I clearly am an unashamed early-Christmas-season-celebrator. We listen to Christmas music year-round in my house. Thankfully I have the support of my husband, as well as (most) of the rest of our extended families. I try to exercise restraint and wait until at least November 1st before bringing up the subject with the general public, but that doesn’t always work out.

I also love a good, budget-friendly DIY gift. So I’ve compiled some of the best ones I’ve done over the years! Even better, most of these can be thrown together last minute!

For each one, I’ve either linked to a tutorial or included the instructions here.

Let your creative juices flow and have some fun making some easy DIY Christmas gifts this year!

If you’re not a DIYer but still looking for gift-giving inspiration, check out my 2021 Holiday Gift Guide!

Easy and Cheap DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

I have made these on several different occasions, and they are always a hit!

Find the tutorial for them at Suburble.

I modified them by also spray painting the screw ring part of the lids. I chose gold to coordinate with the deer embellishments I found at Hobby Lobby.

You really could use any type of fabric that is thin enough to easily fold around the mason jar lid and glue in place.

Personalized Picture Frames

Ever since we started having kids, I love doing personalized gifts for the grandparents. However, buying personalized gifts can be quite pricey, so I often end up making them myself, as in the case of these picture frames. With a $5 frame, a paint pen, and a cute picture of the grandkid, you can put together a unique gift that they will love!

And since you’re the one personalizing it, this can be tailored to have any word and picture combo you want, making for endless gift-giving possibilities!

Wood Slice Ornaments

This is another gift that you can make for a fraction of the cost of what you would pay retail. Especially if you have your own tree branch and saw!

The process is simple:

1. Cut wood slices. Sand the flat surfaces lightly.
2. Drill a small hole near the edge (for string or twine, for hanging the ornament).
3. Paint a black circle on one face. Let dry.
4. Use a white paint pen to write a Christmas-y word over the black.
5. You can cover with a light clear coat if desired.
6. String twine through the hole for hanging.

Gold Ombre Glassware

I have previously written of my love for gold spray paint. And Christmas is the perfect time to whip out that trusty can and get creative.

Pictured here are empty Starbucks Frappuccino bottles. If you don’t have anything on hand, the Dollar Tree often has nice glassware, in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The ombre effect is easy to achieve. Simply do short horizontal sweeps with the spray paint, starting with several at the bottom until it is saturated. Then slowly work your way up until you have the coverage you want.

To take this gift to the next level, fill it with candies or other goodies! You could also do a candle holder and candle combo.

Salt Dough Ornaments & More

Salt dough is one of the best-kept secrets of the crafting world. Who knew you can combine some simple ingredients (which you probably already have on hand) into a dough that is endlessly moldable, and which hardens nicely as it air dries? Plus, it is very customizable: you can tint the dough, add spices or essential oils for scent, or paint it after it dries.

There are LOTS of salt dough recipes available online, and they all have their pros and cons. I did a conglomeration of several, but this one is the best approximation of what I did. However, in that tutorial she bakes hers in the oven to dry them out. This is a common practice, but I read elsewhere that it can give the dough a more tan-colored tint, which is not what I was going for, so I let mine air dry.

Additionally, I added some white arcylic paint to my dough to make it an even more true white. I also covered it with a coat of Mod Podge once the salt dough had dried, to help strengthen and preserve it.

The idea for the thumbprint snowmen came from this blog. For mine, each section of the snowman has a thumbprint from each of my boys. I used felt for the scarf, and paint pens for the eyes and nose. I hot-glued ribbon to the back of the head for hanging the ornament.

I also made some thumbprint-magnets, and handprint ornaments. I’ve seen some really cute ideas for garlands that use salt dough shapes. The possibilities truly are endless! Just thinking about it is making me want to whip up a batch right now…

Homemade Spice Mixes

This is another gift that I have given on a variety of occasions, across many years, and it is always a hit! My go-to spice mix is Bayou Blast, aka Emeril’s Essence. Everyone loves it! It is the perfect season-all; I use it on eggs, potatoes, soups, meat, and more. Warning: it is fairly spicy if made as written. I either cut way back on the cayenne, or sub chili powder, just to make sure it will be palatable for everyone.

Of course, there are lots of other spice mix options that would be great for gifting as well! You can put it in small baggies or jars. Be sure to label it, and include ideas of how to use it, to inspire your gift recipients!

If you’re giving away lots of spice mix, buy the spices in bulk! Sam’s Club usually has good deals on spices. (And other stuff. Check out my Sam’s Club vs. Costco post here.)

Homemade Biscotti

Biscotti are an underrated cookie, especially in our coffee-crazy culture. Because it’s a crunchy cookie, it has a longer shelf life than other cookies, making it perfect for gift-giving (and dunking in coffee or tea!). Plus there are plenty of recipes for hosts of flavors of biscotti! I typically make the recipe in my favorite baking cookbook…which is no longer in print…(sorry). But you can’t go wrong with recipes from Sally’s Baking Addiction or Smitten Kitchen.

Homemade Vanilla

Homemade vanilla is a super fun and unique gift. Look for bulk vanilla beans on Amazon or elsewhere. Buy a medium-grade vodka (you don’t want the cheapest stuff, but it doesn’t have to be top shelf either). Cut the beans in half, place in a cute little jar, and steep in the vodka. Ideally it needs to steep for several months to get a good vanilla flavor. If you don’t have that much time, you can include a note with a “best used after” date.

(I originally got this idea from a blog that no longer exists. I’m really dating myself in this post. I’ve been around the online DIY world for a while…)

I hope these easy and cheap DIY Christmas gift ideas inspire you to have a creative Christmas season!