It’s nearly Christmas time again, and you know what that means: gifting! Gifts are a wholesome, happy experience for both the giver and the receiver — especially if the gift in question has a personal element. To that end, here is our list of the most thoughtful and practical DIY gifts to give this holiday season. Let’s take a look.
1. Christmas Food Hamper
Putting together a hamper containing the recipient’s favorite seasonal treats is a sure way to their heart. If you’re not comfortable with cooking or baking from scratch, many festive snacks and treats come out in stores around this time each year, especially from places like Aldi and Costco — why not add them to your hamper?
If you are a baker, try making sweet treats like mint chocolate brownies, caramel corn, or candy cane chocolate bark — you can put them easily into beautiful, reusable containers. Add a festive ribbon or wrapping to top it off, and you have the perfect hamper addition.
Other things you can include:
- Savory snacks like spiced nuts, crackers and cheese.
- Festive condiments like jams, sauces and dressings.
- Seasonal drinks like mulled wine, spiced rum and gins.
2. Skincare Treats
Wintertime can be hard on the skin, so a skincare themed hamper would be a thoughtful choice. Remember that skincare needs will change from person to person, so check in with the recipient of this guest (or their current skincare collection) before you purchase.
An example of what to put in the hamper would be seasonal skincare items, a soft, fluffy robe, a face cloth and maybe even a matching headband to tie everything together. Choose holiday gift sets instead of the items available all year round — this makes the whole affair a little more festive looking and exciting. The Colour and Care Lip Collection by Fresh would make a lovely addition, as would the Cleanse and Hydrate Set, both are packaged beautifully.
3. Makeup Extravaganza
Creating fun, festive-inspired makeup looks is one of the best parts of the holidays. If you have a makeup lover in your life or someone who might want to start trying their hand at makeup, then this themed hamper is perfect.
Cover all your bases with a few essential items: lipstick or gloss, an eyeshadow palette, mascara, blush, and highlighter. Add a few festive items like stick-on pearls, fine glitter, and festive-colored eyeliners so the recipient can dress the look up or down as much as they like. Include some makeup wipes for easy cleansing. Revolution Beauty offers some stunning Grinch themed palettes if you want to add a touch of humor.
4. Movie Night Kit
Cold winter nights are the perfect time to stay in and watch a few holiday movies. Some of our favorites are It’s A Wonderful Life and How The Grinch Stole Christmas, but the choice of film is entirely up to whoever is watching. Find yourself a Christmassy box or tote bag and pack in the following items:
- Microwave popcorn — with extra butter, of course
- Festive sweets like candy canes, gingerbread men, and a bag of pre-sorted red and green M&Ms
- Hot chocolate mix or sachets
- A cozy blanket, with a festive print if possible
This kit is a great option to give to family members so that you can all enjoy a movie night together.
5. Festive Baking Kit
The festive season isn’t just about giving and receiving gifts; it’s about spending time with those we love and doing things that bring us joy. Baking together is a lovely way to spend quality time with someone you care about.
To make this hamper, choose a festive treat: something reasonably simple like sugar cookies, reindeer cupcakes, chocolate peppermint fudge, or chocolate bark. Write or type out the recipe and decorate it in holiday colors; put the exact amount of each ingredient into a separate bag or jar and label it for ease of use. Store all this in a festive tote or tin and give it to someone who loves delicious baked goods.
Image by Nicole Michalou via Pexels
6. Cozy Gift Basket
The holidays are the perfect time to hang out in front of the fire or spend a little time relaxing on the sofa while the cold weather rages outside. To make anyone’s Christmas holiday or time off more memorable and relaxing, create a personalized, cozy hamper for them to enjoy.
Many stores, both online and physical, offer embossing and embroidery services this time of year, if you’d like to add the recipient’s initials to the gift basket. This finishing touch makes the gift that bit more special.
To fill the basket, add items like a snoodie or slanket, a coffee mug, and a journal, their favorite chocolates and a fluffy pair of socks.
7. Chocolate Fondue Set
Everyone loves a chocolate fondue set! So why not give the gift of a fondue night on a weekend when the family is home? Everyone sits around the table together, dunking fruit and marshmallows and chatting about their festive plans.
This is very affordable to put together, just find a small box and add a few aluminum tins for the melted chocolate, three bars of chocolate (milk, white and dark), a bag of mini marshmallows, pretzels and a pack of juicy strawberries. Easy!
8. Coffee Lover’s Set
If you know a coffee lover, you’ll know that the best thing they could ever receive is a coffee hamper, so why not make one for them? Coffee culture is a big deal nowadays, so there are many places online where you can easily find a wide range of classy or kitsch coffee paraphernalia and products to suit all kinds of budgets and preferences.
Some items that may be most gratefully received are a pour-over (with filters), a French press, festive flavored coffee drinks like citrus or candy cane, a travel mug, or a voucher to the recipient’s favorite coffee store.
Remember to check the strength of the coffee products you purchase!
Now Time To Choose!
These thoughtful, DIY Christmas gifts will show the people in your life that you know them well and that you’ve put a lot of thought into their Christmas gift this year. Now all that is left to do is decide which themed hamper you’ll be making.
Have a happy holiday season!
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