cutting. If you would like to add some extra flair, learning how to fringe the edges is as simple as pulling threads. Check them out on Woefully here.

Dip-Dyed Candles

These inexpensive, dip-dyed candles look expensive and will help you use up old crayons that may be lying around your house. For this DIY, your crockpot will come in handy to melt beeswax and crayon shavings, keeping it at the perfect temperature for dipping. To make your candles more unique, experiment with dipping your wax at different angles and depths. Candle fanatics will love unwrapping this gift on Christmas morning. Martha Stewart gives the full directions here.

Shower Steamers

If you live in a cold climate, you know how hard it can be to crawl out of bed in the winter. These shower steamers combine the power of a hot shower and aromatherapy to add a little bit of pep to your morning. Whipping up a batch of these for your loved ones is a perfect way to help them get their day started on the right foot. Get the full instructions from Busy Bliss here.

Sweater Mittens

Sweater mittens are one of the coziest gifts that you can give and so simple to make. As long as you can trace your hand and know, or learn, some basic sewing techniques, this gift is a breeze! These mittens can even be made with a well-loved sweater, ready to be given a new life. Don't let your loved ones spend winter with cold hands, try this DIY gift out today! A Beautiful Mess gives the full instructions here.

Gifts For Kids

Felt Piggy Bank

Felt piggy banks are a great way to start teaching kids about saving. They might be smaller than your average piggy bank, but kids will have fun filling them with anything from allowances to lucky pennies found on the ground. Requiring only a couple of easy to find supplies, this DIY is an easy afternoon project that makes a wonderful gift for any kid on your Christmas list. Check out the full instructions from Dream A Little Bigger here.

Space Mobile

This space mobile is a great work of art for your child's wall and is sure to have them wanting to learn about outer space. A wooden dowel, baker's twine, card stock, and pastels are all it takes to make this DIY come to life. If galaxies and space aren't of interest to the child receiving the gift, you can easily change the theme with just a little bit of imagination. Get the full directions from Honeybear Lane here.

Dishtowel Apron

Dishtowel aprons are a simple DIY gift with an endless amount of design options. As long as you have some basic sewing skills, finding a towel that suits the little chef in your life will be the hardest part. Twill tape, a small piece of fabric for an optional pocket, and a sewing machine will be all you need to finish out these dish towel aprons. Live Free Creative Company has the full directions here.

No-Sew Mermaid Tail Blanket

This no-sew mermaid tail blanket is sure to keep the toes of your little ones nice and warm during long, chilly, winters. With no sewing involved, just about anyone can make this gift. Many different patterns, colors, and textures of fleece open up infinite different options when it comes to personalizing this blanket to the tastes of your tiny merpeople. Turn your kid into a mermaid with these directions from Cutesy Crafts.

Story Stones

Story stones are an easy way for kids to begin learning how to tell stories. This tutorial walks you through how to create story stones based on the classic children's tale, "The Three Little Pigs," but you could easily make them for any story that you want. Some even decide to paint stones based on a theme, then watch their little ones create stories of their own. View From A Stepstool has the full directions here.

Gifts For Co-Workers

Hand Warmers

Hand warmers are the perfect gift for those on your list who always seem to have cold hands. These easy, microwavable fabric pouches of rice and dried lavender can be used over and over again. Pairs of these hand warmers look beautiful tied with ribbon. Add a simple label with instructions for use, and they can be gifted right away. Learn more about making these hand warmers from The Mummy Front.

Stovetop Simmer

Stovetop simmer will spread holiday cheer into the homes of those that you gift it to. You will need to forage your local woods for sprigs of pine or fir, but the rest of the ingredients should come easy. To round out your aromatics, cranberries, mandarins, and cinnamon sticks are added to small, windowed bags, along with sprigs of pine or fir. Simple labels finish up this DIY and teach your recipients how to have their home smelling like the holidays in no time! Make this simmering gift with these instructions from Evermine.

Spiced Christmas Jam

Christmas jam is full of holiday spice and is easy to make in large batches. This makes it perfect for gifting to multiple people while still saving some for yourself. If you have never canned, or made, jam, don't be scared. This spiced Christmas jam is worth the effort. Get the recipe from One Hundred Dollars A Month.

Brownies In A Jar

Brownies in a jar are a gift that you may have seen, or even been gifted, before. There is a good reason that these jars come back every year. Using a jar of your choice, this DIY gift is as easy as layering your brownie ingredients and affixing a tag with directions on it. Once your loved one is ready to bake their delicious batch of brownies, all they have to do is add the wet ingredients like eggs and oil. Evermine has the full recipe here.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Never underestimate the power of a simple bag or tin of cookies. These chocolate crinkle cookies are a beautiful, simple, way to spread the holiday spirit and might just make you famous around the office. Stacking these cookies in clear cellophane bags and tying them off with a simple ribbon is all you need to dress them up for gifting. Get baking with the full recipe from Collecting Memories.

Gifts For Foodies

Cranberry And Orange-Infused Gin

This cranberry and orange-infused gin is perfect on its own or mixed into a cocktail. This infusion is made using a popular sloe-gin method, which calls for adding sugar at the end of the process, allowing for better extraction of flavor during infusion. Cranberry and orange infused gin looks festive bottled in even the simplest bottles and tied off with ribbon. Create this unique gift with these directions from Moral Fibres.

Cookbook Stand

Cookbook stands make life easier. If you decide to try your hand at making this stand for your friend, some beginner carpentry skills will come in handy. Any home cook with a collection of cookbooks will love using this cookbook stand time and time again. Get the directions from The Learner Observer here.

Stamped Tea Towels

Stamped tea towels are a great way to gift a little pop of fun into the kitchen of your loved ones. This simple tutorial uses plain tea towels, cookie cutters, fabric paint, and a couple of tools you might already have in your home. Easy to make with any shape cookie cutter, these tea towels could be a fun way to get your children involved in gift making. Tidbits has the full instructions here.

Herb-Infused Honey

Herb infused honey is a delicious addition to everything from tea to pizza. This tutorial teaches you just how simple infusing it at home can be. When your honey is done, it will be beautiful enough to stand on its own, but could easily be dressed up with a simple ribbon before gifting. Learn how to make herb-infused honey from Kitchn.

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vanilla adds a comforting, sometimes floral, taste to baked goods that can be simply irresistible. All you need for this DIY treat is a bottle of vodka, vanilla beans, and time. When making this vanilla extract, remember that the longer it sits, the better it is going to be. For a deeper flavor, you can experiment with using other alcohols, like bourbon and rum. Every home baker will love receiving a bottle of this delicious extract underneath the tree! Get these directions from On The Go Bites here.

Gifts For Pets

Gingerbread Dog Treats

Gingerbread is a staple of the Christmas season and there is no reason that the dogs in our lives should have to miss out. These gingerbread treats use simple, dog-friendly, ingredients that will have any dog begging for more. As with any new treat, it is important to discuss your dog's dietary needs with a veterinarian before letting them have a taste. Make your dog's favorite new treat with this recipe from Baking Mischief.

Crunchy Tuna Cat Treats

Tuna and catnip, is there anything cats love more? This recipe for crunchy tuna cat treats uses both, along with oats and whole wheat flour. Whipping up a batch of these cat treats might make you the cat's meow, but it is important to check with your veterinarian to ensure that they are a proper dietary choice for your cat. Get the recipe for these cat treats from Evermine here.

No-Sew Pet Bandana Collars

A no-sew pet bandana collar is a great way to add a little bit of style to your dog, or cat's, life! Fat quarters are used as the main material in this DIY project, making for a highly customized collar. The best part about this project is the ability to complete it without any sewing at all. If you are looking for a gift that both pets and their owners will enjoy, this just might be it. Learn how to make these over at Crafts Unleashed.

Felt Mouse Cat Toy

Cats love mice and these felt mouse cat toys are no exception. For this project, catnip is used to stuff wool felt, and embroidery floss is used to sew it up into an adorable mouse-shaped toy. Once you gift these to your cat, they will be meowing for more. Get the full instructions at Lia Griffith.

Pet Paw Balm

Icy winters mean a lot of salt and sand, which isn't good for the paws of our furry friends. This pet paw balm can help protect the pads of your pet's paws, preventing them from drying out. This balm is made in a mason jar in just three simple steps. It uses ingredients like shea butter and coconut oil to keep paw pads soft. Gifting this to your pets will keep them happy all winter long! Find the full recipe over at Martha Stewart.

Final Thoughts

DIY Christmas gifts are an amazing way to treat your loved ones to something different. From your spouse to your co-workers, and even your pets, you can treat everyone on your list to gifts handmade by you. So, make a list, check it twice, and head to your local craft store. Related Articles

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