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You are here: Home / Naturally Frugal Living / 15 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

15 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

October 16, 2025 by Alea Milham 2 Comments

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You can make heartfelt, handmade gifts! Read on to see 15 easy DIY Christmas gift ideas for more meaningful gift-giving this holiday season.

A collage of easy DIY gift ideas Last week a friend gave me a pen and ink drawing she had created from a picture. I was so touched I started crying. A picture my oldest son painted hangs over my dresser and artwork my daughter created with pressed flowers hangs over my vanity. My husband and sons have gifted me on several occasions with raised garden beds. For many people, a hand-made gift means so much more than a store-bought gift.

If you have a special talent consider using it to make a hand-made gift instead of buying a present. However, it is possible to make a homemade presents even if you don’t have any special skills. I make homemade jams and homemade candy for many of the older people on our Christmas list. My two favorite cookbooks were created by mother-in-law and my step-mom. They each created a cookbook with all of the family favorites. It didn’t require a special skill, but it did take time on their part to gather and write down the recipes. All it takes to create a special gift for someone is to make something that matches their interests or fills a need.

Below you will find 15 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas, plus links to resources with even more ideas to inspire you.

15 DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

3 different make-it-yourself gift ideas for the holidays

 

DIY Necklace Holder / Simply Darrling- This is a good one because it is easily made and is completely practical. Perfect for the woman that has everything-including a few too many necklaces.

DIY Sock Monkeys / A Beautiful Mess- This classic gift is great for little ones and a fun way to use those stray socks that are still good.

Soft and Chewy Caramel Candies / The Kitchn- Who doesn’t love some homemade Christmas candy? These caramels are sure to please.

Vanilla Body Spray/ MP Heather Dressinger- I love the way this scent ties perfectly into the season and it could be used as a room spray as well.

Six different ideas of things you can make to give as Christmas gifts this year

DIY Neck Wrap / Simply Darrling- Perfect to make for all those winter aches and pains.

Pumpkin Ginger Biscotti/ If you have a coffee and pumpkin spice lover, they will love these for their morning cup.

 

A tasty homemade Pumpkin Gingerbread Biscotti Recipe. This pumpkin biscotti includes all of the spices and flavors of fall and is dipped in white chocolate.

 

Sugar Bowl Candle + Tea Cup Candle / This cute craft is fun to make with thrift store finds.

 

How-to-Make-a-Sugar-Bowl-Candle

 

DIY Hand Painted Wine Glasses / Second Chance to Dream- If you know someone who is into wine, these glasses are a perfect toast.

 

Tile Coasters /  A set of coasters made to go with someone’s interior décor will be sure to please.

 

Gorgeous handmade tile coasters - easy and fun DIY idea for gift giving or for your own home decor

These DIY Hot Chocolate Mix Ornaments from Simple Household Hacks are a fun and creative way to gift homemade hot cocoa mix.

diy hot cocoa mix ornaments

 

Melting Snowman Hot Chocolate Bombs/ Julie Blanner- Kids and adults alike will love these cute and delicious hot chocolates!

Kids Art Note Card Sets / Use all those pieces of art your kids create to make a set of notecards that other can enjoy and send. This is a hit with Grandmothers and Aunts!

Use children's artwork to make gifts DIY

 

Homemade Lavender Sugar Scrub / So There- With dry winter skin, these scrubs will help you combat it with a lovely scent.

Holiday Spice Bath Salts / Mom Endeavors- Bring the scent of the season to your indulgent bath and help relax the holiday stress away

Chai Tea Latte Dry Mix / The Kitchen is my Playground- If coffee is not their thing, perhaps this easy to make on a chilly morning chai tea is?

Bowls from Magazines / Creative Cyncrinocity- These bowls look expensive but are a great upcycle project.

Are you making any handmade gifts this year?

More DIY Christmas Gift Ideas:

30 Christmas Gifts Kids Can Make

10 DIY Christmas Gifts for Boys

10 DIY Christmas Gifts for Girls

30 Homemade Candy Recipes

DIY Ceramic Photo Gifts

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Liz@HoosierHomemade says

    November 18, 2013 at 6:47 am

    Thanks for sharing our 100 Days of Homemade Holiday Inspiration!

    Reply
  2. Amy @ So There by Amy says

    November 11, 2013 at 8:47 am

    Thanks for the feature 🙂
    Happy Holidays!

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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