Tis the season for giving, but all that generosity can break the bank. It can be easy to get caught up in the moment while shopping for others. But homemade gifts are the perfect solution because they’re often cheaper than store-bought goods. If you buy supplies in bulk, you can make unique, personalized gifts for all your friends, family and coworkers.
Admittedly, homemade presents are sometimes better in theory than in practice. After all, will all your friends really appreciate the work you put into crocheting leg warmers for each of them? Here’s a list of do-it-yourself presents that everyone on your list will actually appreciate:
1. A personalized mug. Between late nights and early classes, caffeine addiction is practically inevitable for college students. So why not design a unique mug for your friend’s early morning (or late-night) pick-me-up? Just doodle a design on some plain mugs (which are as cheap as 99 cents at IKEA) with oil-based Sharpies and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Scared of messing up? You can use rubbing alcohol to wipe off your mistakes before baking. Even in a groggy, pre-caffeinated state, your friend will appreciate the personal touch.
2. Personalized sunglasses. We all have tons of freebie sunglasses lying around that we’ll never actually wear because they have a logo from some brand we don’t care about. As the ultimate form of regifting, turn those unsightly sunnies into a cute new pair for a friend. Use nail polish to paint the sunglasses your friend’s favorite color and add a fun design. Aztec print, flowers or glittery stripes can help transform cheap sunglasses into a statement piece.
3. Baked goods. Sure, they can be cliche, but cookies are a holiday staple that nearly everyone enjoys. Making several types of cookies is great if you have a lot of people on your Christmas list; bake huge batches and distribute a few of each type to everyone, and they’ll each end up with a generous assortment of delicious baked goods. You can’t go wrong with Oreo truffles, white chocolate cranberry cookies or seven-layer bars.
4. Chai mix. Chai tea lattes are a seasonal favorite, so let your friends make their own at home instead of waiting in line at Starbucks. Simply combine one cup each of dry milk powder, powdered nondairy creamer and vanilla nondairy creamer, two-and-a-half cups of white sugar, one-and-a-half cups of unsweetened instant tea, two teaspoons each of ginger and cinnamon and one teaspoon each of cloves and cardamom. Place a bag of the mix in a Mason jar or a mug (one personalized with a Sharpie, perhaps?) with directions to stir two tablespoons of the mix into hot water.
5. Lip balm. Cold weather means chapped lips. A tube of ChapStick might not be the most personal present, but making your own lip balm can be a thoughtful gift. You can go the higher-end route and make balm from beeswax or shea butter, but for a super simple recipe, you’ll need just two common ingredients: petroleum jelly and drink mix. Combine your friend’s favorite variety of Kool-Aid or Crystal Light with Vaseline until you reach your desired color and flavor. Decorate the container for a personal touch or make several flavors to give your friend more options. Pick fun names to make it even better — after all, why give plain old raspberry when you can give Rudolph’s Rockin’ Raspberry or berry when you can give Mistletoe Kiss Mixed Berry?
No one likes a Scrooge, but going bankrupt in your generosity isn’t going to help anyone. These ideas are perfect for giving everyone on your list a present they’ll appreciate without spending all of your college savings.
