A Handmade Christmas + Homemade Gift Ideas
Some of the best easy handmade Christmas gift ideas, including soy candles, knitted dishcloths, sugar scrub, and more!
I love handmade Christmas gifts! While there’s nothing wrong with store-bought gifts, handmade items almost seem more special and meaningful.
And I especially like it when a gift is useful and not just a knickknack that sits around taking up space.
Thoughts gifts like homemade baked goods, soap, body scrubs and other handmade cosmetics and body products—all of these are useful and don’t create extra clutter.
Affiliate links included below, which means I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure here.
Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas
Every year I plan out a list of handmade Christmas gifts I’d like to make.
I’m a bit behind this year (other than making some soap and vanilla), but I have a few other gifts I might try making if I have time.
I thought it would be fun to share a few ideas I’ve used in the past and some that I hope to do in the future (maybe even this year)!
1. Christmas Pajamas
For several years I made a tradition of making matching pajamas for the kids.
It’s so fun to see them all in the matching p.j. pants on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning!
Then I usually just get them a solid-colored long sleeve t-shirt to go with the pants.
And the pajamas are super easy and fast to make!
I’m not sure if they’ll be getting some this year because enough fabric to make pajamas for five kids can be so expensive. So, I’ll only be doing this if I can find some reasonably priced flannel.
2. Homemade Playdough
Playdough is also easy to make, and you can dress it up by adding essential oils (I love peppermint oil for the winter!) and glitter.
Package the playdough in small jars and give it with some Christmas cookie cutters. Kids can help make this for their friends, cousins, or siblings!
This Snowball Peppermint Playdough is so cute and comes with a set of free printable labels!
3. Dye your own playsilks
Playsilks are a favorite “toy” at our house, and they are very easy to dye with Kool-Aid (and cheaper than buying them).
Find the simple DIY playsilk tutorial here.
4. Knit some dishcloths
Another great handmade gift idea is washcloths (maybe with some sugar scrub!).
They’re a very quick knit, so you could easily start these now and finish them in time for Christmas.
5. Make some soy candles
Making your own soy candles is really not that difficult to make, and they can make the perfect gift!
Here’s my step-by-step tutorial for how to make soy candles.
6. Homemade Vanilla
Homemade vanilla is such a lovely gift, but depending on when you read this, it may be a bit late to start it now since it takes at least three months to infuse.
You could go ahead and mix some up in cute little jars and include a note that it won’t be ready until a certain date.
Here’s the simple vanilla tutorial.
7. Vanilla Brown Sugar Body Scrub
Homemade sugar body scrub is a another great handmade Christmas gift. You can also add essential oils and other ingredients to vary the recipe.
Find the sugar body scrub recipe here.
Or, give this Peppermint Sugar Scrub a try! Grab the free printable tags to use, too!
8. Scarves
Scarves are easy to make and easy to wear. One neat thing about this handmade gift is that size doesn’t really matter!
You can find tutorials all over the internet for these. Here’s a beginner knit scarf (cowl) I made one year.
9. Baked Goods and Food
Food can be a thoughtful and simple gift idea. Food items look especially nice packaged in a cute jar or basket, which is then useful after the food is consumed.
We love to give this homemade peppermint bark to friends at Christmas! With just 3 ingredients, it’s super easy!
These traditional chocolate star cookies are also a favorite!
Or, try these simple M & M Pretzel Treats!
These cranberry orange muffins would be another wonderful homemade baked good gift idea.
Homemade granola in a glass jar would be a fun and useful gift!
10. Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles are another fun and easy candle to make.
You can pour these candles in purchased or recycled glass jars, crocks, pottery, or even teacups!
Get the easy tutorial for making beeswax candles here.
Or, you can make some rolled beeswax candles. These can be made very quickly, and they’re even easy enough for kids to make!
11. Gifts in a Jar
Homemade peppermint hot cocoa in a jar makes a very simple and fun handmade Christmas gift!
I’ve also included some free downloadable gift tags you can use with the recipe!
Find more gift-in-a-jar ideas in this post.
12. Handmade Christmas Ornaments
Decorate your gifts with these easy handmade cinnamon ornaments! These are so easy and fun to make with kids!
These air dry clay ornaments are beautiful. You can also use them as gift tags!
These wood slice ornaments have a rustic flair!
Grain sack Christmas ornaments are another fun DIY holiday craft with a farmhouse touch!
13. Knitted Coasters
Another wonderful handmade gift idea are these knitted coasters. The are even easy enough for a beginner!
Find the easy knit coasters pattern here.
14. Handmade Cloth Napkins
Looking for a super simple sewing project?
Cloth napkins are basically just a rectangle of fabric with the edges hemmed.
It’s great for using up fabric scraps as well! Find the handmade napkin tutorial here.
15. Grain Sack Table Runner
Table runners are easy to make, and using a heavier fabric like grain sack makes it even easier.
All you have to do is hem a rectangle of fabric the size you want it. It doesn’t need to be lined, because the fabric is heavier.
Find the table runner tutorial here.
16. Half Apron
This half apron tutorial is one size fits most. In the tutorial, I’ve used linen to make a linen half apron, but any fabric could be used. Calico would be adorable too!
17. Handmade Beeswax Lip Balm
This DIY lip balm recipe is so easy to make. This is a great clutter-free gift idea that also makes a wonderful stocking stuffer!
18. Homemade Wood Butter
Make some of this homemade wood butter and package it with a new cutting board, a wooden spoon or other wood cooking utensils. What an adorable gift that would make!
19. Homemade Toilet Spray
This homemade toilet spray smells amazing! Packaged in a cute amber spray bottle , with a retro-looking label (find the label maker here), this is another cute handmade gift idea.
Find More Gift Ideas
Here are more gift ideas (these aren’t handmade Christmas gift ideas, but I thought I would include them in case they might be helpful).
Holiday Gift Guide for Homemakers
Teen Girl Gift Ideas
Teen Boy Gift Ideas
Natural Toy Gift Guide
105 Cheap Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids
There are so many creative ideas out there! I’m still hoping I can find some flannel for those matching p.j.’s.
Do you have any other handmade Christmas ideas you would add to this list? Are you planning to make any of your gifts this year?
Pin This Post for Later
You have great homemade items. I need to make terry cloth napkins and reduce the paper towel budget. Thanks Much
Thank you! The napkins are a great idea!
On black Friday Joann' s always has flannel super cheap…they stock so much of it that I have gone in the afternoon even after it was picked over and still found tons I liked. I think it is usually like $2 a yard or so can't remember exactly. I stocked up like 2 years ago and still have some left. Love your blog!
Thanks for mentioning that, Rachel! I wish we lived closer to one…our nearest store is about 2 hours away! I'm sad to miss such a good deal on fabric. 🙁 And thank you so much for your kind words about my blog!
Hi Joy!
I don't think I've every commented here before, (but we follow each other on Pinterest- I'm Crabapple Pond) even though I visit often. Just wanted to suggest looking for flannel sheets to make p.j.s, plenty of fabric and often a good bit cheaper.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie!
Yes! I remember seeing you on Pinterest! Thank you so much for suggesting the flannel sheets–that's a great idea, and one I hadn't thought of! I'll definitely snatch some up if I ever see them. 🙂
Hope you have a great weekend also! ♥