Holiday shopping for family and friends can be a bit on the pricey side. This holiday season, there is no need to empty your pockets to show loved ones how much they mean to you. With a little bit of creativity and the help of some simple craft supplies, you can make the perfect DIY gift for everyone on your list.
The way to anyone’s heart is through the stomach. Bake a batch of your love’s favorite cookies, get a plain tin container from a craft store and decorate it with craft paint. The same can be done with hot cocoa mix. Just purchase a cheap, clear glass container, decorate it with ribbons or paint and fill with a friend’s favorite hot chocolate mix. They can then use the container you decorated for them to keep other things in once the hot chocolate is gone. To score bonus points with the receiver of the gift, you can even buy a cheap, plain-colored ceramic mug from the dollar store or a similar place and decorate that as well. They’ll think of you every time they indulge in a steamy cup of hot chocolate.
Decorated picture frames are a classic DIY gift that are a hit every time. Get a plain wooden frame from the craft store and paint and decorate it to your liking. For a friend who is a fashionista, use decoupage to cover the frame in magazine clippings. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can hot glue beads, rhinestones or small stones to the entire surface of the picture frame. Don’t forget to put a great picture inside.
There truly is a DIY gift for everyone. For a friend who might be a party-enthusiast, purchase a plain cocktail or wine glass, beer mug or shot glass. Use craft paint to write a toast around the glass. For a friend who is a tech-junkie, take a basic iPod or iPhone case and adorn it with decals or appliqués. If you know someone with kids, use your computer to print out a set of professional-looking “vouchers” good for free babysitting services if they should ever need them. Offer the same services for a friend with pets who might be going on vacation this holiday season.
For a more sentimental homemade gift, put together a scrapbook for a significant other or friend. It can be dedicated to just the two of you or you can fill it with tokens and mementos of people and memories that make them happy. You don’t have to fill many pages before giving it to your loved one; leave space so they can continue to fill it with memorabilia on their own.
We may be in college, but there’s nothing like receiving an old-fashioned friendship bracelet. Get some yarn, gimp or hemp from the craft store and weave it together. Include some beads or seashells if you would like.
Another classic gift that is easy to put together is a mix CD. Be sure to include throwbacks that will bring back memories for the listener.
Finals are coming up, so if you’re too busy to put together one of these gifts, never underestimate the power of a hand-made card as a gift for someone you love. For many people, receiving a hand-made card means much more than receiving one from Hallmark. They’ll hang on to it for years to come.
No matter what gift you choose to craft for loved ones this season, don’t forget that presentation is everything. Most DIY gifts will look great if you attach a festive bow to them. Or tie gift ribbon around the gift and curl it.
A great idea if you feel like adding that extra flourish to a gift is to get a plain brown paper or pastel-colored gift bag (available at craft stores) and decorate that as well. All you have to do is take a marker and cover the bag with inside jokes, quotes or song lyrics and the bag will be like a gift in itself that the receiver can cherish for years.
For more ideas on do-it-yourself holiday gifts, visit diynetwork.com.
Do-it-yourself Christmas gifts make season merry, affordable
Published: Friday, December 4, 2009
Updated: Friday, December 4, 2009 16:12
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