10 Affordable DIY Holiday Gift Ideas
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, but one of the hardest parts about this season is finding the perfect gift while staying within your budget. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are trying to buy affordable presents. This list is a compilation of gifts that I have either given or kept long after receiving them. All of them are affordable, unique and sentimental. If you need some inspiration for do-it-yourself, low-cost presents, read on!
1) Letters
One original and thoughtful idea is to write letters to the recipient of your gift. Each letter is geared towards a specific feeling and is tailored to your relationship. For instance, you can write a letter that says, “open when you need to laugh,” and include memories of your friendship that have cracked you up in the past. You could also write a letter to “open when you miss me,” in which you can include pictures or memories to make the recipient of the letter miss you less. When they're feeling down, they can open the letter and have their spirits lifted. This present is unique because it shows how well you know the person and it recalls memories of your relationship. It's perfect for your best friend or significant other.
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
2) Handmade Christmas or holiday card
There are so many Christmas and holiday cards that you can buy, and while they are beautiful, a handmade card has much more sentimental value. If you like arts and crafts, then this present is for you! You can create a Christmas or holiday card to showcase your personal artistic style. This card is special because it shows the effort you put into the gift. Even if you are not a creative person, you can make your handmade card based on an idea from the internet. This gift is perfect for your parents or grandparents. This particular holiday card is one that the recipient is sure not to throw away!
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
3) Drawing or painting
If you want to give someone a gift that will last a lifetime, show off your artistic abilities and create a drawing or a painting. You can draw or paint something that you would enjoy doing or you can tailor your work of art to the recipient. If their favorite flowers are sunflowers, you can draw or paint sunflowers to show that you know the other person well. This gift is perfect for your friends, parents, grandparents, or any other family member!
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
4) Candle holder
This present can be reused throughout the years and does not take much work. You can take a simple yogurt jar and paint it the color that you want and, if you want to add an extra touch, you can use glitter. This gift is affordable because, for the most part, you can find the materials in your house and it does not require much paint. This gift can be reused and is wonderful for decoration on the dinner table. It's great for anyone who loves candles.
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
5) Friendship booklet
If you are giving a present to a friend, this gift idea is perfect. You can buy a little notebook and print out pictures to create a friendship booklet. You then glue the pictures to the page and write a little text about the day you took that picture. This thoughtful gift will without a doubt put a smile on your best friend's face and bring about feelings of nostalgia. It requires some time and effort but is a priceless gesture.
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
6) Personalized calendar
This present is perfect for your family, especially your parents. Most people do not have paper calendars these days but this is the perfect gift for those who still do. There are many websites such as Shutterfly which you can use to create a personalized calendar. Each month you can add a picture with your family. This gift is one that your recipient will use every day for the next year!
Image Credit: Creative Commons/compujeramey
7) Quotes jar
This present is perfect for your friends or family who love having a bit of encouragement throughout their days. You can decorate a jar and fill it with little cards with quotes written on them. These can be inspirational quotes, literary quotes, or quotes said by famous people. This present shows that you know what sayings or subjects your recipient likes. This is also a fantastic decoration piece for an office and whoever you give this to can look at the quotes when they need inspiration!
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
8) Pen holder
This present is simple yet useful. You can take an old food can and glue or tape your decorated piece of paper around the can. This present is great if you would like to gift a hard worker with a present that can be put in their office or on their desk. It's is extremely useful because, even though we live in a technology-filled world, everyone needs pens and a place to put them.
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
9) Lights
This gift is perfect for those who love to decorate their room and enjoy being in the dark. There are many inexpensive lights that you can buy online. If you would like to add to the present, then you can print personal pictures to attach to the lights. This is an amazing gift to get your sibling!
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
10) Personalized little Swiss Army knife
A Swiss Army knife can be used in many situations. This one, which has the added benefit of being portable because of its small size and keychain, is no exception. To make the gift a little more special, you can personalize it by having their name monogrammed on it. This present is one that everyone can enjoy and definitely use often!
Image Credit: Rebecca Le Goff
This list has shown that it is possible to give a great and thoughtful gift while also staying on a budget. This holiday season we should be especially grateful for our families and friends and it's the perfect year to make unique and handmade gifts. Every family celebrates the holidays differently and has unique ideas about gift-giving, but in some cases, handmade and personalized presents are the best.
Happy holidays!
