As the holiday season approaches, DIY Christmas gifts are a great way to save money while giving a unique, heartfelt gift. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a family member, best friend, teacher or even Amazon delivery person, my easy homemade gift ideas are exactly what you need to make this time of year even more special. In this post, I’m focusing on super easy homemade gifts like specialized balms, candles and bath salts. They are simple to make and make wonderful gifts!
If you’re looking for a way to branch away from defaulting to the usual gift card as a gift and want to put a little more TLC into your gifts yet don’t want to overspend or overextend I’ve got some great ideas for simple handmade gifts anyone can make.
DIY Balms & Salves:
One of my favorite gift ideas are balms and salves. They are incredibly easy to make and all but one of the natural ingredients can be sourced at your local grocery store. Walmart has 4 ounce mason jars that make great containers for balms (and candles too!). Grab some unrefined coconut oil and organic olive oil too. Beeswax can be found all over Amazon but I recommend THIS one and THIS one. Balms are a great handmade gift if you’re in a rush but still want to give a gift with a personal touch.
A few balm ideas are a heel balm, lip balm, hand salve, sleep balm, healing balm, stuffy nose balm (vapor rub), solid perfume, homemade vaseline, beard balm, multipurpose beauty balm, body butter, sore muscle balm, tattoo balm, stress relief balm and headache balm. There are so many creative ways to make a balm to suit the gift recipient. Homemade balms can be a very useful gift.
As you can see, balms are so customizable and make beautiful gifts.
What You’ll Need to Make a Basic Homemade Balm:
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 1 TBSP. Beeswax
- 20 drops of essential oils *optional*
- 4 ounce glass jars
- Medium sized pot
- Glass bowl or glass measuring cup
- Stir sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Gift Tags or Labels *optional*
- Ribbon *optional*
Materials
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
- 1 TBSP. Beeswax
- 20 drops of essential oils *optional*
Tools
- 4 ounce glass jars
- Medium sized pot
- Glass bowl or glass measuring cup
- Stir sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Gift Tags or Labels *optional*
- Ribbon *optional*
Instructions
- Fill a medium sized pot 1/2 way full with water.
- Place a glass pyrex measuring cup or bowl with a spout in the water.
- Add coconut and olive oil and beeswax to the glass cup or bowl and allow the beeswax to thoroughly melt.
- Remove from heat and add essential oils if you are using them.
- Pour the mixture into 4 ounce glass jars.
- Allow the balm to cool. You may put the balm into the fridge to speed up the process.
Notes
Customize you balm into a lip balm, hand salve, sleep balm, heel balm, vapor rub, healing salve, muscle rub, etc.
Be sure to include a tag or label explaining what the balm is and how to use it. I would include the ingredients included as well. A cute ribbon to tie the tag on is a nice addition.
You don’t have to use both coconut oil and olive oil, You can use one or the other but I recommend both because they work (and smell) so good together. Coconut is an incredible healer and olive oil is full of antioxidants and fatty acids to replenish the skin. Beeswax is an absolute must because it is the ingredient that thickens your oils into a balm consistency.
Related Post: DIY Coffee Body Scrub for Cellulite
DIY Bath Salts:
Bath salts are a super easy gift that can be customized to a person’s specific needs. They can be as simple as a jar filled with epsom salt and a few drops of essential oils. You can also add ground oatmeal, powdered milk, seaweed, spirulina, dried herbs, baking soda, dehydrated citrus peels, dried flowers etc.
As the base of your salt soak, you can use epsom salt, dead sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. Epsom salt can be found in large affordable bags at most grocery stores and is just as effective as the other more expensive salts. When making bath salts in bulk, epsom salt is the easiest way to go. I wrote an entire post on everything you need to know about bath salts. You might also enjoy my Mermaid Salt Bath Recipe.
The benefits of bath salts are amazing. We’re talking reduced water retention, relaxation, better sleep, pain relief, enhanced skin hydration, accelerated wound healing and increased circulation. Not to mention, promoting self care to the one’s you love is a great message of love.
Aromatherapy and salt baths go hand in hand. Using essential oils in your homemade bath salts is an absolute must. Below are a few suggestions for customizing your bath salts…
- Lavender oil-relaxation
- Peppermint oil-sore achy muscles and joints
- Eucalyptus oil-congestion and cold symptoms
- Citrus oils-strengthen capillaries, tighten skin and reduce water retention in cells. They increase circulation and prevent lymph accumulation.
- Juniper and rosemary oils-increase circulation and decongests sluggish and under active tissues.
- Grapefruit oil-reduces water retention and may help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
You might also consider a DIY Foot Soak. The nice thing about foot soaks is that they require much less of the soak and you can use a smaller jar. Last year I made foot soaks for several of my daughter’s teachers.
What You’ll Need for a Basic Bath Salt Recipe:
Materials
- Epsom salt
- Essential oils
- Additives (seaweed, dried herbs and flowers, powdered milk, etc.) *optional
Tools
- 8-16 ounce mason jar
- Ribbon
- Gift tags or labels
Instructions
- Fill 3/4 of a jar with epsom salt if adding additives. If not fill the jar full of epsom salt.
- If adding additives, add them.
- Add essential oils.
- Replace the lid and shake thoroughly.
Notes
Use 1-2 cups in a hot bath. Soak for 10-30 minutes.
How to Use Bath Salts:
-Add 1-2 cups to a hot bath & relax for 10-30 minutes.
Like with a homemade balm, cute gift tags are necessary so that whoever gets this gift understands how to use bath salts and what is in the bath salts.
Related Post: DIY Bath Bombs & Himalayan Oatmeal Bath Soak Recipe
Homemade Candles:
Homemade candles are an easy homemade gift idea. I have an easy tutorial that explains how to make soy candles as well as an easy tutorial on how to make beeswax candles. For gifts, I would suggest using small containers such as the 4 ounce glass mason jars (Walmart) mentioned above when talking about DIY balms. There is often issues of tunneling where the wax burns down the center of the candle and never reaches the sides of the container. This is a common issues but the smaller you make your candles, the less you’ll experience this problem.
Fragrance oils work best in soy candles but you can use essential oils. Just don’t expect them to have a strong scent. If you choose to make beeswax candles (my favorite to make) I don’t recommend using a fragrance or oil. Beewax has a subtle sweet smell on it’s own.
What You’ll Need to Make Candles:
For an in depth picture tutorial read my post on DIY Soy Candles as well as my post on DIY Beeswax Candles.
I have used 4 ounce glass jars that I use for balms and solid cleansing oils for candles and they work great. They are narrow enough to avoid tunneling, easy to buy in bulk on Amazon and have a lid. They also have a smooth space for a 2 x 2 label if wanted. I also found THESE beautiful 4 ounce tins that would be so perfect for candles!
On your label, you might advise the user to burn the candle all the way to the sides of the container the first time they light the candle. This is important for any candle user to know in order to get the most out of your candles.
A Few More Easy DIY Gift Ideas:
Festive Packaging Tips:
- Using a sprig of pine or cedar is a lovely touch when tied into the ribbon around the lip of the lid.
- Labels can be frustrating if you’re in a time crunch so a handmade gift tag can be fashioned out of a note card by cutting it to size and using a hole punch to attach it to the gift. If you would like to make labels, go HERE for a few of my labels.
- I love using brown craft paper, even if it is crinkled up. It makes a great wrapping paper and can easily be fancied up by adding colorful ribbon.
These are my favorite handmade gift ideas. They are not only perfect for the holidays, they make a special gift for any special occasion especially Mother’s Day and Father’s Day! Making your own handcrafted gifts is not only a lot of fun, it is an easy way to make your loved ones feel special. Adding your personalized touch to each of your presents not only saves money, it also shows a special effort and attention you extended to each of your gift recipients. It’s the perfect way to express yourself and a great creative outlet.
Happy Holidays, Jenni
