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The best gifts come from the heart – and your home! Whether you’re making homemade candles, delicious jam, or vanilla extract, these homemade Christmas gifts will make your holiday extra special.
I believe that homemade gifts are the best gifts and for so many reasons.
Not only are you thinking about your recipient and what they would like, but then you’re physically making the gift and infusing it with lots of love and goodwill. What could be sweeter than that?
Plus, it’s a gift that gives twice because you get the joy from making it and your recipient gets the joy from receiving it!
There are SO many homemade Christmas gift ideas to choose from and I included my very favorite below.
⭐ I’ve added an asterisk to any recipes with printable tags, like in the photo below! ⭐
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Skincare & Self-Care
Who doesn’t want a homemade lotion bars or whipped body scrub? These types of gifts are often very easy to make and can be enjoyed long after the holidays end.
- Homemade Lotion Bars*
- Cranberry Sugar Scrub
- Honey Lemon Sugar Scrub
- Lavender Salt Scrub
- Vanilla Bean Sugar Scrub
- Whipped Brown Sugar Body Scrub*
I actually have a whole book of holiday-appropriate skincare called Holiday Soaks & Scrubs. It goes way deeper into this topic if you want more ideas!
Homemade Extracts
This is my favorite category! Homemade extracts are a wonderful gift, especially as many people have never really tried the homemade stuff before.
Once they try it…they’re hooked (or at least going to ask you to make it every year).
- Bourbon Vanilla Extract – You can also use vodka, but I love, love, love using bourbon for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Cinnamon Extract
- Cardamom Extract* – Ready in literally three days and can be used as a vanilla substitute in almost any recipe!
Syrups and Infusions
There are so many different projects that fit this category, like infused maple syrups, flavored sugars, simple syrups, and more.
Flavored Sugars
Great for adding to coffee or tea, rolling sugar cookies, and more. The caramel sugar is out-of-this-world and something most people have never had!
Simple Syrups
These are great for cocktails, flavoring lemonade, or sweetening coffee drinks. Explore all of my simple syrup recipes here.
- Almond Cookie Coffee Syrup*
- Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
- Vanilla Bean Syrup
- Cardamom Simple Syrup (makes the best homemade cream soda or lattes!)
Infused Syrups and Honeys
Do not underestimate these things! Infused maple syrup is one of my favorite gift ideas because the flavors are incredible.
Homemade Liqueurs
Making liqueurs is surprisingly simple and tastes truly luxurious. All you need is alcohol, sugar, fresh fruit, and some spices.
Holiday Canning
There is nothing better than getting a jar of homemade apple butter for the holidays, at least in my opinion!
I love to give jars with a little round of fabric over top and a cinnamon stick or dried orange slice tied to the side.
Holiday Cookies and Bars
I’m a big fan of gifting baked goods for the holidays! Especially if you’re known for a certain recipe or type of dessert, gifting your famous cheesecake or perfect chocolate chip cookies is a great idea.
- Honey Gingerbread*
- Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut Cookies
- Apple Cider Cookies
- Maple Pecan Blondies
- Vanilla Bean Scones
- Maple Pecan Cookies
You can also print out these Christmas recipe cards to share the recipe. They’re such a cute touch!
Edible Treats
I’ve given homemade chocolates as gifts many times. Although it can take a little work, the flavors are so good and perfect are always impressed.
- 2-Ingredient Truffles*
- Chocolate Covered Pecans
- Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters
- Date Bark
- Cranberry White Chocolate Muffins in a Jar*
- Spiced Cranberry Compound Butter*
- Candied Maple Pecans*
Homemade Pantry Staples
This is one of my favorite categories for gifting because the items are simple to make and practical, so your recipients will actually use them.
- Old-Fashioned Pudding Mixes*
- Snickerdoodle Sugar Cubes*
- Spiced Christmas Coffee*
- Hot Chocolate in a Jar* (with 5 flavor variations and cute printable labels)
- Hot Caramel Milk Drink Mix* (a creamy caramel-sweetened drink perfect for winter)
- From Scratch Gingerbread Coffee Creamer*
- Homemade Sugar Cubes
- Whipped Honey*
- Roasted Cinnamon Pecan Butter
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Apple Cider Syrup
- Hazelnut Granola
Seasoning Blends and Dried Herbs
If you’ve been drying herbs throughout the year, you can easily package up bunches of your homegrown herbs for gifting!
Gifts for the Home
Although some of these recipes require a little upfront investment in beeswax or glass spray bottles, you can often make a lot of gifts at once. And, they’re totally practical, too.
- Snowy Cabin Winter Room Spray*
- Beeswax Candles*
- Wood Butter*
- Lavender Pillow Spray
- Homemade Toilet Spray*
Printable Gifts
Gifts don’t always need to be expensive. These recipe card templates are totally free, and can be used to pass on special family recipes.
The recipe binder is totally customizable and is a great gift for new couples or anyone who is starting to take their cooking and baking seriously.
A few tips for homemade gift givers
I’ve given many-a homemade gift in my years, and have learned a few things about the process over time…
Give yourself extra time
Although many of these gifts can be prepared in an afternoon or so, it is always best to budget more time than you think. You never know when you’re going to run out of sugar or need more beeswax!
Think through budget first
It might seem inexpensive to make jars of hot cocoa mix for everyone you know, but trust me, it gets expensive quickly!
You’ll want to take a minute to calculate how many people you’re prepping for and how much the supplies will cost before you start buying ingredients.
Less is more
It’s tempting to give like 20 different items all together instead of just a few because we tend to undervalue our time. Please don’t.
If you’re making a gift basket, give 2-3 of your homemade items plus a couple of thrifted or new pieces. Don’t sell yourself short and give those homemade gifts room to shine.
Mix and match
Usually, I try to give 2-3 gifts that fit a similar category, like a homemade candle, a lotion bar, and a sugar scrub. The gifts all go together, but without being exactly the same.
Plus, you can kind of see how they’d use these gifts together!
Know their food preferences
Many people are leery of eating food from other peoples’ kitchens, particularly if it includes canning. If you know your recipient isn’t into that or aren’t sure, I recommend opting for non-edible options.
Add handmade labels
Although I’ve made printable tags for many of these gifts, I personally prefer handwritten paper tags on my gifts. They add so much charm, especially paired with little cloth jar covers!
Explain proper storage
Not all homemade gifts can be kept at room temperature. Make sure your guest knows to put their vanilla maple syrup in the fridge. Add that information to the label, if possible!
If you enjoy this post, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think and hear about your own experiences.
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