Thoughtful & easy DIY gifts

There is something heartwarming about handmade gifts. The effort you put in making them often makes up for their material value. Aren’t the colorful macaroni necklaces the most beautiful pieces of jewelry of all time?
A little DIY present from our list might be a great addition to the sets featuring in our Gift Guide, last minute only option or a perfect solution for a friends holiday party where everyone needs to bring a handmade gift. You’ll see that those are thoughtful, fun and easy to make gifts that don’t require a lot of time or funds. Let’s get started!
 

1. Collage notebook or framed collage

Or any other kind of collage is a great DIY gift idea. All you need is old magazines, scissors, glue and a piece of paper, or a notebook, if you want your collage to be on one. Now think about the person you want to give the gift to and try to make the collage personalized – maybe the person loves flowers? Or maybe they are very glamourous? Or maybe they love traveling? Cut the most suitable images/ texts from the magazines, organize them in a nice manner on your “canvas” and enjoy the process! Then see the person enjoy their DIY gift!
 

2. Vegan cocoa spread

Edible gifts are great for so many reasons – they are delicious, they look beautiful and they’re perfect for those who say they don’t need any presents, because they already have everything – oh come on, it’s the giving that is most fun, why do they want to take that away from you?!
This cocoa spread is vegan and fit, but even the pickiest gourmets will love it!

What you need:
1 soft avocado – peeled, seed removed
3-4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of agave or maple syrup
1 tiny pinch of salt
1 pinch of cinnamon
1-2 tablespoon of water (optional)

Blend the avocado with salt, cinnamon and agave syrup until smooth. Add cocoa – at this point the cream will get thicker, so if you decide it’s too thick, add water while blending. Put the mixture in a nice jar, wrap a cute ribbon around it and voila! Don’t forget it should be stored in a fridge and consumed within 2 weeks.
 

3. Hot cocoa mix in a jar

Is it really Christmas without the hot cocoa? Everyone loves this delicious treat and once packed nicely in a large mason jar it makes the nicest gift of all!
All you need is hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and if your friend is a chocolate-peppermint-combo-fan – a few candy canes (crushed into little pieces). Layer everything nicely in a mason jar, decorate nicely and that’s it!
 

4. Crunchy and healthy Muesli

It’s no secret that a healthy skin is a combination of good skincare and proper diet, so as a great addition to our gift sets, we suggest a healthy and delicious homemade muesli!

What you need:
1 Ib grains of your choice, for example rolled oats, whole rye, whole barley, wheat bran etc.
6 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pinch of salt
2 handfuls of nuts of your choice – chopped
6 tablespoons of seeds of your choice
Dried fruit of your choice – raisins, cranberries, apricot, apples etc.
Spices of your choice – cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger (ground)

Dry roast the nuts and flakes on a big pan for 5 minutes stirring and avoiding burning. Set aside in a bowl to cool down. Once cool, add maple syrup, oil, a pinch of salt, spices and mix well. Pour evenly into the baking tin laid out with a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 360 F. Once cool, break into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, add dried fruit, put in jars or tins and decorate nicely.
 

5. Salt dough ornaments set

Salt dough is just great! Did you play with it when you were a little kid? Why not play again? If you have kids of your own – they will love it! And if not, why don’t you invite your friends over for a craft party with holiday music and apple cider? The ornaments can make a great gift on its own or they could be a beautiful addition to the {save} gift sets – white, rustic ornaments will look amazing with the brown paper boxes the sets come in.

What you need:
1 cup of salt
2 cups of flour
1 cup of water

Mix salt with flour and slowly add water while kneading – depending on the flour you use 1 cup might be too much or not enough – the texture should be slightly sticky, but thick. Use cookie cutters to cut some festive shapes or go with the flow and sculpture whatever comes to your mind. If you’re planning to hang your ornaments on a Christmas tree, don’t forget to cut little holes in them to put the ribbon through.
 

6. Mulled wine set

Wine is the best, but have you tried mulled wine? If you have then you know that a handmade mulled wine set would be a perfect and elegant gift for an adult.
All you need is a bottle of wine (red or even white!), an orange and spices: cinnamon bark, vanilla beans, cloves, anise star, brown sugar. Now the DIY part is to put the spices in a cute tin, a jar or to wrap them nicely and put the whole set together. You can add a little note saying that the wine should be heated with the spices, but not boiled. It’s good to add the orange slices at the end of heating, so they don’t fall apart. And you’re done!

Note that the wine doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive, the spices will slightly change its flavor anyways, so you can go with a regular cheaper wine.

 

Happy crafting!