Cheap and Easy Homemade Christmas Gifts

The economy is abysmal and many people are out of work.  I have scoured the internet and the library (craft books galore) for the best cheap and easy Christmas craft gift ideas I could find.

First, I'd like to direct you to this blog post.  I wrote it in 2008 and every year since then it receives hundreds of hits around Christmas time.  Homemade gifts (with instructions, of course) include:

• Bath salts
• Bath bags
• Stationary
• Joke book
• Shave soap
• Microwave fudge in a jar
• Chocolate chip cookie mix in a jar
• Recipe book
• Hot cocoa in a jar

Some of my favorite finds this year are listed below:

Mulling Sachets
This is a great gift idea for the wine lover.  The sachets can also be used to make mulled cider. I wouldn't recommend it unless there are multiple people you could make these for--if there are say 4 people you could give this gift to then it's a fairly inexpensive investment.

Materials:

• cheese cloth (recommended: washed and dried)
• Cinnamon sticks (whole)
• Star anise
• Cardamon pods
• Peppercorns (whole)
• Cloves (whole)
• Cheesecloth
• Cardboard
• Decorative tin/mason jar/pretty mug

You can get the spices at your local grocery story and many of them have lowered prices for the holidays. Also, you can use any decorative container you have around the house to put the sachets in.  I recommend 6 sachets per container.  If you make enough for 10 people then the total price should come out to around $2 a person--not too shabby, eh?

Instructions:

Cut cheesecloth into two 6-inch rounds; layer. In center, place 1/2-inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 pods cardamom, 4 black peppercorns, and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Tie with twine. Set several in tin, and tie with bow and holly sprig. Adhere decorative label.

Attach a note with the following directions: "Place one sachet in mug, fill with hot cider, and steep 3 to 5 minutes."

 
 Mosaic Flowerpot 
This is a great gift for gardeners.  You can add to it by grabbing a few of the super cheap seed packets at your local hardware store, tying them with a pretty ribbon, and placing them inside the pot.

Materials:

• Newspaper
• Pieces of broken pottery, beads, shells, or marbles
• Ceramic tile grout (about $3 at Lowes)
• Plastic knife
• Terra cotta flower pot
• sponge

Instructions:

Cover your work area with newspaper to protect it.  Discard any pieces with sharp corners.  Spread a thick layer of grout over the flower pot using the plastic knife.  Press your tile and pottery pieces into the grout.  When done you can add a little more grout between the pieces to ensure that any sharp edges are covered.  Once the grout dries use a wet sponge to wipe off any grout film.

You can find more great ideas at Martha Stewart's website and at the Disney Family Fun website.

Please feel free to comment with any great homemade gift ideas of your own.  Happy holidays!