Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

1. Quick Breads

The idea: make a loaf of quick bread for a friend or a neighbor. You'll be blessed by the sweet smell in your home, and they will be blessed by the yummy treat and your thoughtfulness!  Here is a list of recipes:

• Quick Breads, Easy Presents

• Cherry Pie Filling Bread

• Banana Banana Bread

• Strawberries & Cream Bread

• Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread

• Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread

• Cinnamon Loaf

• Chocolate Zucchini Bread

• Cranberry Orange Scones

• Apple Bread

• Our Favourite Lemon Loaf

• White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

• Fresh Orange Muffins

• Kiwi Quick Bread

• Pear Cardamom Bread

• Cranberry Orange Quick Bread

• Quick Amish Friendship Bread (no starter required!)

• Lemon Poppy Seed Quick Bread

• Sour Cream Apple Cardamom Bread

• Eggnog Quick Bread

2. Tea, Coffee or Other Drink Blends

The idea: put together a tin or pretty package that is filled with your own, homemade drink blend. There are plenty of recipes available, and you can always add your personal touches!

• Personalized Coffee Blend

• Homemade Vanilla Bean Coffee Blend

• Bavarian Mint Coffee

• Snickerdoodle Coffee Mix

• Cafe Vienna Coffee Mix

• Flavored Coffee Creamers

• Vanilla Coffee Creamer

• Chocolate Malt Coffee Creamer

• Mocha Coffee Gift Mix

• Swiss Mocha Coffee Mix

• Brewed Orange Cinnamon Coffee

• Gingerbread Creamer for Coffee or Tea

• Hot Apple Cider Mix

• Mulling Spices

• Mulling Sachets

• Russian Friendship Tea Mix

• Instant Chai Tea Mix

• Chai Tea Mix in a Jar

• Peach Tea Mix You could try this tea with any flavor, really!

• Mom's Hot Chocolate Mix

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

• Delicious Hot Chocolate Mix

• Creamy Hot Chocolate Mix

• Whole Foods Hot Chocolate Mix with 3 Options

• White Hot Chocolate Mix

• Snowman Soup Mix in a Jar

3. Hand Made Recipe Book

The idea: put together a collection of your favorite recipes, or family-favorite recipes.

• Recipe Booklet

   

4. A Cleaning Book

The idea: put together a collection of cleaning recipes and tips. Get ideas and recipes from the following links:

• Cleaning Solution Recipes

• Homemade Drain Cleaner

• Faux Febreeze

• Economical Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

• The Best All Purpose Cleaner

• Easy Homemade Microwave Cleaner

• Fruit Fly/Gnat Trap

• Wonderful Kitchen Sink Scrub

• Homemade 'Oxygen' Cleaner

• Cleaning Your Dishwasher

5. Popped Corn in a Tin

Idea: You've seen the store-bought popcorn tins, why not make your own?

• Popcorn Tins

• Best Seller Caramel Corn

• Milk Chocolate Popcorn

• Garlic Butter & Cheese Popcorn

• Peanut Butter Popcorn I just have to say that I loved peanut butter popcorn as a kid, and now I am allergic to peanut butter. Don't you all feel sorry for me? :)

• Caramel Popcorn

• Adult Popcorn This is really yummy! Reminds me of Pirates Booty, but a little spicier.

• Christmas Tin Popcorn Snack

• Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

• Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn

• Popcorn Seasoning Mixes

• Harvest Popcorn

• Taco Popcorn

• Cajun Popcorn Spice

• Popcorn with Lime and Chili

• Onion & Garlic Popcorn

• Pizza Popcorn

• Butterscotch Cashew Popcorn

• Rainbow Popcorn

• Fudgy Popcorn

• Mother Goose Popcorn

• Honey Popcorn

• Popcorn S'mores

• Winter White Popcorn

• Buttercrunch Popcorn

• Harvest Popcorn Mix

6. Knitted Scarf or Hat

The idea: You knit a hat or scarf for somebody for Christmas.

• How to Knit

• Knitting at about.com

• Knitting Help

• Lion Brand Yarn Company free patterns & instructions

7. Gifts in a Jar

The idea: You make a "mix" of some sort of food item in a jar and give it away as a present.

• Recipes on this site

• Potato Soup Mix in a Jar

• Soup Mix in a Jar

• Hamburger Helping Mix (in a jar)

• New Mexico Trail Mix in a Jar

• Jambalaya Mix in a Jar

• Love-Soup Mix in a Jar

• Cinnamon Pancake Mix in a Jar

• Rainbow Bean Soup Mix

• Cute as a Button Cookie Mix in a Jar

• Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix in a Jar

• Blueberry Pancake Mix

• Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar

• Salsa Mix in a Jar

• Dry Oatmeal Mix

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8. Candles

The idea: You make a homemade candle for somebody as a Christmas gift. It will brighten up their day!

• Making a Candle

• The Art of Candle Making

• Teacup Lights These are SO cute!

• Cinnamon Candle

9. Soaps & other Bath Products

The idea: You make handmade soaps, soaks, bath salts, sugar scrubs, or other bath products to give away.

• Making Soaps a website

• Making Soaps another, really fun looking site

• Making Soaps & Candles about.com

• Goodbye Hard and Dry Heels Easy Mix!

• Goodbye to Dry and Damaged Hair Mix

• Mint Bath Salts

• Strawberry & Cream Bath Salts

• Berry Bath Salts

• Scented Bath Salts

• Candy Cane Bath Salts

• Apple Pie Bath Salts

• Chamomile Mint Bath Salts

• Lavender Vanilla Bath Salts

• Jasmine Bath Salts

• Black Cherry Bath Salts

• Buttermilk Bath Soak

• Milk and Honey Bubble Bath

• Herbal Bubble Bath

• Foot Scrub

• Holiday Cooling Foot Scrub

• Simple Sugar Scrub

• Brown Sugar Body Scrub

• Ginger Sugar Scrub

• Soft as a Baby Sugar Scrub

• Chocolate Orange SOAP Cakes

• Liquid Hand Soap

• Lavender Scented Soap Sticks

• Chocolate Mint Soap

• Homemade Sunless Tanning Lotion

• Strawberry Facial Cleansing Lotion

10. Homemade Dip and Seasoning Mixes

The idea: You put together a cute little baggie or small jar of dry dip mix or seasoning mix to give away as a gift. I make mixes like this a lot, and I can't tell you how handy they are to have in the pantry! You can find cute little jars at container and storage stores, or mini plastic bags (staple or stick your own label on the top) at restaurant supply stores. Whoever you give these to will enjoy them! Note: If you're going to make a lot of these, get big containers of the spices you need at a restaurant supply store (here: Cash & Carry), or in bulk at the cheapest grocery store in town (here: Winco).

• Ranch Dressing and Seasoning Mix

• Italian Dressing Seasoning Mix

• French Italian Salad Dressing Mix

• Sweet Salad Dressing Mix

• Caesar Salad Dressing Mix

• Dry Onion Soup Mix

• Barbecue Dry Rub Mix

• Enchilada Sauce Mix

• Spaghetti Sauce Mix

• Taco Seasoning Mix

• Fajita Seasoning Mix

• Sloppy Joe Mix

• Cajun Seasoning Mix

• Kentucky Fried Chicken Seasoning Mix

• Greek Seasoning Mix

• Moroccan Seasoning Mix

• Chili Seasoning Mix

• Rice Seasoning Mix

• Blackening Seasoning Mix

• Chive and Garlic Dip Mix

• Italian Dip Mix

• Mexican Fiesta Dip Mix Recipe

11. Easy Personalized Gifts

The idea: You make another sort of hand made, personal gift item.

• Stenciled Tea Towels

• Put together a photo collage or a scrapbook, or photo album

• Make a new address book for someone who has a book that is falling apart, or addresses and phone numbers in random places in the house1

• Make a personal filing system for someone who needs to get organized in a particular area of life.

• Make a homemade cleaning kit (see above for recipes).