By Marrissa Ballard | Staff Writer
Now that the Holiday season is in full swing, most people are shifting their focus from eating Turkey to buying presents.
Students however are in the last leg of the semester, and may not have time to make Christmas gift lists or go shopping in the midst of finals week. Money can also be an issue for most college kids who live on a tight budget. So with time and money keeping students from buying presents, how can they still have things to offer their friends and family this holiday season?
This is where students can exult in the existence of the internet and craft stores like Michael’s. Presents do not necessarily have to be bought – they can be made. Friends and family might even appreciate a thoughtful homemade gift more than a simple gift card or sweater.
Homemade gifts might seem like they take a lot of time and effort, but students should have some free time when finals are over, and maybe during the days when they don’t have any finals at all. Making the gifts and doing crafts might also reduce stress and give them a break from their work during the last crazy weeks.
Now, you might decide to make your Christmas gifts this year, but are at a loss of where to start or what to make. Here are some great, easy D.I.Y. homemade gift ideas that you can use this season.
Solid Perfume
This gift is perfect for any ladies or gentlemen in your life who are perfume or cologne fanatics. Solid perfume is hugely popular because it can double as a perfume and a moisturizer. You can use essential oils, scented candles, or even just a liquid perfume to make this gift. Solid perfume can also be made with all-natural ingredients, which is perfect for your loved ones who have sensitive noses or just prefer all-natural products.
It’s extremely easy to make, and you get to play with different scents while you create a unique and signature perfume or cologne for your loved one. You can use things like tin containers or Chap Stick holders to package the solid perfume. You can also make the gift even more special by placing the solid perfume in a locket.
Click here for an adorable and easy video explanation of how to make this gift using a candle.
Not into video tutorials? Here is a website that covers how to make an all-natural solid perfume using essential oils.
Teacup Candles
This adorable d.i.y. is perfect for any people in your life who love antique teacups. Vintage shops and craft stores stock all types of cute mugs that are usually pretty cheap. The rest of the gift is simply using an already burned candle and some wax to create a new candle. Candle supplies like wicks can be bought in bulk and for pretty cheap, which would allow you to make plenty of cute mugs for all your friends and family. You can also make the gift more festive by using scents like peppermint to add a holiday feel.
Click here for an in-depth tutorial on how to assemble these adorable candles!
Homemade Jewelry
Jewelry is always a popular gift, but is usually pretty expensive. However, you can combat the expense of jewelry by creating unique pieces out of craft materials like jewelry wire. A necklace can be easily assembled with wire and beads in all kinds of patterns or designs. Rolls of wire are cheap and could be used to make a bunch of different necklaces for all your friends.
Click here to learn how to make adorable wire bird nest necklaces.
Not into necklaces? Another option is making wire and bead bracelets, of course, but you can also use fabric to create woven bracelets. The best part about this d.i.y. project is that you can use old t-shirts that you don’t wear anymore! This gift could potentially be created completely for free, and you can make dozens of designs in different pattern and colors.
Click here for a video on how to make these bracelets!
Coffee Cozies
America runs on coffee, right? So what better gift to give than coffee cozies or sleeves which will add a unique touch to any coffee-lovers drink? The sleeves will also protect them from the chill or heat coming from their drink of choice. These coffee cozies can be used on mugs as well as disposable coffee cups. There are dozens (and I mean dozens) of tutorials on how to make coffee sleeves. They can be reversible and made with just about any kind of fabric. Since fabric can be bought in huge amounts, you could make coffee cozies for all the coffee-lovers in your life with just a few materials!
Since these coffee cozies are made of fabric, they are also re-usable, so they are great for the environment as well! (Plus, they are way more adorable than those cardboard ones you get a coffee shops!) The best part about these gifts are that they are completely unisex and can be made for any friend or family member. You can make the design as complicated or simply as you like!
Click here for a tutorial on how to make a coffee cozy with an adorable button!
Want more options? Here’s a list of 15 different coffee cozy designs to inspire you!
Food & Drink Jar Recipes
When in doubt, food is always a great gift for your loved ones. If you’re an expert baker, simply cook up a batch of festive cookies and hand them out in adorable tins or bags. Because you can make cookies in huge batches, you could just divide them up and hand them out, simple as that! Baking is also really fun and calming if you’re having a stressful week. You could even make a night out of it and invite all your friends to bake cookies for their families. Festive party or trail mixes are also a really popular and easy-to-make gift!
Love a good party mix? Here’s a festive Santa hat mix!
Here’s a festive video tutorial on how to make stained glass cookies.
If you’re not so much into actual baking the food, jar recipes are extremely popular and easy to make! Simply buy and assemble the appropriate measures of dry ingredients in jar and label it with the recipe. You could also do hot chocolate or coffee mixes in jars as well. Add some ribbon for decoration and the gift is finished! You can also decorate the containers for a more personal touch. There are tons of recipes for jar mixes as well, so you could do a bunch of different mixes to give out.
Click here or here for lists of different jar recipes you could use!
Here’s a cool decoration idea for a hot-chocolate mix tin.
Of course, there are dozens of other d.i.y. projects and gifts you could make. If none of the above interest you, simply visit Google or Pinterest for different ideas! The best part about homemade gifts are that they are extremely personal and show the effort you put in to the gift. They also allow you to personalize the gift with names and letters that add warmth and emotion to the present.
So don’t let money be a hindrance this season, simply be frugal and make gifts that are adorable and personal for your loved ones. Assembling the gifts could be a huge stress reliever for those of us having anxiety over finals. You could even organize a homemade craft night and make the gifts while you hang out with your friends. The possibilities are endless when it comes to homemade gifts, but each gift will show your loved one that you care.
