I don’t know about anyone else, but as I get older, I’ve noticed that the holidays always manage to sneak up on me. As soon as finals end, it feels like Christmas is right around the corner and my wallet is drier than a desert. This year is absolutely no exception. In fact, I haven’t even made most of the Christmas presents for all of my friends. If you’re like me and want to get them something nice, but also inexpensive, then check out this list of cheap, DIY Christmas gifts.
1. Homemade Organic Body Butter & Lotion
This cute DIY comes from MyMerryMessyLife.com and is super easy and cheap! Plus, it’s totally organic! All you need are 3 ingredients: organic coconut oil, organic sweet almond oil, and organic, raw, unrefined shea butter! In total, you can purchase all that’s necessary for this recipe for approximately $10.
The full tutorial can be found here.
2. Homemade Peppermint Vanilla Lip Scrub
There’s no time like winter to make you appreciate the times in the sweet summer where your lips weren't completely chapped 24/7. Good chapstick can be really hard to come by, so my favorite solution has become a sugar scrub. Not only is it a great gift, but it’s also incredibly simple to make. All that’s needed is organic sugar, refined coconut oil, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract. While this option is more pricy of a gift at around $24, it’s also still a great option and produces a good, big batch!
The full tutorial can be found here.
3. Starbucks Latte Soap
We all have that friend that’s absolutely obsessed with anything to do with Starbucks (I am that friend in my friend group). This is a gift that’s absolutely made for them! Complete with a cute Starbucks cup, all you would need to make it is a soap base, vanilla essential oil, rubbing alcohol, and cinnamon, so making this would only cost about $17 total!
The full tutorial can be found here.
4. Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
There's nothing that I love more during the holidays than curling up under a bundle of blankets with a big cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows--and I know I'm not the only cocoa fiend out there! Making those cute mason jar mixtures is a super simple and easy way to make someone's Christmas a little brighter, and it only costs about $16 all together!
The full tutorial can be found here.
5. Bath Bombs in a Jar
You don’t have to spend an infinite amount of money at Lush buying their bath bombs when you can make your own for only about $15! Save some money and follow Idle Wife’s recipe to making green tea, vanilla, coconut, and cinammon bath bombs. The recipe is a bit extensive, but the results are definitely worth it!
The full tutorial can be found here.
6. Chalkboard Coaster Set
This is probably my favorite idea on the list, just because it’s so easy and simple! All that’s needed are coasters, paint, and chalk and you’re good to go! You can probably get everything needed for this for under $10 if you re-use old coasters or have some chalkboard paint lying around, which probably makes this one of the cheapest options on this list!
The full tutorial can be found here.
7. Mason Jar Cocktail Set
We are college students after all. And what college student doesn’t need a cute, little at-the-ready mixed drink? You can get everything needed for this, alcohol and all, for probably around $10-$15, and it’s literally just something that you can toss together and use ribbon and twine to spruce up a bit. It may not be the most thoughtful gift, but I guarantee that any college student will appreciate it.
The full tutorial can be found here.
8. Cookie Mix Gift Sack
Another super easy mix to put together that’ll cost under $10. The mint chips are optional and may be a bit hard to find, but they can really pull the recipe together!
The full tutorial can be found here.
9. Kool-Aid Lip Gloss
Lip gloss is obviously not the gift for everyone, but for those that do enjoy it, it’s also incredibly easy to make and under $10, as well. Plus, who doesn’t want to be reminded of their childhood with the delicious Kool-Aid taste?
The full tutorial can be found here.
10. Personalized Coupon Book
A coupon book is an incredibly cute gift for anyone--your parents, your partner, your sibling. It’s completely personalizable depending on who you’re giving it to, as well! And the best part? It’s completely free to make! If you don’t want to decorate the cards yourself, many templates for the coupons can be found on Pinterest and other websites for free download.
The full tutorial can be found here.
