Homemade Gifts for the Holidays

Handmade holiday gifts are truly charming, fun to create and meaningful!  Ready to channel your inner Martha Stewart?  Get inspired by these homemade holiday gifts and read on for tips on how to get started.

Cookie mix in a jar is a favorite homemade gift at 3148 Silbury Hill.

Cookie Mix in Jar

I absolutely adored the chocolate chip cookie mix I received as a holiday gift from a colleague a few years back.  The mix itself was presented in the most darling decorative jar and the cookies were really delicious!  While a quick Google search will yield dozens of cookie mix recipes, there’s only one I’ve taste-tested and can recommend: Oatmeal-Chip Cookie Mix In A Jar.  View the recipe here: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32262/Oatmeal-Chip-Cookie-Mix-In-A-Jar/detail.aspx  Look for decorative jars at your local craft store and don’t forget to include a tag with baking instructions.

Darling dish towels like these can be sewn at home or you can purchase them online at this adorable online store: http://www.thenavyknot.com.

Tea Towels

Tea towels are a lovely gift.  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate getting such towels as a gift from my mom and grandmother.  They are so beautiful and unique to anything you’d find at a store.  Depending on the materials you select, tea towels can be an inexpensive gift to make at home.  However, making such towels does require a sewing machine and a bit of skill. The fun in making tea towels is designing your own.  Inspiration is everywhere. Follow the basic tea towel sewing instructions here: http://www.ehow.com/how_4780282_make-tea-towels.html to get started.

These jingle bell wine charms are available at Crate and Barrel or you can make your own.

Wine Charms

Wine charms are a really fun gift and a good companion gift to go along with a bottle of wine or wine glasses.  These charms are super easy to make at home and the supplies you need are readily available at your local craft store.  Ask a salesperson at the craft store to direct you to the aisle containing the jewelry-making supplies.  You’ll be overwhelmed by the selection.

I plan on making wine charms for someone this year and I’m really excited to start the project.  Just like charm bracelets, the charms you select to add to the wine rings can be tailored to the individual who will receive them or can be tailored to memories you have shared with that individual.  How fun?  Get started creating your own wine charms with these instructions: http://www.ehow.com/how_6135983_homemade-wine-charms.html

No-Sew Fleece Blanket

My no-sew fleece blanket is hands down the best blanket I’ve ever owned – thank you to my sister for this lovely gift last Christmas!  It’s soft, warm and extremely comforting on a cold winter night.

No-sew fleece blankets are extremely easy to create and the fabric is very affordable!  You’ll find the fleece fabric you need at your local fabric store, such as JoAnn Fabrics or even in the fabric section at Walmart.  What’s fun about this project is that you can really personalize the fabric to appeal to the gift recipient.  For example, fabric stores here in the Philadelphia area carry fleece fabric with the Philadelphia Eagles logo.  Stop by the fabric store and you’ll soon see that the fabric options are endless.  I’ve even seen leopard print fabric!

Here’s a video with instructions on how to make a no-sew fleece blanket: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLazeRC0j9M

Check out Saveur.com for cookie and candy recipes. This photo credit goes to Todd Coleman.

Homemade Candy

Homemade sweets such as cookies are a popular holiday token.  For a unique twist on the ever thoughtful home-baked gift, consider making candy gifts such as lollipops, truffles and chocolate covered cherry cordials instead of cookies.  Thank you Saveur for the fabulous candy recipes here: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Chocolate-Truffles

The fun part of making candy and cookie gifts is the chance to create your own decorative packaging.  Look for simple bakery boxes for the candies and plastic bags for the lollipops at your local craft store or try a larger retailer such as A.C. Moore.  I, personally, have seen packaging for these goodies at Michaels in Exton, PA.  Consider decorating the packaging with holiday-themed ribbon or you may even apply holiday-themed stencils to the outside of the bakery box.

For an extensive collection of handmade gift ideas, visit Martha Stewart’s Santa’s Workshop page here: http://www.marthastewart.com/307035/santas-workshop?tab=index