The 10 Best Homemade Gift Ideas You Can Do

At a time when frugality is a necessity for many families, the holidays can be extremely frustrating and depressing. The lack of money and tight budgets call for a lot of cutbacks, especially when it comes to gift-giving. But no matter what kind of financial situation you are in, there are always ways to show someone you care and to acknowledge their special occasions and achievements. Creating a homemade item may have its taboos but if you pick the right kind of things, you don’t have to worry about looking cheap. A little time and effort mixed with creativity can lead to all kinds of ideas that cost little to nothing and still say a lot.

Here are 10 of the best ideas we’ve come up with for homemade gift ideas:

1. Holiday Ornaments
One holiday tradition that many people carry on throughout the years is collecting holiday ornaments that are dated and represent a special time in a family’s life. Craft supplies are getting more inexpensive and are more accessible at dollar and discount stores. You can also collect a variety of household items to use in your ornament making. Add pictures, paint, sequins, buttons, and other scrap materials you may have to convey a message of family and love. This is a great project for kids and adults alike and a gift that will be appreciated for many years and generations to come.

2. Recipes in a Jar
Have a favorite recipe for cookies or soup? Grab a couple of jars in all sizes and some craft scraps. You simply add the dry ingredients needed for the recipe into the jar. Hand print or type out the actual recipe and attach it to the jar with tape, ribbons, or glue. People will appreciate the ease of creating your favorite recipe. The cost for you is minimal because you can buy ingredients in bulk to create several presents for family and friends and anything left over can be used to feed your own family.

3. Jewelry
Again, with the inexpensive craft products available, you can purchase a bucket of beads and some twine to create jewelry for the female teens and adults in your life. There are many kinds of jewelry patterns and materials you can use and the cost is minimal, especially because initial supplies can yield many gifts.

4. Painted Rocks
Take a hike with the kids and pick out a variety of smooth rocks. You can paint the rocks and add sentimental messages to them. Give them away to be used as paperweights or garden decorations. Thin pieces of shale can be used to make address plates and door or wall hangings. If you are not artistically inclined, you can purchase a few sets of stencils or have a friend flesh out some designs for you.

5. Memory Book
Many people have a lot of pictures they have been saving in a box somewhere. Create a special memory book for each person on your list. Some pages can contain pictures and some can contain just your written thoughts and memories about each special relationship. These books can be made and decorated with a variety of relatively inexpensive stock paper and craft supplies.

6. Pet Treats
Any lover of pets knows how fun it can be to throw a little luxury to their furry or feathered friend. Find some recipes on the internet to make dog biscuits, cat treats, hamster snacks, or bird crunchies. There are some great recipes that can be made right in your own kitchen and decorated with holiday ribbon and tags.

7. People Treats
As much as a pooch will love some doggie biscuits, people will adore homemade candy and cookies and mixed nuts during the holidays. Making your favorite treats does require time and the cost of ingredients may be a bit higher than last year but having someone else do the baking is truly a gift for harried folks stuck at the mall. Purchase dollar store tins or serving plates and buy some colorful plastic wrap to dress up your homemade treats.

8. Family Calendar
If you have a computer or even if you don’t, you can create a 12 page calendar for your close loved ones. Add pictures, inspirational sayings, and funny quotes to each month. The more creative the better. Take your completed projects to a copy center and get them to bind it for you. Not only is it a simple and fun idea, you will be giving a gift that lasts a lifetime.

9. Bird House/Feeders
If you have leftover wood or other building materials, you can craft a simple birdhouse for all your nature-loving loved ones. Bird houses sell for a lot of money in stores and many of them aren’t even much more than some plain wood and nails. Add some decorations, paint, stencil work, or freehand designs. If your project is a feeder, add some bird seed into a freezer bag to accompany the gift.

10. Snow Globe
A snow globe can be a fun and easy way to express holiday or special occasion sentiments. All you need is a few jars of any size (think spaghetti sauce jars or baby food jars) that have a resealing lid. Gather supplies that fit the occasion (think birthday candles, holly, glitter,) and put them into the jar. If you want to add fake plants, use a piece of modeling clay and stick it to the inside of the lid and insert the plant or other decoration. Add glitter or fake snowflakes and some water and turn upside down. Viola! A snow globe.

** Special Note: If you find you are particularly good at creating any of the above-mentioned items, take the opportunity to investigate what it would take to turn the hobby into supplemental income during the holidays or throughout the year.**