Never mind about jingle all the way, what about homemade all the way?
There’s no better way to put your personal stamp on Christmas, than to literally create it yourself. From the treats to the decs and the cards and the gifts, homemade is unique and can be more cost effective than buying everything.
Homemade Christmas cards
It’s estimated 1 billion cards are thrown away across the UK once Christmas is over.1
But we’re no longer in an era where physical cards are the only option. We can send e-cards, no cards at all or we can make our own. You can make snowmen out of buttons2 , cut leaves from the garden or your herb patch to make mini card wreaths3 , use your fingerprint to make holly berries4 and cut out festive shapes, such as stars and triangle trees5 , as well as use stamps to make festive scenes.6
Most of the time you just need some scissors, glue, coloured paper/card and pens and old bits of fabric, ribbon, newspapers or anything else that’s got an interesting colour or texture or looks festive, and lots of imagination!
Homemade Christmas decorations
Ahh yes, the humble Christmas decoration….the baubles that we dust off every year and the miles of tinsel that leaves a trail of glitter everywhere. Last, but not least, there’s the worn-looking fairy that you made when you were at school…
Homemade Christmas wreaths are always a winner. Grab some evergreen leaves or garden offcuts, a base and some ribbon and holly and you’ve got yourself a traditional wreath design. Or if you want something a bit more modern, then why not grab some foam balls, glue gun them together in the shape of a circle and jazz them up with a bow? And if you want to be really different, you could create a square or triangle wreath. Who said they had to be round?7
Homemade Christmas gifts
When you give somebody a handmade Christmas gift, you’re literally giving them a piece of your heart. Nothing says ‘thoughtful’ more than a homemade Christmas present does.
Here are some of our favourite homemade Christmas gift ideas:
- Tasty treats – such as homemade gingerbread fudge cubes8 , a homemade gingerbread loaf 9 , homemade jam10 or a hamper of Christmas biscuits11 to nibble away on
- Pamper packages – you can buy ready-made boxes of beauty and body care products or you could individually select the items to create more of tailored package
- Festive ornaments – did you know that you can make handmade snow globes from old jars?12 Or a customisable reed diffuser that contains a blend of oils that you’ve selected yourself?13
- Tree decorations – are a great gift because you know they’re going to come in handy every year. Homemade Christmas tree decorations, such as snowflake ornaments made from wooden beads, fabric covered tree shapes, paper ornaments, gold pinecones, all look great hanging off the branches14
Homemade Christmas crackers
Speaking of decorations, Christmas simply isn’t complete without a customary pull on a Christmas cracker before you tuck into your Christmas dinner.
How to make homemade Christmas crackers:
Materials:
- A4 paper, wallpaper or plain paper to decorate
- Cardboard tubes (e.g. toilet roll or kitchen roll holders)
- Paint to decorate if using plain crackers
- Cracker snaps (optional)
- Ribbon or string to tie
- Craft knife
- Scissors
- Glue
- Fillings – tissue paper hats, toys, games, jokes
Method:
- Decorate the outside layer, then leave to dry.
- Put the layer face down on a table so that the longest sides are at the top and bottom. Position your cardboard tube in the centre of the paper, lengthwise.
- At each end of the tube, score your paper softly with a pair of scissors.
- Wrap your paper around the cardboard tube, overlapping the edges slightly and gluing in place to create one wide tube.
- Twist one side of your cracker around the ends of the cardboard tube, secure it with festive ribbon and feed your cracker snap through.
- Add your fillings and secure the other side of your cracker with a ribbon.
Like the idea of baking some Christmas biscuits? Check out these recipes.
Last Updated: 5th October 2020
Sources:
1 https://www.edie.net/news/5/From-puddings-to-packaging–Inside-the-UK-s-Christmas-waste-problem/
2 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g4080/clever-diy-christmas-cards/?slide=16
3 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g4080/clever-diy-christmas-cards/?slide=18
4 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g4080/clever-diy-christmas-cards/?slide=27
5 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g4080/clever-diy-christmas-cards/?slide=22
6 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/g4080/clever-diy-christmas-cards/?slide=24
7 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/how-to/g1253/diy-christmas-wreaths/?slide=3
8 https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/tips/g645/crafty-christmas-presents-ideas/?slide=2
9 https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/tips/g645/crafty-christmas-presents-ideas/?slide=6
10 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gift-ideas/g1266/handmade-gifts/?slide=31
11 https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/christmas-cinnamon-biscuits
12 https://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/tips/g645/crafty-christmas-presents-ideas/?slide=4
13 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gift-ideas/g1266/handmade-gifts/?slide=2
14 https://www.housebeautiful.com/entertaining/holidays-celebrations/g2818/homemade-christmas-ornaments/?slide=23
