---

With the holidays coming up (and quickly!) I thought I would share some of my favorite homemade gift ideas. It’s an expensive world out there and buying gifts for every person I know is certainly not in my budget! I also think there is a lot of value in making something for someone and is especially heartfelt for the person receiving it.

Most of these ideas are inexpensive and you can make multiples to give away. I especially love doing these for neighbors, friends, and larger family events where I don’t want to spend money shopping and buying a gift for everyone.

I also want to quickly address the stereotype that homemade gifts are lame. I’m not sure when homemade gifts got this label. Maybe when the movie “A Christmas Story” became wildly popular with the pink bunny costume that Aunt Clara made him and his dad referred to it as a “pink nightmare.” LOL–classic! Or maybe you personally have received a homemade gift that was…awful.

If you HAVE received a homemade gift that you’ve enjoyed, I think you know what I mean when I say that homemade gifts can be really great and appreciated by the receiver. I have been given such amazing homemade gifts that it became something both me and my husband look forward to getting each year.

So here I am advocating for homemade gifts with my top five favorite ones that I have either made or received, or both. And I promise, they are not lame or awful.

No. 1: Consumable goods. Homemade cookies, bread, salsa, jams, candies, snack mix, treats–anything edible. These are great for many reasons. First of all, I don’t know anyone that doesn’t love to eat something that they did not have to make. Next, consumable gifts are great because you aren’t gifting people more stuff they don’t need or want. You also don’t need to guess sizes, worry if they already have one, or remember to include a gift receipt.

In years past, I have made 4-5 types of holiday cookies that make larger batches and packed them up in cute holiday containers or boxes and given them to my extended family members at our big family holiday Christmas get together. It has always been met with appreciation and compliments on how yummy they are. I have also been the receiver of homemade goodies and have never been let down when I open them. The only thing to be mindful of with this gift are food allergies recipients might have.

Here’s a more specific list of ideas:

• Cookies, brownies, bars, fudge
• Candies or other treats
• Biscotti
• Breads, loaves, muffins, coffee cake
• Salsa
• Jams, jelly, or butters
• Pickles or olives
• Chex Mix or snack mix
• Beverages or drink mixes (think tea or cocoa!)
• Condiments, rubs, spice mixes or sauces

Find your favorite recipes and figure out how to make enough for everyone you want to give to. For a personal touch, include the recipe typed up on some nice cardstock, or even handwritten on a recipe card. You can even grab one of my free recipe card templates to print and write out yourself.

No. 2: Ornaments. Not only are they inexpensive to create, ornaments can be enjoyed year and after year. A pack of clear ornament bulbs can be purchased for $5 or less, and there are tons of ideas for decorating them or filling them with trinkets to personalize them to each person you are gifting to. You can also get your kids involved as a way for them to contribute to gift-giving and have them make their own gifts to give.

Clear bulbs aren’t the only way option for ornaments, but are my personal favorite because of how pretty they look hung on a Christmas tree. You could also do salt dough, wood cut outs, beads, pine cones–really anything! Craft stores have tons of options for generic ornaments that can be fancied up and a quick trip to your local Michael’s or Hobby Lobby (even Dollar Tree!) would probably give you several other options, including all the supplies you need to make your idea come to life.

No. 3: Homemade candles. If you’ve never made them, it may sound intimidating, but these are great if you want to make a few in bulk. Most recipes for candles are very simple and you can melt the wax pieces right in the jar you are planning on gifting. Jars can be thrifted or purchased at a dollar store to save on cost. I also love the idea of adding some peppermint essential oil as a fun holiday twist. Peppermint is a revitalizing fragrance without being overly powerful and can be purchased online or in-store at a pharmacy or where vitamins are sold. Finish it off by using a festive ribbon to tie around the jar to add a nice decorative touch.

No. 4: Free labor. Offering to watch kids so your sister and brother-in-law can have a date night, doing the laundry for your mom friend, making a nice dinner for your parents, painting a bedroom, cleaning windows, assisting cleaning out an attic or garage, or any other chore or project that someone would really appreciate can be a great gift and only has to cost you time.

You don’t necessarily have to include supplies for what you’re helping with, although you sure can if you already have the supplies (such as bringing a paint brush, roller, and ladder, or your own window squeegee). Just be clear with your intention so your generous gift of help doesn’t get misinterpreted and turn into a disaster. I also recommend including an expiration date for your offer or a date when they can expect completion by so it isn’t just hanging out there forever.

How do you wrap a gift like this? You could find a nice holiday card that’s blank inside and write out what you are gifting them (“This is good for one day of doing all of the laundry you want done! Wash, dry, fold, AND put away! To be redeemed before March 2025, and includes a hand delivered Venti Iced Caramel Macchiato for you to enjoy!), or even make or print out a “coupon” for them to redeem at the time you make good on your offer, like the one below.

No. 5: Anything you consider a hobby that can be turned into a gift. For example, if you knit, crochet, paint, do woodworking, photography, jewelry, needlepoint, sew, or do anything crafty, you could easily use your skills to create thoughtful gifts for your loved ones. To simplify things, you can even duplicate the items you create so everyone gets the same gift and eliminates stress for you on deciding what to give to who. Keep it as simple as possible. However, if it takes you some time to create what you’re making, be sure not to take on too much and give yourself a realistic timeline for completion so you are finished by the time you plan to gift.

Not only are all of these ideas my personal favorites to give AND receive, they’re also really fun to create. Even if you feel like you don’t have a creative bone in your body, I guarantee you that there is something in these suggestions that you can take on without being an expert! They’re also fairly inexpensive to create and end up being very budget friendly.

If you hand make gifts this year, I’d love to see what you’re gifting! You can tag me or send me a DM on Instagram (@minnesotamillennialmom), or drop me an email: minnesotamillennialmom@gmail.com.

Happy creating and wishing you a very happy holiday season!