Crafting Joy – 3 Money-Saving DIY Gift Ideas

Pressure to find the perfect gifts can contribute to a lot of stress around the holidays. Shopping can get expensive in a hurry, and store-bought gifts lead to waste created by the packaging and transportation of resources. Each year, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Americans throw away 25% more waste, amounting to an extra million tons of trash and waste.

Consider taking a break from the normal holiday shopping routine and being kind to the environment at the same time, by making handmade, Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts this year.

Crafting personalized gifts is beneficial for both the gift giver and recipient. They allow an individual to:    

Create meaningful gifts without spending a lot

Each holiday season, the average American spends up to $1,000 in extra expenses and gifts. Choosing the right handmade item can cost considerably less than store-bought toys, clothes and trinkets. It also shows the effort and care that goes into the gift selection and creation, compared to items shopped for off a wish list.

Avoid worrying about the latest tech or expensive trends

Besides choosing the perfect gift, there can be pressure to keep up with the times and get gifts that are current and trendy. It’s common this time of year to see advertisements online and on social media sites that push trendy gifts and new tech. This can create stress that can be curbed by opting for handmade gifts.

Give personalized and unique gifts

Knowing a gift recipient’s unique tastes, interests, likes and needs can make for a more personalized gift-giving experience. Think about their favorite scents, flavors, colors or interests when making gifts like edible baskets or candles. A loved one is unlikely to get the same gift twice when one of them is handmade. Even when making a batch of handmade gifts for numerous people, no two are likely to be the same. Handmade gifts offer something unique that can’t be bought elsewhere.

Examples of handmade and DIY gifts

Here are some ideas for meaningful handmade gifts:

• DIY Recipe Tea Towel – Whether a family member is still with us, or their memory lives on, handwritten recipes are special on their own. This gift idea features a handwritten recipe on a tea towel using the iron-on method found online or at local craft stores. Give it to several family members if buying a big pack of tea towels, or to someone as a unique gift.

• Mason Jar Simmer Pot Kit – A simmer pot mason jar is easy to make, affordable and aromatic. It’s a way to share warmth and comfort with friends or family, especially during the cooler months. Start by selecting fragrant, natural ingredients like dried oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, star anise and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or pine needles. Add dried cranberries for a pop of color. Complete the gift with a small card with instructions on how to use the gift and tie a ribbon or twine around the jar to make it festive.
• Oyster Shell Trinket Dish – An oyster shell-sized trinket dish can hold items like rings and earrings. It can be customized based on the recipient’s style with the selection of a patterned napkin. For this project, clean and dry used oyster or scallop shells, paint with mod podge and lay a patterned napkin down. Once dry, remove excess napkin material around the shell, top with another layer of mod podge and paint around the rim with gold leaf paint.

• Homemade candles – There are many candle making kits and online tutorials on different candle making methods. For example, a beeswax candle sheet can be rolled with an essential oil-soaked wicks, then gifted as a bunch tied together with twine and decorated with dried flowers or fruit.

Heading into the holidays, remember why the practice of gift-giving is so meaningful – it’s about showing care, love and thoughtfulness. Handmade items provide a personal, meaningful element that can make a loved one feel extra special this holiday season.

Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family. For more recipes and health information, visit ahealthiermichigan.org.