Do-It-Yourself Christmas Gifts

For broke college students, Christmas is a time of great joy and fear. During the holiday season, we are filled with peace and hope as we remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, when God became incarnate and entered our world. At the same time, we simultaneously celebrate and mourn the tradition of gift-giving in the United States. We certainly do not mind being on the receiving end of this exchange, but we simply do not have the money to give a present to every friend and family member that passes us a wish list.

Nevertheless, a cheaper option does exist: make Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts! This shows the recipients that you put significant time and effort into their presents and made them personal and memorable, as opposed to more expensive store-bought ones. Check out the following DIY Christmas gift ideas!

• If you are looking to give a classic gift that everyone loves, you can always make an ornament! A fun variation on this holiday staple is the Homemade Photo Ornament. Make it personal by using a favorite photo of yourself with the person you are giving it to. For a more difficult, yet totally doable project, try making the Hand Stamped Christmas Ornament. You can imprint a word (like “believe”) or a year, or add another personal touch to the ornament by stamping someone’s name or initials on it.
• If you love comfy decor, you could sew a pillow that would be the perfect addition to any sofa or chair. What about the Leafy Felt Pillow? It is relatively simple to sew and would brighten any home, regardless of the season. Another option is the Christmas Throw Pillow. For this project, you should get your hands on some craft design software. Again, you can personalize this however you would like with the names of friends or family members, or you can display words that inspire you or remind you of the holidays.
• If you like homemade wreaths, consider making the Simple Summer Burlap Wreath. Make it more suitable for winter by adding poinsettias and fun holiday embellishments, such as cutouts of Christmas trees, snowflakes or bells.
• If you would love to try something that might be new to you, make a bar of soap! Use the melt and pour method to design colorful scented soaps in different molds, and tie a ribbon or stick a tag on your bar of soap for a more polished presentation.

For more information on how to make these crafty gifts, visit the following links:

• Homemade Photo Ornament
• Hand Stamped Christmas Ornament
• Leafy Felt Pillow
• Christmas Throw Pillow
• Simple Summer Burlap Wreath
• Soap