I’ve never been a very crafty person. I tried to crochet but
all I ever came up with was a reeeeally long and useless crocheted thing. I
can’t draw or paint…or sign my name the same way twice. I tried to sew things
but they never stayed sewn together. No, no. I realized a while ago that crafty
things were not my strong suit. Instead, I have ideas!
When it comes to buying gifts, I try very hard to find
something that delivers the “wow!” factor. It’s not that I want to one-up
anyone, I just want to make sure the gift is memorable, useful, and that the
gift receiver shows a very genuine smile when they open the gift. However, I
struggle every year with do I buy big ticket items or things that are more
personal? Sure, my single mom friend would love a Michael Kors bag but
sometimes I think she’d appreciate a month’s worth of frozen dinners to use at
her convenience.
I also catch a case of the “guilties” this time of year,
too. I know Christmas isn’t about store
bought gifts but so many people look forward to getting the most popular gifts
of the season (like the Michael Kors bag). Me? I have never been the person who
wanted what was popular or trendy. I always wanted what was classic and
timeless. So, I started thinking about how I could combine thoughtfulness with
timelessness. I came up with two ideas;
the first was sticking to a budget (I even have to laugh at that one. LOL!!!) and the other was DIY gifts. So, I
put my brain to work figuring out DIY gifts that family and friends would find thoughtful, useful, and memorable.
I’m happy to report that I have been successful in finding
DIY gifts that are so cool you may want to keep them for yourself. I’ve also
known people to sell some of these DIY gifts to help stabilize the Christmas
budget. Hopefully, you’ll be able to use one or two of these ideas as gifts. If
not, maybe you can put them in your guest room over the holiday. Either way,
these projects are easy to do, make a huge impact, and will always be
remembered.
Bath Bombs, etc.
I am sooooooooooo late to the bath bomb craze! People have
been enjoying these little fizz monsters for a while now. And, of course, they have
a recipe for making bath bombs that seems as easy making a cake. Bath bombs
(and bath salts and whipped body butters and shower steamers) come in all kinds
of scents and purposes. Need a “pick me up, wake up” shower first thing in the
morning? Try a citrus scented shower melt. Want to be gently lulled into
peaceful slumber? Drop a lavender scented bath bomb in a warm bath. Need extra
moisturizing during the winter months? Dip yourself in a homemade body butter
made with three different kinds of butter.
If this sounds good to you, think of how the person you gift these to
will react!
Flavored Butter
Think about it… It’s snowing outside. You’ve got on your
cozy pajamas. You’ve just heard that OPM has closed the federal government for
the day. The coffee is almost done and you’d love something warm to eat while
you watch “I Love Lucy” re-runs. How does a biscuit or croissant - with little
pockets of cinnamon honey butter nestled here and there - sound to you? Or, you
and your loved one are set to have a romantic dinner; steak, a baked potato,
and a wedge salad. Wouldn’t that steak taste like heaven with an onion/red wine
butter melted over it? What I’m getting at here is that flavored butters make a
great and unexpected addition to any snack or meal. Any foodie would love to
have one or more of these flavored condiments for a gift!
Something Cozy
It’s December. It’s cold outside. Everyone will appreciate a
nice scarf or hat as a gift. A pair of gloves are always needed. It’s just that
these kind of gifts rank up there with socks and underwear. Sure, we need them
but they aren’t fun. They’re not cool. They’re not exciting! Something cozy,
that’s cool and exciting is an arm-knitted blanket. These are all “they’re”
talking about. I don’t even think you need to know how to knit. YouTube has
tutorials on how to make these gianormous and oh-so cozy blankets. You knit
them using your arms as the knitting needles. How cool is that?? …and they are
to die for!!
Potpourri
We all prefer that our houses smell less like cat and soccer
cleats and more like suntan lotion or fresh apple pie. For a while, I had three
males in my house…two teenagers and my husband. My second floor constantly
smelled like armpits, Axe and ass. I should have bought stock in Glade candles
based on how many I bought. Which made me think… Instead of buying a candle as
a gift, make homemade potpourri. You can customize the scent and make as much
or as little of it as you like. All of the ingredients are natural so you
aren’t dealing with unknown chemicals in your home (which means the cat or your
toddler can eat it without you having to worry). …and if you make the kind that
simmers on the stove, your entire house will smell like a Thomas Kinkade
painting. Cozy, cozy, cozy!
We’re all paying closer attention to our budgets these days.
We want our money to last longer but we also want experiences and to have the finer
things in life. In my short time on this planet, I’ve come to realize that,
while having a Louis Vuitton bag is sheer, palpable joy, it’s nothing compared to
being gifted something that is so “you”…something you know the gift giver spent
time thinking about - and in this case - making. Your smile – and theirs – will
turn out to be the best gift either of you give.
“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe, Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more.” ~ The Grinch
If you make any of these items, please post your pics on
social media and tag us @jbmhhfmwr. We’d
love to see your handy-work! If you have any DIY projects that would make good
Christmas gifts, let us know in the comments below!
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