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5 Thoughtful DIY Gifts To Give This Year

Blog | December 17th, 2021


It’s the season of giving and the best gifts of all are the ones from your heart and hands. Add a special touch with a gift that will be treasured so much more than a mass-produced, store-bought present. Instead, sub the mediocre for magnificent with a sentimental, homemade gift like no other! Put your talents instead of your wallet into the gifts you share to show the recipient how much you care! This year, make yours the gifts that create gratitude, warm thoughts, and memories. Here are five thoughtful ideas to spread cheer for years to come! 


Merry Mugs


Everyone loves coffee, hot chocolate, warm cider, or some form of mug-minded holiday drink. Customize a cup with a one-of-a-kind personal photo or memory – even if you have a professional do it. Or let the kids design a baked-on sharpie creation to capture the work of sweet little hands before they “grow up”.


Outstanding Ornaments


Christmas trees can be an ongoing storyteller! From childhood memories to school-made treasures, holiday evergreen branches are waiting to hold a lifetime of memories. What better gift than sharing a continuation of that story with others? Take moments frozen in time and transform them into treasures to be turned into gifts. One of thousands of ideas is to purchase clear fillable ornaments and enclose something meaningful like sand from a favorite beach trip, a birthday candle that a special wish was made upon, dried flowers from a wedding, or another special event. Fill it up with memories, hang it with a bow, you’ll have yourself a tree that shines with a never-ending glow!


Wreaths that Warm the Season


We’ve heard of Christmas musicals called the Living Christmas Tree. How about making a living wreath to share with family, friends, and neighbors? You might start a tradition with this one! Loved ones can gather together on a specific night in December to add new life to the creation from years past. Save and use the same wreath form for a hands-on experience that will hold the memory of generations of hands putting together an eternal circle of love and Christmas memories. Use a wire wreath form and greenery from a local tree farm or nearby woods. Often stores that sell fresh trees have an abundance of trimmed greenery and are thrilled to share! Simply weave the trimmings into the wreath form along with fresh berry stems, holly, small wisps of pine etc. Accent with cinnamon sticks, pinecones, festive picks, and sentimental touches to create a heartfelt holiday addition and Christmas tree smell in a compact, gorgeous, reusable package!


Dust Pan Cookies


This gift can be altered for allergy awareness, plus there’s nothing like fresh-baked, made from scratch cookies! When a lot of simple gifts are needed, this one is sure to please and bring a chuckle! Purchase new dustpans from Dollar Tree or another discount store. Wash and dry them thoroughly. Make your favorite cookies. Arrange cookies in the dustpan with several broken ones very visible on top. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, add a pretty bow and a tag that says something like the following:

While baking Christmas cookies
There was knocking at my door.
Startled, I turned to answer it 
and bumped the whole pan on the floor.
I stood among the broken crumbs 
Not knowing what to do.
Christmas Eve was almost here.  
This was my gift for you!
Through tears, I swept the crumbles up 
Into a small dustpan
It truly is the thought that counts,
I knew you’d understand.
The gifts that matter most of all 
Are made straight from our hearts.
Whether whole or broken
Both of these is where true caring starts


Pet Love


For this gift, unless it’s within the family, you may need some secret agent Christmas help. Just as with a baby’s first sentimental haircut, whenever the recipient’s pet is groomed, save as much clean, freshly cut, or brushed fur as possible. This is where your imagination kicks in. From a simple nutcracker at the dollar store to a vintage Santa ornament, replace the fake fur with the fur from your pet. This will be the real deal with no animals harmed. And best of all it’s a forever gift from your fur baby!

Over the past year or two, hopefully, life’s bumps have nudged us closer to those we love. Take the stress out of holiday shopping and replace it with a thoughtful, do-it-yourself gift that will become one in the books of a treasured, real-life Christmas story!