Christmas is about family, warmth, coming together, and appreciating what you have. And presents. Lots and lots of presents. So we face the age old struggle of trying to find great presents for lots of people without breaking the bank. Thankfully, I have several cute, admittedly kitschy, and definitely pinterest-mom-worthy DIY ideas. Perfect awesome Christmas gifts for people and relatives who you feel you are morally obligated to buy presents for, but don’t really know well enough to buy some extremely personal and meaningful gift for. These gifts are generally cheap, fun to make, and ranked in terms of skill level requirement.
Very Easy – Spice Mix
A spice mix is and elegant, impressive gift for any cooks or non-cooks in the family. You can use this spice mix as a dry rub, a garnish on eggs, rice, or virtually anything! Anyone with any sense will use spices when cooking, or just modifying prepared food. Put it in a jar, add a cute ribbon, and you have a pseudo-thoughtful, handmade gift!
Recipe
- 1/2 cup paprika
- 3 tablespoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons white pepper
- 2 tablespoons pepper
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 4 teaspoons dried thyme
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
Instructions: Mix all ingredients together. For less heat, only use 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper. Store in an airtight container.
Very Easy- Hot Chocolate Mugs
A hot cocoa mug is a cute, festive, and yummy gift, great for distant cousins, or cousins that you don’t particularly like! You can purchase a cute mug at the dollar store for extra savings.
Recipe
- 4 tbsp Hot cocoa mix
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 2 candy canes
- 1 mug
- Ribbon
- 2 cellophane bags (Each should fit in half the mug)
- 1 large cellophane bag or wrapping paper (you will be wrapping the mug in this)
Instructions: Take the hot chocolate mix and layer it a the bottom of the bag. Add the chocolate chips. Tie off with ribbon and place in mug. Put marshmallows in the second bag. Crush one of the two candy canes and add the fragments to the marshmallows. Tie off, place on top of the first bag in the mug. Place candy cane in between them. Place the mug inside the large cellophane bag/wrapping paper, tie off. Add a cute little placard explaining what it is! Make sure to add instructions, including that the person needs to add enough milk to barely fill the mug, heat the milk, then stir in the first bag containing the cocoa mix.
Medium – Candles
Candles are an inexpensive, thrifty, really cool gift that you can make really easily. If you want to get more advanced, you can use colored waxes or fragrances. You can hit up your local thrift stores for some cool glassware or pottery to pour the wax into. This gift is easy, fun to make, and very impressive looking.
Recipe
- 1 package candle wax (soy, palm, beeswax, any one works!)
- Candle wick
- 4-8 oz jar or cup or vase- any container will work!
- Pot
- 2 Chopsticks or wick holder
- Bowl(one you don’t care about)
- Optional – dried flowers or plants
- Optional – Fragrance Oils
- Optional – Crayola crayons
Instructions: Before you begin the candle-making process, make sure you have a clean, flat surface to work on. You can also protect the area with newspaper or paper towels. Move anything that you don’t want to get wax on. Measure out how much wax you would need to fill your container, then double it. That’s how much wax you need to melt. Pour the wax into your double boiler and allow to melt for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. When your candle wax is melted, it’s time to add fragrance oils. Simply pour 2-4 drops into your melted wax and stir for a few seconds. If you would like to add color, put ½-1 whole colored crayon in now, depending on how intense you want the color to be. The wick needs to be attached to the bottom of your container before you pour in the wax. You can attach the wick by dipping it in the melting wax then quickly sticking it to the bottom of the container. Let the wax sit five minutes to harden. If you would like to, this is when you should add your dried plants. Before you pour the wax into your container, let it cool for a few minutes. Then, slowly pour the wax into your container. Hold the wick in place. Lay two chopsticks or a wick holder across the top of the container. Sandwich the wick in between so that it stays centered while the wax hardens. Allow the wax to set for four hours at room temperature. Your candle wick should be less than half an inch long. If, when lit, the candle flickers or has a tall flame, trim the wick.
Medium- Chapstick
Chapstick has been a Christmas gift for further out relatives that I have used for years. A good, nice-smelling, hydrating chapstick will not go unappreciated. This is a little more advanced of a project for a novice but not unachievable. Use a cute container for the chapstick, add a cute label, and you have a great Christmas gift for almost anyone.
Recipe
- 2 tablespoons beeswax pastilles
- 2 tablespoons shea butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 30+ drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions: Melt beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil in a double boiler or small glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water, stirring constantly until melted. Remove pan from heat but keep over the still-hot water to keep the mixture melted. Add essential oils to your preference. Add a few drops at a time and test a tiny amount on your arm to make sure the scent is to your liking. Once you’ve added the essential oils, use the pipette or dropper to fill the lip balm tubes. Do it quickly since the mixture will start to harden as soon as it is removed from the heat. Let tubes sit at room temperature and wait until completely hard to cap.
Harder – Candy Cane Fudge
Fudge is a slightly more difficult gift to make for those inexperienced in the kitchen. However
this buttery smooth fudge with wintery crunches of candy cane is a great gift for any relative, distant friend, or teacher. If properly executed, it will delight any recipient with a sweet tooth.
Recipe
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
- 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 12- ounce can evaporated milk
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups mini marshmallows
- 3-4 candy canes(crushed)
Instructions: Add the butter, both types of chocolate chips, and vanilla to an extra large mixing bowl. Set aside. Line a 9×13” pan with tin foil and set aside. In a very large heavy saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, sugar, and marshmallows. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until mixture comes to a boil. Keep the heat on medium and stir constantly, being cautious to constantly scrape down the sides of the pan and along the bottom of the pan as you stir (this will help the sugar dissolve and not be grainy, and keep anything from burning to the bottom or sides of the pan.) Boil for about 10 minutes–it should be light golden brown in color. (If using a candy thermometer you will want to cook it to around 235-240 degrees F. Temperature will vary depending on altitude, humidity etc., but just watch the clock and make sure it boils for about 10 minutes). Grease your foil-lined pan with cooking spray. Pour the hot mixture into the bowl with the chocolate chips and use an electric mixer to gently combine everything until melted and smooth. Add candy canes, fold in. Pour into prepared pan. Chill completely in the refrigerator. Once cooled you can pull up on the edges of the tinfoil to lift the entire slab of fudge out of the pan. Cut into small squares, or “bricks.” Store fudge wrapped tightly in the fridge, so it doesn’t dry out.
So there you are! These recipes have been pulled directly from traditional Starkweather christmas gift baskets. I hope these five easy diy gifts help you master sending thoughtful yet impersonal gifts. Merry Christmas!