15 DIY Christmas Gifts that Blend Creativity and Practicality

Christmas is about giving! If you’ve ever received a handmade gift for Christmas, you’ll know that they’re usually the most meaningful and memorable. In addition to giving thoughtful gifts or meaningful gift experiences, a special DIY gift will surely be appreciated.

Are you ready to create your own gift? Scroll to read more!

Chalkboard Serving Tray

Life’s too short to serve cheese or charcuterie on boring platters and trays. If you have a friend or family member who loves entertaining, they’ll be over the moon when they unwrap a gorgeous homemade chalkboard serving tray.

You’ll need a wooden board, handles, painter’s tape, chalkboard paint, finishing wax, and wood stain. Scale up your gift by including a box of white chalk.

Pine Scented Candles

Christmas and the scent of pine are inseparable, so let that fragrant inspiration get you to roll up your sleeves and craft pine-scented candles as gifts for family and friends.

They require little more than soy wax chips, green wax dye, canning jars, candle wicks, and pine-scented candles or essential oils. Separate your wax into two batches, one of which you can color green. This will let you make scented candles with beautiful green and white stripes.

Assortment of Flavored Salt

Everyone uses salt every day, but that’s no reason for it to be boring! Put some sass into it by making an assortment of flavored salt as handmade Christmas gifts. There are all sorts of combinations to try, such as chipotle and lime, spiced vanilla (yes, vanilla salt’s a thing), rosemary and lavender, lime and ginger, garlic and rosemary, and saffron and fennel.

You can make a batch of each, and then use them to make gifts for several people. Put the salt in bottles, label them, and put them in a metal or wooden box with newspaper or wood shavings.

Homemade Snow Globe

Few ornaments say ‘winter wonderland’ the way snow globes do. Delight your loved one with a charming handmade snow globe for Christmas. A widemouthed jar, plastic seasonal figurines or toys, epoxy, glitter, and glycerine are all you need.

You can stick to a single figure per jar, or you can let your imagination run wild, and create a scene that could rival the most opulent production of the Nutcracker!

DIY Barbecue Set For Him

If he’s a bit of a foodie who enjoys a good barbecue, why not make a DIY barbecue set for his Christmas gift? Purchase a good quality cutting board, skewers, and a basting brush, and add a bottle of homemade herb or spice dry rub, ketchup or basting sauce, and flavored salt. Pack the items into a gift basket or a small wooden crate decorated with a festive ribbon to complete the look.

Handmade Prism Necklace

Who says handmade gifts can’t be eye-catching, light-catching showstoppers? Source chandelier prisms from antique shops, markets, and car-boot sales, and then use gold 22-gauge craft wire, gold-plated chain, and S-hooks to create stunning necklaces. If you’re into creating your own pieces of jewelry, you can have this experience in your own home.

The shape and clarity of chandelier prisms have echoes of ice and icicles, which makes them perfect for the holiday season. Gift them in green or red velvet bags.

Indulgent Bath Kit For Her

It has been a long, hard year, so give her a gift that offers her a few moments of blissful R&R. Put together an indulgent bath kit and surprise her with it on Christmas morning. Include bubble bath liquid or homemade bath salts, a box of good quality chocolates or truffles, a bottle of her favorite wine or champagne, and a candle or two.

Place all the items in a gorgeous gift basket. If the gift is for your partner or your mum, up the wow factor with a big bunch of flowers.

Stovetop Potpourri

Potpourri has grown up and it’s no longer regaled to the guest bathroom under the stairs. It not only looks and smells great; it makes an excellent gift too.

There are two approaches to potpourri – the first is to fill a bowl with dried flower petals and other plant matter sprinkled with essential or fragrance oils, and the second is to make stovetop potpourri. Either would make a glorious Christmas gift, but our preference is for the stovetop version as it’s a little different. Mix the ingredients for your preferred recipe in an attractive jar, and don’t forget to include the instructions on a label.

Christmas Spiced Fudge

Sweet treats make fabulous stocking fillers, and they’re even better if you’ve made them yourself (just don’t eat them all while cooking!). Put down the tired-looking store-bought candy canes and whip up a batch of spiced fudge for awesome edible DIY homemade Christmas gifts.

Use ginger and mixed spice, or cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger for more exotic flavors, or keep it simple by adding orange or lemon zest. Decorate your fudge with Christmassy green, red, and white sprinkles before storing them in widemouthed canning jars decorated with festive ribbons and gift tags.

Picture Frame Terrarium

A terrarium for potted plants is a pretty impressive DIY handmade Christmas gift, especially because it looks like hours of work went into making it. The good news for you is that you don’t need to spend an age making one; not when you can put a terrarium together using old picture frames and a few supplies you can find at your local DIY shop (don’t worry – we won’t tell).

If you’re worried that an empty terrarium might look a little stark, add a potted plant such as a maidenhair fern or an orchid as part of the gift.

Handmade Soap

If you like the sound of Christmas gifts that will leave the recipient’s skin feeling fab and smelling like a million bucks, why not craft a few handmade soaps?

There are countless recipes out there, some of which use soap-making kits, while others include coconut or olive oil, and yet others use lye. You can color your soaps and you can scent them using essential oils dried herbs or flower petals to make them all the more appealing.

Picture Frame Lanterns

Spread the light with a DIY handmade Christmas gift of personalized picture frame lanterns. Craft your luminaries using picture frames, vellum, super glue, a square mirror, a selection of photos, and a home printer.

Be sure to choose photos that are special to the recipient. If you don’t want to use personal photos, consider using images from your favorite artist. Ramp up your gift by including a tea light or, even better, a homemade scented candle.

Polaroid-Inspired Ceramic Tile Coasters

If you’re a hobbyist photographer or an aspiring Insta influencer, use your pictures to tart up plain ceramic tiles by turning them into Polaroid-inspired coasters. Darkroom & Dearly’s Brittany Moser recommends using square tiles, color photos, Mod Podge, a foam brush, sealant, and felt pads to create the quirky coasters.

Make sure your photos are trimmed to a width of 9.5cm and a height of 8.2cm. Position them on the tiles so that there’s a 0.6cm border on the top and sides, and a 1.9cm border at the bottom of the photo, to give them that classic Polaroid look.

Teacup Candles

Some of the best-scented candles are sold in lovely reusable ceramic, china, or porcelain holders, but you can do just as good a job by making scented pour candles in colorful vintage teacups. Visit charity shops, antique shops, and markets to find teacups and saucers, and then use a pour candle-making kit or soy wax and essential oils to turn them into candle holders that make utterly exquisite Christmas gifts.

DIY Hand-Painted Tea Set

Who would’ve thought that a plain white ceramic teapot, a couple of cups and saucers, and a black fine-point porcelain marker are all you need to give Bernardaud a run for its money? In just a few minutes, you can turn that boring tea set into something terrific. Such a simple update to any old set of plates or teacups makes the perfect personalized gift. For a present with that extra holiday spirit, paint a cute Santa Claus face or a colorful Christmas tree onto a teacup or mug. We’ll bet the recipient won’t guess it’s a DIY homemade Christmas gift!

Final Thoughts

Did you know that a study found that 80% of us feel happier when we gift? Creating a DIY Christmas gift for your loved ones will absolutely make it fulfilling. 

But for those seeking classic gift ideas, our recommendation is to start with Amazon first for a wealth of inspiration and price comparisons. Or why not try a gift experience they will remember for a lifetime?

Here’s to a Christmas filled with memorable moments, meaningful gifts, and smiles all around. Happy gifting!