Hello friends! This year I am setting a challenge for myself: to make as many DIY Christmas gifts as possible…and have fun doing it. In years past I have wistfully thought, oh wouldn’t it be nice to make handmade gifts; but I never get past the daydreaming phase. This year will be different. I’ve set the bar high for this gift guide because I imagine some of you dear readers out there are in the same boat. So with that in mind, all of the gifts shown in this guide are quick (most can be done in an afternoon), do not require advanced crafting skills, and use basic, easily found materials that don’t cost a fortune. Hooray! And happy crafting! Spoiler alert: If you are a family member, you may want to avert your eyes because I will be using some of these ideas myself!
Above: 1. DIY Arrow Napkin Rings | 2. Handprint Christmas Ornaments | 3. DIY Gold Leaf Cement Pots | 4. Homemade Cake Stands
When planning your holiday crafting, I think it helps to put yourself in a “Santa’s Workshop” frame of mind, and see if you can choose a few gifts that would work for several people on your list. This helps save on materials (otherwise, you’ll have to buy whole containers of products to make only 1 item), shortens your shopping list and time in the store, and increases the likelihood the projects will turn out well, because we usually improve our skills after making one or two of the same project.
Above: 5. DIY Garden Markers | 6. Block-Printed Tea Towels | 7. Liberty Plant Pots | 8. Mr. & Mrs. Clay
It’s rather easy to get carried away in craft stores (or on craft supply websites) and end up completely blowing the budget and spending more than you might have for a regular store bought gift. You can avoid this predicament by roughly plotting out the cost of the supplies you will need for the projects you have chosen before stepping foot in a store. Once you know what you need, make a list and promise yourself to stick to it, and refuse to get carried away by the luscious Martha Stewart glitters (ahem).
Above: 9. DIY Iron-On Typographic Tote | 10. Carved Stamp Winter Linens | 11. Felt Ball Trivets | 12. Painted Plates
Of course, the most common pitfall is assuming the projects will take far less time than they actually do, which is especially hard to avoid if you are taking on knitting or sewing projects. I know plenty of people for whom knitting and sewing is the last word in crafting, and who enjoy the process of working bit by bit on lengthy projects, and I so wish I was one of those people…but alas, I am not. I enjoy crafting, but I enjoy it much more when the results are quick and relatively painless – and I aim to avoid as much last-second crafting stress as possible. Choosing crafts that are meant to be finished in one sitting (aside from drying time) like the painting, gluing, cutting, printing, and modeling projects featured here, will help keep your holiday season stress-free. I know I would much rather spend my weekends cozied up at home with my craft supplies than fighting crowds at the mall, wouldn’t you?
I’m curious: Are you making any holiday gifts this year? If so, I’d love to hear about them, and others may be “shopping” for craft ideas too, so leave links to project sources or your own blog in the comments, and maybe we can inspire each other. Sound good? xo Laura
p.s. – Don’t forget today’s 24 Merry Days giveaway, it’s an amazing set of dishes from one of my favorite makers, Mud Australia! Visit That’s Happy to enter, and good luck!
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