Try these rustic, upcycled crafting ideas for how to make handmade gifts for the holidays.
I think homemade gifts are the best. Thought, time, and love goes into anything handmade.
We live in a world of commercialism and materialism. I hope I am not alone when I tell you, “Please don’t go to a store and buy me some trinket that will end up in a yard sale in three years.” I don’t want you to spend your money on it and I don’t want to store it for three years and I don’t want to have a yard sale. Thank you. On the other hand, if you make me some German roasted almonds or a tallow candle or an ornament, I will gladly accept it, enjoy it and love it!
I am going to share a few of my favorite DIY Christmas gift ideas. Some of these are so simple you can do them in one afternoon. For the extreme crafters out there, I have included some advanced ideas as well.
The great thing about homemade Christmas gifts:
- They can be very simple and easy to create
- They are practically free (especially if you hoard scrap wood)
- If you craft with your kids, making the gifts is a fun family activity (since I have four kids, I never craft alone)
- You can customize your gifts for the person you are giving them to
These homemade gifts are super easy and practically free. Especially if you have a friend about to push a barn over and burn it. When there is old barn wood about to be sacrificed I will be their savior. Got wood? Call me! I’ll take it. There happens to be a collection of scrap wood stacked in the corner of our barn. That collection contains a lot of odds and ends and lots of old barn wood.
You can call it upcycling, recycling, or just grabbing something out of the scrap pile & making it into something beautiful. Whatever you call it, I love it.
How to Make Handmade Gifts: Personalized Signs
Some of my favorite gifts are signs.
Signs are a unique addition to your home, porch, barn or farm. Instead of hanging pictures only, a mixture of pictures, collectibles and signs make a decor more interesting and personal. The sky is the limit when it comes to making signs for the people you love.
If you have some old wood and some paint, you can make signs. They are adorable, fun, personal and practically free to make! I have made signs from old barn wood for almost everyone I know.
I love to personalize the sign for whomever is receiving it. They have been fun to make and loved by all.
Use a 2-by-4 to Make a Holiday Stacker
Another great homemade gift is stackers. I did not invent stackers, I just make them. They are so easy to make and so precious. Below are a few of my favorite that you too can make for your loved ones this Christmas.
It is so cute and all you need is some wood, scrapbooking paper, glue, and paint. Mix and match patterns and colors for a fun, whimsical look. This one only uses 2-by-4s and takes no time at all. The end result is adorable.
Crafts for Kids: Simple Block Nativity
This simple Nativity is cherished in our home. My children have all made one. If you know how to use a hot glue gun, this will be a cinch.
I believe handmade presents say a lot more than, “Merry Christmas.” They mean so much more. Making a gift takes time, effort, creativity, and hard work. Receiving a handmade gift lets the receiver know how much they mean to you.
Visit Candi Johns on Farm Fresh for Life for more homemade gift ideas.
