I remember all of the homemade Secret Santa gifts I made and received, as a child I complained about those gifts. I wanted something that I could play with for a few weeks only to leave it somewhere and forget about it.
The holidays always have me thinking about the past, thinking about those simpler days making gifts for family members. Funny thing, those homemade Christmas gifts are the gifts that left the best memories. Cheesy but so true!
Homemade Secret Santa Gifts
Now whenever I want to make my holiday gifts more personalized (i.e., just don’t have the funds to buy something nice for everybody!), I always spend ages trawling through DIY gift guides. Not only does this take a long time, but I rarely find ideas that look decent and like something people would want to receive (harsh I know, but I’m just being honest with you guys).
That’s why I’ve done all the work for you, so you just have to look in one place – here! In compiling this homemade Secret Santa gifts list, we’ve attempted to find simple DIY gifts that are not only feasible, affordable, and attractive, but also versatile. It is possible to create gifts without overspending.
I hope these Secret Santa gift ideas can be given to any type of person and personalized for that handmade (but not frumpy!) feel.
Tasty Gifts
One of the only homemade Secret Santa gifts that never fails is food.
Food is always a great homemade gift, but I tried to choose gifts that felt a little more personal and thoughtful than just handing someone a cookie tin or a bottle of wine.
This spice rub gift set may seem a bit of an odd gift, but it’s a cook’s (or someone with no prowess in the kitchen’s) best friend. It’s perfect to rub on any kind of meat, poultry, or seafood for instant, effortless flavor. Plus it includes a few variations depending on what cuisine you want to go for. Buy these spices in bulk, mix up a huge batch of this rub, and place them in a nice container for a cost-effective gift for everyone on your list!
Another great option is this gourmet cookie-in-a-jar gift – everyone is so saturated with sweets around the holidays that making these treats on your own time is a gift in and of itself. With just a few wet ingredients, these brownies will come together quickly, and be sure to delight!
Chalkboard Gifts
I don’t know what it is about that chalkboard paint patina, but it just looks so classy! If your only experience with it is chalkboards in school, take a look at any hipster store anywhere, and you’ll see what I mean.
You can apply chalkboard paint to anything! Here is an idea for a chalkboard serving tray (you can label your cheeses or write tasting notes about wines), and here’s one for just a straight-up chalkboard.
But really, the sky’s the limit here. You can paint flower pots with chalkboard paint for plant identification or a towel rack with a backboard so you can keep whose towels are whose straight. This homemade gift definitely won’t let you down and will be so much fun for both you and the recipient!
Ceramics Gifts
Don’t worry, you don’t have to have an MFA or extensive experience as a ceramicist for this next one. This decorated tea set was bought and constructed, and all the creator had to do was buy a cheap ceramic pen and decorate it! Once again, don’t feel limited by the tutorial – you can let your mind run wild with ceramics you can decorate – plates, mugs, ceramic trays (for holding odds and ends), flower pots – the list goes on. You also don’t have to stick to the cutesy drawings from the tutorial. This is what makes it perfect for personalization.
Maybe you could draw the House Stark sigil or the Batman logo or a Super Mario game level. If you feel a bit iffy about your drawing skills, another solid option would be these customized photo coasters. Snag some photos of your friend’s Instagram or find some old forgotten photos of vacations or birthdays past.
Again, you can also veer off into pop culture for a project that would be way cheaper than official merchandise coasters. These are easier than they look, and the tiles are so cheap! So if you decide to add some ceramic to your homemade Christmas gifts, the personalized aspect will make them extra special.
Conclusion
Now that you have some awesome ideas for your homemade Christmas gifts, I just want to leave you with one more piece of advice – presentation is everything. So don’t forget to put some effort into the gift wrapping! Enjoy the holiday season, and go wow some gift recipients!