For the past three years, we have attempted to do a more minimalist and simplified Christmas. Our hopes were to take some of the stress, anxiety, busyness, and cost out of the holidays. What used to be a magical time of year as a kid can quickly become a nightmare as an adult trying to meet the “expectations” of the holiday season.
Over the years we have also tried to cut the expectation of gifts from our holiday gatherings, making it more about the experience of spending time together. Our friends and family don’t seem to mind. With my husband’s family we also do a Secret Santa drawing among the adults that keeps gift giving spirit alive but cuts down on the need to get every member a present.
Another way we have personalized our Christmas experience is by making small handmade gifts. We both enjoy being creative with different craft ideas so this is a fun activity for us all around. We try to keep our gifts wearable, consumable, or upcycled holiday decor to cut down on the amount of extra “stuff” the holidays promote. Since we live very tiny, it’s something we appreciate ourselves.
Here’s a list of handmade Christmas gifts we’ve given in the past:
Knitting
I haven’t mastered knitting needles yet but I love my knitting looms. My husband even enjoys knitting too while we have a movie or TV show on. We made hats one year for everyone, including some mohawk style ones that one of our nephews loved. I knitted scarves a different year.
I’ve branched out into more creative uses of the looms with headbands and attempted wrist warmers in the past. Last year we discovered scrubby yarn and made circular dishcloths for everyone.
Lip Balm
My first attempt at a consumable present was making small individual lip balm tins for everyone last year. It went over really well! We flavored them peppermint or sweet orange using my essential oils. I’ll post my recipe and directions next week.
A couple of years ago, my mother-in-law made sugar scrubs for everyone for Christmas, which is also a great idea. This year I may have something new up my sleeve to share after Christmas. 😉
Handmade Ornaments
So far (we’ve only been married for two Christmases) we’ve enjoyed making handmade ornaments to go with our gifts. Our first Christmas we made them out of an old book that was falling apart. We stacked 4 or 5 sheets of paper and sewed them together down a center line. Then we cut different shapes and folded them out to make a 3D bell, star, globe, or Christmas tree.
For another style we cut the pages into 3 different lengths of ribbon and used a glue gun to attach the stripes together at two points so they bow out into a beautiful shape.
Last year my husbands cut discs out of a fallen branch on our new property. He polished them and drilled a hole in the top of each one so I could put a ribbon in them for hanging. We used a wood burner to inscribe “Merry Christmas”.
Other Posts for Getting in the Holiday Spirit:
- 10 Favorite Christmas Movies
- A Christmas Book List
- Holiday Diffuser Blends
- Personalized Advent Calendar Ideas
- Handmade Ornaments from Old Books
- A Past December Project
How do you feel about fewer gifts for Christmas? What handmade items does your family exchange?
