4 Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas For Family & Friends

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Both Christina and I have been struggling with the amount of stuff we have in our home, and the impact it has on our planet.

For Christina, this means getting rid of and no longer buying fast fashion clothing that’s made from cheap materials that will never degrade – like polyester. For me, it’s the amount of “stuff” I buy on Amazon – from toys to kitchen gadgets.

And Christmas means more “stuff” to buy for ourselves and other people – things that may likely end up just laying around.

What if, instead of buying more plastic this year, you made gifts with your own hands?
Not only would you keep pounds of future junk out of landfills, you’d also offer the people you love something far more meaningful — something made slowly, intentionally, and meant to be cherished. And the cherry on top is that you get to save money.

Here are 4 homemade Christmas ideas I saved on Pinterest to make for my family: 

#1 Muffins in a Jar:

This recipe from one of my absolutely favorite YouTube channels (and old school blogger!) Pick Up Limes has always caught my eye because not only is it tasty, but it’s beautiful to the eye, and will look great underneath the tree.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need, and the step by step instructions are here.

Dry ingredients

• 1½ cups (205g)

  all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp (18g)

  Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ¼ cup (55g)

  light brown sugar (packed)

• ¼ cup (50g)

  granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp (14g)

  ground flaxseeds
• 2 tsp (9g)

  baking powder
• 1 tsp (2.5g)

  ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp 

  ground ginger
• ¼ tsp 

  salt
• ⅛ tsp 

  ground cloves (optional)
• ⅛ tsp 

  ground cardamom (optional)

• 1 cup (100g)

  almond flour^†
• ½ cup (44g)

  raw walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup (75g)

  dried figs, chopped
• ½ cup (85g)

  dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup (240ml)

  unsweetened soy milk
• ⅓ cup (80ml)

  vegetable oil

#2 Tecito: Cough-Be-Gone Tea

Everyone’s getting into the tea game lately, and the fun part is finding new flavors. Why not give your loved one jars of tea that are as unique as they are to you? Here’s one of my favorite recipes from legendary Rosemary Gladstar, in her book Medicinal Herbs.

A remedy for coughs and other irritations – great for anyone who tends to get sick a lot.

ingredients:

coltsfoot leaf

marshmallow leaf and flower

mullein leaf

 

To make:

Add equal parts to any beautiful jar you can find (any mason jar will do), label it, tag it and it’s ready to give.

 

#3 Bath Soak Salts

Gather together 3 of your favorite herbs, and combine with great quality Epsom salt, making sure you layer it one at a time. Add to a mason jar, and finalize it with decorations. Make sure you include a strainer so that your giftee’s flowers won’t go down the drain. You can find the full recipe here.

@aloha_lexia

DIY Christmas gift- Bath soak salts 🎄🎁 This would make a great homemade gift for the holiday season 🎁🎅🎄 **DIY Bath Soak Salts Recipe** 1 cup epsom salt 1 cup coarse sea salt 3 tbs baking soda 1 cup dried rose petals Enjoy! #diychristmasgift #homemadechristmasgift #diychristmas #christmas2024 #diychristmasgifts #bathsalts #bathsoak #bathsoaksalts #holidaygiftideas #diygiftideas

♬ Winter Wonderland – Bing Crosby & London Symphony Orchestra

 

#4 Chai Spice Bath Melts – From Herbal Academy

Chai spices have been cherished for generations, and now you can transform them into a gorgeous handmade gift for the season. Whether you’re treating yourself to relaxation or giving someone a skin-soothing escape, these chai spice bath melts bring warmth, comfort, and a little holiday magic to any tub. They’re incredibly simple to make — and they just might become your new signature herbal holiday gift.

 

Ingredients

1 cup cocoa butter
½ cup shea butter
½ cup Epsom salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) bark, ground
1 tablespoon ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, ground
1 tablespoon clove (Syzygium aromaticum) bud, ground
1 teaspoon star anise (Illicium verum) fruit, ground
1 teaspoon cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) seed, ground
1 teaspoon black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruit, ground

Directions

• In a double boiler, melt the cocoa butter and shea butter together, stirring regularly until fully melted. Do not overheat.
• Take off heat and stir in herbs and Epsom salt, mixing well.
• Carefully pour the mixture into silicone molds, preferably 1 to 2 ounces in size.
• Allow the molds to cool at room temperature. Remove from molds once fully solidified.
• Store your chai spice bath melts in an airtight container in a cool, dry place or in the fridge.

And don’t forget, if this type of project is up your alley and you want to explore even more herbal recipes in the new year, then check out Herbal Academy’s lineup of herbal courses while they’re up to 40% off.