Whether you're keen to keep present costs down this year or just fancy gifting some more thoughtful and unique presents, making some homemade Christmas gifts is a lovely idea that your friends and family will cherish forever.
It doesn't matter if you're not the most crafty person, just the fact you've taken the time to make something thoughtful will be enough of a gift in itself. It's also a great excuse to get stuck into some Christmas crafts with your toddler too.
They're also great to make with the little ones, and it's a fun Christmas activity for them to get stuck into around this time of year and the fact your tot helped make it will make it a very popular gift.
If you're stuck for homemade Christmas gifts and ideas and need some inspiration, we've scoured the internet to round up some of our favourites we think you'll love, from Christmas gifts for your mum friends to thoughtful Christmas gifts for grandparents.
Homemade Christmas gifts for the home
DIY mugs
These personalised mugs make excellent gifts. They look brilliant and they're very easy to achieve, simply using Sharpie pens. Wondering how to achieve this? There are plenty of videos to show you how, as well as some to teach you how to achieve different shapes.
DIY snow globe
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a cosy snow globe, and we've got no doubts that you've got one somewhere in your home around this time of year. This helpful snow globe tutorial from The Sweetest Occasion will teach you how to make your own in just 10 minutes, making them ideal for gifting.
Homemade scented candles
These little festive candles make the perfect addition to any home. They also make great housewarming gifts for anyone who is moving in at this time of year. Satsuma Designs has put together a really simple guide on how to make these candles, and we think your little one will love to help on this one too when it comes to foraging for the decorations.
Get your tots to design mugs
If your child is a little too small to help with crafts this year (maybe next year?) then there are lots of fun DIY gift ideas you can put their stamp on. Take this mug for example – what grandparent wouldn't love to see their baby grandchild's handprint on a festive mug? There are tonnes of craft ideas over on Holidappy for you to choose from!
Felt ball placemats
Household gifts always go down a storm, and we think these felt ball placemats are a real treat for the eyes at the dinner table. Aim to choose similar colours to their home theme if you know it. Don't worry if you're not all that confident with a needle and thread, Lia Griffith has put together a very easy-to-follow set of instructions to guide you on the way.
Felt coasters
Not sold on the trivet? Why not give these felt ball coasters a go? We could always do with some more coasters, especially at this time of year when you've got visitors coming around. These from Inspired by Charm also add a real dash of colour to any home which we love.
Bulb garland
A garland is a lovely addition to any home at Christmas, and this colourful felt bulb design garland also makes a great homemade Christmas gift. Particularly this year when we're all trying to keep the real lightbulbs off! Although it might look a little complicated, this tutorial from Start Sewing makes the process very simple, and your little one will have some fun choosing the colours for the bulbs.
Marble art DIY plates and mugs
How pretty does this marble effect look? The best part is it's super easy to make and one the kids can get really involved in as it doesn't matter if it looks a bit messy. This helpful Youtube video from Glamrs will help teach you how to achieve this look and it can be used on cups, plates, bowls and more.
DIY earring organiser
Jewellery organisers make such a lovely little gift for the ladies in your life, and we think we'll be having a go at making one of these for our mum besties. You only need a few materials to make this earring organiser from Almost Makes Perfect, and the instructions are very simple.
Christmas coasters
Another sweet coaster design you and your tots can get involved with. These make lovely thoughtful gifts for the aunties and uncles in your life and you and your family can pick whichever designs you like and this useful tutorial from Creation Calls is very easy to follow.
DIY ceramic baubles
Ceramic baubles are very easy to pick up in your local craft store, and they're super easy to draw on with permanent markers. Before you start, it's a good idea to find some design inspiration or use this handy Youtube video from Lou Davis for some brilliant ideas.
DIY herb planter
If you're looking for a gift for the gardeners in your life, these lovely little DIY herb planters are ideal. Firstly, you'll need to find a little vintage teapot or a big mug or jug. You might want to have a dig around your local antiques or charity shop for these or have a dig around your own home. Lady and the Blog have put together every step you need to make your own.
Reusable coffee cup sleeve
This makes the perfect homemade gift for the coffee lovers in your life. This cosy little coffee cup sleeve will not only protect their hands from the heat, but it'll make your reusable coffee cup look so much prettier. This simple tutorial from Kitchen Counter Chronicles makes it easy, with full instructions on how to make your pattern and sew.
Homemade potpourri
There's something so festive about potpourri and they'll fill any home with the sweet smells of Christmas. As these use dried ingredients, they can be made ahead and saved for Christmas. The process is very easy and Country Hill Cottage has put together some simple guides to give you plenty of ideas.
Reindeer salt dough footprints
Another one your tot can quite literally put their stamp on. These adorable little feet are made to look like tiny reindeer with pompom noses and pipe cleaner antlers. They make gorgeous keepsake baubles for your loved ones and Crafty Morninghas put together all the instructions to help you achieve them.
Knitted wine bottle sweater
If you fancy yourself a bit of a knitter and want a challenge, we love the look of these wine bottle jumpers. Not only do they look adorable, but they'll help protect your wine and be a lovely keepsake for the recipient. Just Be Crafty has put together a YouTube tutorial on how to knit this but they do stress this is for confident, intermediate-level knitters.
Coffee cup candles
Candles are always a winner when it comes to Christmas gifts, and we love the look of these mug candles. They're great if you're having a clear-out of mugs and want to repurpose them into a little gift for loved ones. These from Sweet Cayenne are so easy to make, and you can choose whichever wax flakes you like.
Homemade beauty gifts
Organic homemade lip balm
Whether it's for a stocking filler or just a little gift for a friend, this organic and calming lip balm from A Little Rose Dust is just like Burt's Bees. They're very simple to make and because they've got no nasties in, this lip balm is safe for little ones too so we're going to make one for us too to keep in our bags for those little chapped lips during the winter months.
DIY luxurious body butter
Making sure our skin is nourished is essential over the winter months, as heating plus frosty weather can wreak havoc on our skin. This homemade whipped body butter by Dreams Factory makes an ideal gift for mums, grandmas, aunties, neighbours, sisters, mother-in-laws, and anyone you think deserves a good pamper.
Winter lip scrub
Lips can get awfully dry in the winter, and sometimes they need a good scrub to remove all that dead skin buildup. It's surprisingly easy to make a lip scrub yourself with this handy guide from A Life Adjacentand they make lovely little stocking fillers or even table settings for dinner if you're going all out.
Grinch bath bombs
The Grinch has to be up there with one of our favourite family Christmas films to watch at this time of year. That's why we couldn't not feature these adorable homemade Grinch-themed bath bombs from A Pumpkin and A Princess. These make lovely gifts for any member of the family, whether they're little or large.
Relaxing eye pillow mask
These are great for those who struggle to relax and get some well-deserved rest. This easy-to-follow video tutorial from Sweet Olive Farmsuses the calming scent of Lavender inside the eye mask before sewing them up and gifting them. These would make excellent additions to a DIY gift box - more on those later.
Silk scrunchies
Anyone with long hair will know how much better for your locks silk is, which is why so many of us are turning to silk scrunchies and bobbles to tie up our hair. They also make rather lovely little gifts or stocking fillers and we love how easy they are to make at home. We found this tutorial from Love Tia Design super simple to follow.
Candy cane soap
Soap is a classic Christmas gift at this time of year, and one that's surprisingly easy to make your own DIY versions of. Not only does this pink candy cane soap from Glue sticks look amazing, it smells just as good too!
DIY gift box
Make your own gift boxes are really having a moment, and it's easy to see why. You can perfectly personalise your gift boxes for each recipient to make it perfect for them, so whether they're a cheese and wine lover or love a selection of sweet treats, you can customise it however you like. BeCentsational has some lovely ideas and inspiration for every recipient.
Body scrub
The festive period is a time when a lot of us like to wind down and give ourselves some much-needed me-time. A body scrub is essential for any bath time, especially at this time of year when your skin might be feeling a little rough. We love these festive homemade body scrubs from Country Hill Cottage with a variety of different scented options including Gingerbread and Chocolate.
Homemade food gifts
Hot chocolate gift cones
Although many of these cones are readily available to buy online, they are very easy to make and add your own touches to. Simply buy your own cone-shaped bags, hot chocolate ingredients and take some inspiration from these on Etsy.
Cookies in a jar
Recipes in jars are very popular at the moment, and we think they make extra special gifts too. There are many different variations you can try with these, and we love the options suggested in this Youtube video from BakeThat!
Hot chocolate on a stick
These are so much fun to make with little ones, and they also make excellent gifts for their classmates or teachers too. This method from Jac of All Things is straightforward to follow and there are some great ideas for toppings too. Just be warned, you'll need quite a bit of freezer space.
Candy cane sleighs
Kids will love these sweet sleighs. Simply use two candy canes for the sleigh and add different-sized chocolate bars and sweets going from biggest to smallest to make it look like Santa's sleigh. Top with some ribbon and a bow like these Fab Art DIY ideas and you have a lovely little sleigh.
Chocolate bomb
Chocolate bombs are not only very fun to make with your kids, but they're also VERY fun to eat as well, and your lucky recipient will be made up with this winter warming treat. Although they might look a little tricky to make, there are plenty of fun ideas and inspiration on Beautiful Dawn Designs.
Mason Jar hot chocolate
Another hot chocolate idea, but who doesn't love a warming cup of hot cocoa at this time of year? We love these jar gifts from The Littlest Crumb that contain everything you need for the perfect hot choc. They're also very fun to make with kids and are suitable for young and old relatives.
Chocolate covered pretzels
We do love a pretzel, and they're even better covered in chocolate. These easy-to-make chocolate covered pretzels from Two Sisters Crafting look great topped with some festive sprinkles and they don't require any precision so are great to make with toddlers. When the chocolate has set, simply place them in a tin and gift to a close friend or relative.
Lorna White is the Senior Digital Writer for Mother&Baby. After running the Yours magazine website, specialising in content about caring for kids and grandchildren, Lorna brought her expertise to Mother&Baby in 2020. She has a keen interest in a range of topics from potty training and nutrition to baby names and early development and has a wide range of experienced medical experts and professionals at her fingertips. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two young sisters, dog walking and enjoying the outdoors with her family.