We are getting down to the crunch now. Christmas is almost here and some of us may still be scrambling for some Easy Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas for last-minute gifts.
As a grandmother who loves to craft you are in luck as I have a few great ideas that I’ll share.
When my kids were small our budget was certainly tight so finding gifts for the kids that were easy on the budget but that they loved was always a challenge.
Now as a grandparent on a fixed budget I find myself again trying to give gifts my family will love without breaking the bank.
This year with the pandemic many are finding themselves struggling this Christmas so why not get creative and make some gifts that will help ease the burden on that already tight budget.
Within earlier posts, I suggested a lot of fun ideas and some of them will still work now while there isn’t enough time for others.
Some of my favourites are…
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Homemade Baking
Fill a gift box or basket with homemade baking. Everyone loves baked goods but not everyone bakes.
A good friend of mine does not bake at all so this year I am gifting her some home-baked goods. I know she will absolutely love and appreciate this gift.
I usually do my Christmas baking ahead and freeze it so I have an assortment of goodies to put out should anyone drop by.
When I am packaging as assortment I tend to bag each type of sweet separately then place the wrapped packages in the box.
I find this helps keep the baking fresher for longer and the cookies tend to not break as easily.
This year there will be a lot fewer people dropping by but the baking won’t go to waste because it can be gifted.
With COVID restrictions in place, I can simply package up the baking then take it to my friend’s house, place it on her step, ring the bell then head to my car. Once she has come out and picked up the parcel I honk, wave and drive off. Very safe way to deliver a gift yet still maintain our social distancing.
Quick Crocheted Hat
We live in Canada and in winter a good warm knit or crocheted hat is essential winter gear.
I have found a ton of fast easy patterns on Pinterest and some of them are even free.
This one I did in just a few hours.
Simply find a pattern you like and get to work.
Within an hour or two you have an amazing gift for someone special.
Dollar Store Treasures
I find all kinds of things I can use to make beautiful centrepieces or ornaments from things at the local dollar store.
I like to keep things on hand in my craft room (a section of my office).
I like to keep things like:
- flameless tealights or candles
- candles
- ribbons
- artificial flowers or greenery
- seasonal beads
- and other craft supplies
It is easy to assemble something beautiful in moments such as this centrepiece. The log came from our firewood pile and the rest was dollar store finds.
The first thing was to get a couple of holes drilled in the size of the candles to act as a holder. Then the other items were glued in place with a hot glue gun.
I then set it on a plate and it became a wonderful centrepiece that can be used often.
Coupon Book
Make a coupon book in which the recipient can redeem the coupons for personal favours.
The coupons could be for:
- an evening of free babysitting
- breakfast in bed
- clean the bathroom
- do the laundry
- wash the dishes
It doesn’t really matter what ideas you put into the coupon book. I would recommend choosing the items the recipient would love to receive or appreciate help with.
You could make it on the computer and just print it off, cut the pieces and staple them into a booklet.
Another idea is to make it by hand and draw pictures and colour them if you are feeling creative.
My kids did this for me one year and I absolutely loved it.
Candy Cane Reindeer
I have often passed these out to the kids when they come to visit.
One year I gave them as favours to guests who attended our Christmas party.
Most people appreciate them and if they don’t like to eat candy canes they love them as part of a decoration.
I usually enlist the help of my grandkids when making them.
They are pretty easy to make and within half an hour you have a stash of little gifts to pass out when unexpected guests show up.
Supplies:
- candy canes
- pipe cleaners
- eyes
- red balls for the nose (or cut tiny pieces of red pipe cleaner)
- hot glue gun and glue
Directions:
- Twist pipe cleaners on the curved portion of a candy cane and bend to create antlers.
- Glue eyes in place with a dab of hot glue.
- Glue nose in place.
- Arrange in an attractive vase or bowl ready to pass out or use as an ornament.
Homemade Cards
I don’t know about you but I absolutely love homemade cards.
When my kids were little they often gifted me with a homemade card. I still have most of them.
My husband is quite talented at drawing and one year he made me a card. I loved it so much it brought me to tears and of course, I still have that card and treasure it.
It warms my heart each and every time I read it.
If you aren’t an artist at heart, you could easily find a photo you like and print it on paper, then fold the paper into a card shape and write your message.
Put your imagination to use and be as creative as you can. I am sure the recipient will appreciate the effort that went into something handmade just for them.
Plastic Canvas Coasters
Several years ago my mother gifted me some plastic canvas coasters for Christmas. I loved them.
She had made them in a wintery theme and I have put them to use every Christmas since.
She picked up some plastic canvas at the local craft store and used some scraps of yarn from some of her knitting projects.
She made a snowman design which I find quite adorable and very suited to not only Christmas but throughout the winter.
These handy little coasters are cherished even more now that my mother is no longer here with us.
You see when you take the time to make someone something its value far surpasses any monetary value.
Final Thoughts
As you can see the possibilities for easy homemade Christmas gift ideas are only limited by your imagination.
No need to rush out and spend a fortune.
Instead, why not stay home and let the creative juices flow as you create something special for a loved one.
As I learned from the gift of coasters my mother gave me, it isn’t about the monetary value.
The real value in the perfect gift is the thought you put into determining just exactly what the recipient would love to receive or needs.
In this article, I have given a few suggestions for inexpensive, yet wonderful gift ideas anyone would love to receive.
The best part is they can easily be put together fairly quickly which makes them great for last-minute gifts.
Do you have ideas for easy homemade gift ideas?
What about last-minute gifts?
Share your ideas in the comment section below and have a very Happy Holiday Season.