80+ DIY Christmas gifts with 5 tutorials and many festive ideas!

by John Griffith
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November has arrived and Christmas seems to be just around the corner. For many, this is a source of joy mixed with a tiny bit of anxiety – there is so much to prepare, so many gifts and decorations to buy! A small token for the neighbors next door, some festive treats for the children’s friends at school, a present or two for any surprise guests who might pop up during the holidays… no matter how hard you try, there is always someone you’re bound to forget when compiling your holiday shopping list. Luckily, we have some great ideas about DIY Christmas gifts you can easily make at home. Beautiful and one of a kind, they will bring more joy and holiday cheer than any store-bought item ever possibly could. After all, what better way to show your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors how much they mean to you than a beautiful handmade present crafted with lots of love?

When it comes to DIY Christmas gifts, simpler is usually better. This minimalist tree ornament made from fragrant dried orange slices will bring a touch of festivity to your coworkers’ desksdiy christmas gifts, two christmas tree ornaments, made from dried orange slices spiked on a twig, with little orange cut out star on top, near other decorations, small candle

Snow globes are always a popular Xmas gift choice. Plus, they are surprisingly easy to make, as this fun video tutorial shows:


And, if you like to combine your beautiful sparkly creation with something sweet, why not try a snow globe mason jar topper? You can fill the jar with sweets or do-it-yourself hot cocoa and marshmallows.

Snow Globe Mason Jar Topper

diy christmas gifts, small mason jars filled with cocoa powder, with snow globe toppers, containing fake snow figurines and confetti, red and white ribbons

DIY Snow globe Mason jar topper

What you’ll need:

3 mason jars with two piece caps

4 detachable empty plastic baubles

1 bag of snow-shaped confetti

a bottle of all purpose glue

a bottle of craft glue

various small Christmas ornaments

some ribbon

some fake snow or a cotton ball

Instructions:

  • Take the ring piece of the first jar’s lid and, using the all purpose glue, run a thin line around the edge. Carefully detach half of one of the baubles, sticking it onto the glued lid ring. Leave it to dry for a few minutes.
  • Now take the inside part of the lid and spread some all purpose glue across its surface. Stick some fake snow (or cotton) on it, and then add a few snow-shaped confetti. Finally, stick a small ornament of your choice.
  • Fill the jar with your preferred choice of goodies, put the decorated lid on it and tie a festive bow around it. Finished!

To make things even easier, here is a quick breakdown of the process:

First, the necessary materials:

diy christmas gifts, two packs of glue and two empty plastic baubles, a bag of confetti and a small jar near a pack of Christmas ornaments

Make sure you use a glue that holds well and dries quickly.

diy christmas gifts, a hand holding a small tube of glue, silver ring-shaped jar cap, various plastic and tin caps

Then, just add 1/2 of the bauble:

diy christmas gifts, plastic dome stuck on a ring-shaped jar lid, glue in the background

Stick the cotton (or fake snow), the confetti, and any other Christmas ornaments you like.

diy christmas gifts, jar lid with cotton, white and pink snow-shaped confetti, a small snowman figurine with hat and scarf, black background

Fill the jar with sweets (or anything you like!)

diy gift ideas, close up of jar lid with snow globe topper, red and white ribbon, small snowman figurine with hat and scarf, white snowflake confetti, blurred background

Here are some more great variations of this idea:

diy gift ideas, three differently sized mason jars, close up of small jar filled with candy, topped with snow globe, bigger jar full of cocoa and marshmallows, bigger jar blurred in background

You can also add little festive messages, commemorating the year:

diy gift ideas, several jars of different sizes, filled with cocoa and marshmallows, with snow globes on their lids featuring little house figurines and colorful strips of paper

You’ve heard of Elf on a shelf, now get ready for… car in a jar! Why not surprise your coworkers on neighbors with one of these cute and easy to make ornaments?

diy gift ideas, two jars filled with fake snow and red retro car toys, with Christmas trees tied to the cars, red and white string tied around the jar lids, small red bells

Another DIY Mason jar snow globe

What you’ll need:

a small mason jar

a toy car of your choice (we recommend using one in red)

a small Christmas tree ornament

some fake snow or cotton

a bottle of all purpose glue and brush

some red and white string

two small red bells

pliars

Instructions:

  • First, remove the stand of the Christmas tree ornament using the pliers. Then, get some white and red thread and tie the little tree to the small car toy. Wrap the thread twice around the two items, securing it with a knot at the top. Cut off any extra thread bits.
  • Spread some glue on the bottom of the jar using a brush and add a tiny bit of fake snow (or cotton).
  • Add more glue and place your car inside, making sure it’s stuck well. Use the remaining thread to tie the two bells around the jar’s lid. Your cute an quirky gift is ready!

Here is a handy photo step by step guide:

You won’t need many supplies to make this unique and cute ornament – in fact, you probably have all of them around the house in this very moment!

diy gift ideas, two small red bells, Christmas tree figurine and a red toy car, empty clear jar with screw lid, bag of fake snow and red and some white string

diy gift ideas, pair of metal pliers with red plastic handles, a small snowy Xmas tree ornament, a white plastic stand, white background

If you prefer, you can use sticky tape instead of glue.

homemade christmas gift ideas, sticky tape on white stand, red car toy turned on its back, a small snowy christmas tree ornament, some white and red string

homemade christmas gift ideas, small xmas tree ornament tied to little red car toy with red and white string, white background

You can try adding a pinch of glitter on top of the fake snow.

homemade christmas gift ideas, empty clear bell jar, near a red car toy with miniature christmas tree tied on its roof, with red and white string

homemade christmas gift ideas, little red car toy with snowy christmas tree figurine tied on its roof, fake snow and white and red string, inside a clear jar with screw cap, two red bells

Here is an alternative option, using a different car. 

homemade christmas gift ideas, reddish -brown retro car miniature, inside a clear bell jar with screw cap, small tree figurine tied to car with red and white string, red bells tied to jar lid

If you love these ornaments but are too busy to make one yourself (or don’t happen to have a suitable car toy), you can get some via Mason Jar Crafts Love.

Toy cars are not the only items you can use to create a winter wonderland decoration!

homemade christmas gift ideas, two glass containers filled with fake snow, with two deer and a pine tree, a church and some small tree figurines

This hand-painted holiday mug is another fun and easy project you can try at home:

diy christmas crafts, two hands holding a big white mug with handle, with the word believe written in red, hand-drawn snowflakes and Christmas ornaments in blue and gold, a peppermint cane inside

DIY Christmas gifts – painted mug

What you’ll need:

a plain white ceramic mug

markers in various colors (suitable for use on ceramics)

holiday-themed stencils (if desired)

rubbing alcohol and cotton balls

Instructions:

  • First, wash and dry your mug. Decide which area you’re going to write/paint on and clean it thoroughly with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol (this will remove any additional dirt or grease).
  • Test your markers on a piece of paper or cloth to make sure the paint is running smoothly, and then start writing/painting. If you prefer you can use stencils. Bear in mind that the markers don’t dry very fast, so if you make a mistake you can wipe it off within several minutes.
  • When you’re done decorating the mug, put it aside. After 24 hours, place it on a tray in a cold oven (this is important because if you put the mug in a heated oven it’s likely to crack from the drastic change in temperature). Turn the heat to 350℉ and wait for 30 minutes. After the time has passed, switch the oven off but leave the mug inside until it gradually cools down.
  • Once the mug has cooled down, it’s ready for use.

You can purchase suitable markers from most craft stores or order them on sites such as Amazon.

diy christmas crafts, many markers in different colors, near a white empty mug with handle, a blue holiday-themed stencil, on white surface

diy christmas crafts, a hand holding white ceramic mug with handle, hand writing on mug with red marker, more markers in background

The mug used here has a 3D design but plain smooth mugs are a great choice too, as they leave more room for imagination and creativity.

diy christmas crafts, blue stencil sticker stuck to white ceramic mug, hand painting over it with gold colored marker, hand holding mug and markers in background

diy christmas crafts, white ceramic mug with red writing, and blue and gold hand-painted details, on baking tray inside an oven

Once it has been baked, the finished mug should be dishwasher safe. 

diy christmas crafts, red marker near white hand-painted mug, believe written in red and hand-painted details, markers in upper part of background, on white surface

On to our next suggestion – this Peppermint Sugar Scrub is one of the cutest DIY Christmas gifts you can make this year. Plus, it’s super easy and quick, and requires only a jar and four simple ingredients!

coworker christmas gifts, small jar with screw lid, a white and red label saying peppermint sugar scrub, white and red ribbon tied in bow, wooden surface with pine cone and flowers blurred in background

DIY sugar scrub – DIY Christmas gifts

What you’ll need:

2 cups of white sugar

1/4 cup of coconut oil

a small bottle of peppermint essential oil

red food coloring

mason jars (you can either use one full pint jar or two half-pint ones)

2 bowls and spoons for mixing

Instructions:

  • Pour the sugar in the bowl.
  • Add the coconut oil and mix until you get the consistency you want (you can use more or less coconut oil, depending on your preference).
  • Put a few drops of peppermint essential oil and mix well.
  • Separate half of the mixture into a smaller container and add one or two tiny drops of red food coloring (be careful with the amount, as the color is very strong!)
  • Pour some of the uncolored mixture in a mason jar, then pour a layer of the colored mixture. Keep alternating until the jar is full.
  • If you like, print out a peppermint sugar scrub label and stick it on the jar. Then tie a red and white pin stripe ribbon around the lid. Done!

Not only is this scrub easy to make but it’s natural and healthy too!

coworker christmas gifts, yellow blue and white box of sugar, a jar of coconut oil and a box of assorted food color, near a small bottle with blue label, white surface

coworker christmas gifts, a green plastic bowl with sugar and a wooden spoon, a white and orange measuring spoon, an open jar of coconut oil, a checkered white and red cloth, a small bottle with blue label

If you are looking for another peppermint temptation to pair up with your body scrub gift, how about these gorgeous DIY scented candles?

coworker christmas gifts, two big candles in jars, decorated with red and white string, berries and green leaves, two small candles in red and white cups, wooden surface with xmas tree in background

Peppermint candles – DIY tutorial

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 cups of candle wax (you can either buy it from a crafts store or use old, unscented candles)

a small bottle of peppermint essential oil

candle wicks

one half-pint mason jar

Instructions:

  • Glue a piece of candlewick to the bottom of the mason jar. Make sure it’s extra long (this will be important later).
  • Melt the wax over a double boiler.
  • Once the wax has melted, add about 20 drops of peppermint oil and mix well.
  • Pour the mixture in the mason jar and wrap the piece of candlewick that comes out of the jar around a pencil to make sure it stays upright.
  • Leave the candle to harden for several hours, then trim the candlewick.
  • Decorate the jar with ribbons or ornaments of your choice, but make sure that they are either heat-resistant or can be easily removed before the candle is lit.

coworker christmas gifts, a small cup containing wax shavings, a clear jar with a long candlewick, two empty candle cups with wicks on grey wooden surface

Mason jars make for some of the best DIY Christmas gifts, because they are simple, versatile and can be decorated in variety of different ways.

coworker christmas gifts, clear mason jar containing hand cream, nail polish and nail file, decorated with red ribbon with deer and a xmas tree, with black label tied with string

One original and delicious gift jar idea is this DIY cookies set. Simply pour layer over layer of cookie ingredients in a mason jar and decorate. Not only does it make for a beautiful gift, but it will also enable your friends to bake their own delicious, festive cookies in the drop of a hat!

family christmas gifts, two jars containing layers of sugar flour and nuts, decorated with pine twig and xmas tree ornaments, black label tied with red and white string, red green yellow and silver ornaments

family christmas gifts, open mason jar with walnuts, white chocolate chips and sugar, dried fruit flour and oatmeal, on grey wooden surface near scissors, string, labels and small ornaments

If you are looking for sock-fillers or little gifts for your children’s friends, these elf and reindeer-themed candy jars are a great option!

family christmas gifts, clear mason jar with screw-top lid, with 2 green buttons and a red collar containing green candy, jar with red pom-pom nose and wire antlers containing chocolate candy, a branch of holly

 

family christmas gifts, three mason jars decorated with a brown paper strip, with googly eyes and red a pom-pom nose, with wire antlers stuck on lids, red dotted ribbon and carboard label

family christmas gifts, close up of clear jar with screw-top lid, with a white label featuring a reindeer drawing and a festive message tied to it with string, red pom poms and brown wire antlers

All you need for this clever Santa candy jar are some red candies and an old belt!

family christmas gifts, a mason jar filled with red candy, a black belt with yellow buckle, and a red festive card, white and red surface with fake white christmas tree in the background

Give a little piece of Christmas to your friends and family with these beautiful jars, filled wit festive scents:

xmas gifts, two clear mason jars, screw-top lids tied with tartan ribbons, containing oranges cinnamon cranberries nutmeg pine needles, star anise and cranberries in foreground blurred background

Lanterns are always a great idea, and these beautiful suggestions will bring a warm, festive glow to any home:

xmas gifts, three white, light blue and yellow mason jars with candles inside, decorated with white 3D drawing,featuring a nordic knit pattern,

xmas gifts, three frosted mason jars tied with green ribbons, with snowflake drawings and lit candles inside, placed on white tray with snowflake-shaped confetti

xmas gifts, four lanterns made from mason jars painted in dark blue and black, with lit candles inside, three clear jars of various sizes, painted dark blue, a hand holding a painted jar

xmas gifts, two lanterns made from a big green jar and a smaller red jar, with Christmas tree-shaped windows, full of sugar and placed on fake snow, green and white thread with two white bells

A jar of chill-pills is a great idea for a friend with a good sense of humor.

xmas gifts, a clear jar containing many colorful candies, tied with simple string, with a sticker featuring medical crosses and saying chill pills

christmas crafts for adults, a can of coke in a clear jar with handle, a small bottle of whiskey and red and white straw tied to jar, a can of coke in clear jar with handle, brown spotted straw and small bottle of liqueur tied with green and white string

Don’t forget your little furry friends!

christmas crafts for adults, a clear jar with snap closure and black lid, containing homemade dog biscuits shaped like bones, one bone biscuit tied to closure with red and white ribbon, black label

Here are some more ideas for gorgeous DIY Christmas gifts’ decoration:

christmas crafts for adults, a big clear mason jar filled with sweets, with beautiful snowflake-shaped paper decoration and a pearl, tied with plain string, near pine cones and berries

christmas crafts for adults, an empty clear jar decorated with string, red and white checkered ribbon, a wooden ornament painted like an orange slice, star anise and a green twig, placed on a white plate

christmas crafts for adults, two gifts wrapped in fluffy white paper, tied with soft chunky white tread, decorated with painted wooden circles, green twigs and star anise, near cinnamon sticks and a white tin lantern

christmas crafts for adults, a chunky wooden board with two ccandles, decorated with pine cones cinnamon sticks a star-shaped cookie, with wooden circles painted like fruit slices, lantern and wrapped gift in background

Handmade ornaments are a wonderful gift choice and can be used time and time again.

cheap christmas gift ideas, a photo of a small boy inside a clear glass christmas bauble with some glitter, tied with a sheer sparkling ribbon, attached to a tree with a metal hook

cheap christmas gift ideas, nine images of clear christmas baubles or ornaments, filled with green twigs and fake snow, miniature trees and folded papercheap christmas gift ideas, many xmas tree ornaments, decorated with glitter and newspapers, and featuring a tag that reads noel

cheap christmas gift ideas, one clear glass bauble with silver cap, filled with fake snow, and a drawing of two birds perched on power lines with a red heart

This quirky globe bauble is the perfect present for that friend who loves travelling.

cheap christmas gift ideas, christmas bauble with silver glittering cap, decorated with a map, hanging from an xmas tree on a silver hook

cheap christmas gift ideas, clear glass christmas bauble, filled with white glitter, fake pearls and red jewels, and pieces of paper with writing, silver cap tied with a red ribbon

woman in grey sweater and light grey top, holding a christmas ornament made from a big pine cone, decorated with cinnamon sticks pine twigs and dried fruit, small ornaments and red ribbon

If you have buddies who like Harry Potter, they will love this easy to make golden snitch ornament!

a yellow tree ornament painted with gold paint, with glittering wings and a golden cap, hanging from christmas tree on a metal hook

two yellow ornaments on red background, some wire and a vial of glitter, two tubs of paint in brown and gold, two yellow ornaments with wings hanging from a pine branch

some wire and pliers with yellow and black handles, a piece of paper with a drawing of a simple wing, several wings made of wire, with added paper and golden glitter

three christmas tree ornaments decorated with golden book pages and glitter and, two decorations with eyeglasses and a lightning scar drawn on them, one glittering golden ornament with wings

a small green paper origami crane, hanging on a small chain inside a clear glass bauble, golden cap attached to pine tree with green ribbon

If you’re friends or coworkers have a sweet tooth, we have some great suggestions for DIY Christmas gifts you should definitely try! How cool is this Ferraro and champagne pinapple?

pineapple made of chocolates in golden wrappers, a black champagne bottle, some green and white paper, red thread and a ruler

a black and gold box with white and gold wrapping paper inside, with chocolate and biscuits and a bag of white marshmallows, near festive labels and scissors and small christmas ornaments

christmas tree made of miniature candy bars, with a six pointed paper star in gold, placed on wooden desk with light background

little bags made of red and green tartan fabric, with small decorative pine cones, holly twigs and measuring spoons tide to them

And how about a candy bowl…made of actual candy?

lots of peppermint candies, molten together in the shape of a bowl, a hand holding the candies under a bowl, a green and white tray, a packet of candies

This oh-so-simple and gorgeous window decoration will add a cozy, festive atmosphere to your friends’ homes…

dried orange slices, several pine cones and star shapes, tied to a string and hanging from a ceiling window with wooden window pane

a window decorated with dried orange slices and pine cones, hanging on strings, with heart star and flower shapes

… as will these amazing orange lanterns! 

several lanterns made from hollowed oranges, a book and pen next to an orange, hands holding peeling and carving orange, hands cutting orange peel with cookie cutter and decorating it with spices, glowing decorated orange lanterns

Hand-painted glasses are one of our favorite DIY Christmas gifts ideas.

several plain water glasses, decorated with gold and silver permanent markers, abstract Christmas tree drawing and different shapes, little pine cones red and white beads

gift wrapped in carboard and decorated with orange string, small green twigs and orange ornaments stitched with white tread, wooden board with cookie cutter and cut orange peel, hand crocheting orange shape, crocheted orange shapes lying on newspaper

several little christmas trees, made from pine cones painted green and cork wine stoppers, with little golden stars stuck on top, hand putting glue on star with glue gun

Keep your kids busy with this cute project! They can make DIY Christmas gifts for all of their little friends by using a few plain mugs and some permanent markers.

many plain white ceramic mugs, two permanent markers in orange and black, simple snowman's face drawn on mugs, name written on each mug

little snowman made from white sock, three colorful buttons, blue ribbon for scarf, pace drawn with black paint, nose made from orange felt, blue sock cutout for hat, more buttons and items in background

marker near a white electric tealight with a simple snowman face drawn on it, three lights made to look like snowmen with glowing noses, red earmuffs and scarves and a top hat, little red strings, hand holding one of the painted lights

How about these adorable Lego snow globes?

two snow globes made from a small and a large jar, with fake snow and lego figurines, a snowman made of lego, a lego star wars storm trooper, tied with red and white string with two bells each, pine branches in background

Home-made bath bombs are a great way to pamper a friend or coworker. Plus, you can transform them into Christmas decorations by putting them in empty plastic baubles!

two round pale pink bath bombs, one snowflake shaped pale pink bath bomb, two more in background, five peppermint candies in foreground, all placed on blue surface

a pale pink bath bomb, in an open clear plastic bauble, on pale blue background

brown fluffy towel made to look like a reindeer, with red collar and a golden bell, googly eyes, brown wire antlers and red pom-pom nose stuck on it, in clear plastic wrapping paper tied with red ribbon

We hope you’ve enjoyed our selection of DIY Christmas gifts! Have a happy festive season!

 

John Griffith
John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.

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