If anything the recent years have shown us, it’s that time spent with loved ones is so precious and material possessions are secondary. That being said, the thought behind gift giving should be considered important, not the amount spent or the size of the gift.

When giving these DIY gifts throughout the years, I’ve always heard great appreciation in response. So here are some homemade gift ideas that you might consider gifting to loved ones.

Homemade cookies – pictured above are a fail safe for families to share. I try to collect cookie tins to give filled with homemade baked goods. You can also individually wrap stacks of cookies in cellophane and tie them with ribbon or string.

Salsa has been a huge hit as well. I grow tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and cilantro in my garden and typically have a good amount to process and make extra jars to gift. You don’t have to grow your own, you can also purchase the ingredients and jar up your own recipe as well!

Another garden gift is herb salts. I dried out basil, rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley and added dehydrated garlic and kosher salt. I’ve given some out this year and a friend keeps letting me know all the recipes she’s used these salts in, so it definitely is a gift that keeps on giving. Find assorted canning jars here.

If you grow herbs like chamomile, lavender or different varieties of mint you can dry them out to make tea blends to gift. Find compostable tea bags here.

If you have a fellow gardening friend, share some of your seeds with them. Find cute jars or coin envelopes to package and gift them.

The last of my garden giveaways is pickled goods. Pickles, dilly beans, pickled beets and fermented carrots have been some of the tasty treats I’ve given in the past. Some friends have even asked for the recipes, so I like to include a recipe card as well. You can make these things with store bought veggies, vinegar and pickling spices as well!

Homemade doesn’t have to always mean edible. I like to incorporate health and relaxation items in my gift rotation. A rice heat pack is a wonderful item that can be used year round. You simply sew a rectangular pouch, fill it with rice and herbs like lavender of you wish (I personally love the relaxing aroma) and sew it up. You can also make a removable, washable cover in Christmas-themed fabric if you like. Add an instruction tag that says to microwave for a minute and a half or two minutes for a large heat pad.

DIY candles are a fun gift. I like to save up the remnants from other candles throughout the year and find empty jars to recycle. I order new wicks and extra beeswax to make sure I can make enough to give. I also add a few drops of Christmas smelling essential oils like Pine, Christmas Spirit or Clove to the wax.

If candles aren’t your thing, you could also gift a bottle of essential oil, or a homemade blend of essential oils with a homemade wooden ornament.

You could gift roller blends of essential oils, a homemade body salve or a mix of herbal bath salts for the loved one who could use some extra pampering during the holidays. Find my Dandelion Lavender Salve recipe here.

If you have someone in your life who enjoys a good charcuterie, you can create a mini box as a gift. Add an assortment of cheeses, crackers and meats. You can also cater the box to make it full of fruits or desserts. I ordered pastry gift boxes off Amazon.

I hope these DIY gifts give you some ideas if you’re stumped or just don’t want to go overboard on Christmas gift spending.

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