Homemade Christmas Gifts!

Tonight I thought I would share some lovely ideas for creating special Christmas gifts at home! Homemade gifts are much more meaningful, often higher quality, and can save your family a lot of money this holiday season.

Last year, I embroidered a pillowcase for every member of my family. (Click here, here and then here.) It was a time consuming task, but it was wonderfully fun and I learned so much about the fine art of embroidery. I started the embroidery projects in August and they were finished by the end of November. Evaluating how complicated your project is, how skilled you are at the task, and how many people you intend to make gifts for will help you judge exactly how long it should take to complete the project before the big day!

This year, I had a lot of trouble trying to come up with Christmas gift ideas, so I thought it would be nice to post some suggestions.

- Bath salt

This is a wonderful and easy gift to make! It's great for jars and containers that need to be used. All you do is mix 1 cup of epsom salt, half a cup of baking soda, and a third of a cup of table salt together. For scent, add essential oils (the kind found in bath beads) and for color, add a few drops of food coloring.

- Scarf

Knitting is not as hard as it looks! Here is a website that will help you learn the different stitches. Making a scarf is fast, and can be made very simple or with a more complex design.

- Rice Socks

There are so many things that you can sew for a family member, but you can make a rice sock with very little sewing skills! You can make a little pouch yourself (out of a lovely fabric) or use an actual sock. All you have to do is fill it full of uncooked rice and sew it closed. You can get creative with these! Rice socks are perfect when heated in the microwave or put in the freezer for relieving aches and pains. They are wonderful gifts for pregnant women, and they are also loads of help when dealing with menstrual pains!

- Food!

For people outside your family, the best gifts are baked goods or other consumables! Food can be enjoyed by the whole family and it's so easy and fun to make! In the past, we've made homemade hot chocolate mix with chocolate dipped (plastic) spoons, loaves of bread with embroidered breadcloths, "bear" cakes, peppermints, and much more! The sky's the limit when it comes to food! Pretty packaging makes it a gorgeous gift!

- Redeemable "coupons"

When all else fails, your family would love to get a "coupon" from you to redeem whenever they want. My mother loves these! They can be for extra chores like cleaning out the car, or a "coupon" for something like a quiet nap (while you entertain the children). Anything you know the person will love!

These are just a few suggestions. There are so many homemade gifts you can make for your friends and family. I know Courtney will have some things to add! I'd love to hear your crafty gift ideas and past successes! Please, leave a comment below!