As the holiday season approaches, DIY Christmas gifts are a great way to save money while making a unique and heartfelt gift. Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a family member, best friend, teacher, or even an 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’ll focus on super easy homemade gifts, like specialty balms, candles, and bath salts. They are easy to make and make wonderful gifts!
If you’re looking for a way to stop using the usual gift card as a gift and want to put a little more love into your gifts but don’t want to spend too much or go too far, I have some great ideas for simple things. Handmade gifts that anyone can make.
Homemade balms and ointments:
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 found at your local supermarket. Walmart has 4 ounce glass jars which make great containers for balms (and candles too!). Also take some unrefined coconut oil and organic olive oil. Beeswax can be found all over Amazon, but I recommend THIS one and THIS one. Balms make a great handmade gift if you’re in a hurry but still want to give a gift with a personal touch.
Some balm ideas are: heel balm, lip balm, hand ointment, sleeping balm, healing balm, nasal congestion balm (steam rub), solid perfume, homemade Vaseline, beard balm, All-purpose beauty balm, body butter, muscle pain balm, tattoos. balm, anti-stress balm and headache balm. There are so many creative ways to make a balm that suits the gift recipient. Homemade balms can be a very useful gift.
As you can see, the balms are very customizable and make beautiful gifts.
What you will need to make a basic homemade balm:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 TABLESPOON. Bee wax
- 20 drops of essential oils *optional*
- 4 ounce glass jars
- medium size pot
- Glass bowl or glass measuring cup
- stirring sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Gift tags o Tags *optional*
- Tape *optional*
Materials
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 TABLESPOON. Bee wax
- 20 drops of essential oils *optional*
Tools
- 4 ounce glass jars
- medium size pot
- Glass bowl or glass measuring cup
- stirring sticks
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tags or gift tags *optional*
- Tape *optional*
Instructions
- Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water.
- Place a pyrex glass measuring cup or container with a spout in the water.
- Add coconut and olive oil and beeswax to the glass jar or bowl and let the beeswax melt completely.
- Remove from heat and add essential oils if using.
- Pour mixture into 4-ounce glass jars.
- Let the balm cool. You can put the balm in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Grades
Customize your balm to become lip balm, hand ointment, sleeping balm, heel balm, steam ointment, healing ointment, muscle ointment, etc.
Be sure to include a label or label that explains what the balm is and how to use it. I would include the included ingredients as well. A cute ribbon to tie the tag is a nice addition.
You don’t have to use coconut oil and olive oil at the same time. You can use one or the other, but I recommend both because they work (and smell) great together. Coconut is an amazing 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 the oils to a balm-like consistency.
Related Post: Homemade Coffee Body Scrub for Cellulite
Homemade bath salts:
Bath salts are a very easy gift that can be customized to each person’s specific needs. They can be as simple as a jar full of Epsom salt and a few drops of essential oils. You can also add ground oats, milk powder, seaweed, spirulinadried herbs, baking soda, dried citrus peels, dried flowers, etc.
As the base of your salt bath, you can use Epsom salt, dead sea salt either Himalayan pink salt. Epsom salt can be found in large, affordable bags at most supermarkets and is just as effective as other, more expensive salts. When making bulk bath salts, Epsom salt is the easiest way to go. I wrote an entire post on everything you need to know about bath salts. You may 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, increased skin hydration, accelerated wound healing, and increased circulation. Not to mention, promoting self-care among your loved ones 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 some suggestions to personalize your bath salts…
- lavender oil-relaxation
- peppermint oil-pain in muscles and joints
- Eucalyptus oil-symptoms of congestion and cold
- citrus oils-strengthen capillaries, tighten skin and reduce water retention in cells. They increase circulation and prevent the accumulation of lymph.
- Juniper and rosemary oils-increases circulation and decongests sluggish and inactive tissues.
- grapefruit oil-Reduces water retention and may help reduce the appearance of cellulite.
You might also consider a homemade foot bath. The good thing about foot baths is that they require much less soaking and you can use a smaller bottle. Last year I did foot baths 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, milk powder, etc.) *optional
Tools
- 8 to 16 ounce glass jar
- Tape
- Gift tags or tags
Instructions
- Fill a jar 3/4 full with Epsom salt if adding additives. If not, fill the jar with Epsom salt.
- If you add additives, add them.
- Add essential oils.
- Replace the cap and shake well.
Grades
Use 1-2 cups in a hot bath. Soak for 10 to 30 minutes.
How to use bath salts:
-Add 1-2 cups to a hot bath and relax for 10-30 minutes.
Just like with a homemade balm, cute gift tags are needed so the recipient of this gift understands how to use the bath salts and what they contain.
Related Post: Himalayan Oatmeal Bath Soak Recipe and Homemade Bath Bombs
Homemade candles:
Homemade candles are a simple gift idea at home. 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 like the 4-ounce glass jars (Walmart) mentioned above when talking about homemade balms. There are often tunneling problems where the wax burns in the center of the candle and never reaches the sides of the container. This is a common problem, but the smaller you make your sails, the less you will experience this problem.
Fragrance oils work best in soy candles, but you can use essential oils. But don’t expect them to have a strong smell. If you choose to make beeswax candles (my favorite), I don’t recommend using fragrances or oils. Beeswax has a subtle sweet smell on its own.
What you will need to make candles:
For a detailed photo tutorial, read my post on homemade soy candles and my post on homemade beeswax candles.
I have used 4 ounce glass jars which I use for solid cleansing oils and balms for candles and they work great. They are narrow enough to prevent tunneling, easy to buy in bulk on Amazon, and have a lid. They also have a soft space for a 2×2 label if you want. I also found THESE Beautiful 4 ounce tins that would be perfect for candles!
On your label, you may advise the user to burn the candle to the sides of the container the first time they light it. It is important for any candle user to know this to get the most out of their candles.
Some more simple DIY gift ideas:
Tips for festive packaging:
- Using a pine or cedar twig is a lovely touch when tied to the ribbon around the edge of the lid.
- Tags can be frustrating if you’re short on time, so you can create a handmade gift tag from a 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 to see some of my labels.
- I love using brown craft paper, even if it’s wrinkled. It makes great wrapping paper and can be easily embellished by adding colorful ribbon.
These are my favorite ideas for handmade gifts. Not only are they perfect for the holidays, but they also make a special gift for any special occasion, especially Mother’s Day and Father’s Day! Making your own handmade gifts is not only a lot of fun, but it’s an easy way to make your loved ones feel special. Adding your personalized touch to each of your gifts will not only save you money, but will also show the special effort and attention you gave to each of your gift recipients. It’s the perfect way to express yourself and a great creative outlet.
Happy holidays, Jenni.
