With the holiday season quickly approaching, there’s no better time to start crossing off names on your gift list. Luckily there are so many creative ideas to help you give one-of-a-kind gifts that won’t break the bank this year. Read on to hear a few of my favorites!
- Handmade Candles
Start off at a local thrift shop and find some unique jars and cups to make your candles in. My favorite pieces are teacups and colorful glass jars! Next, you’ll want to do some quick shopping for melting wax, candle wicks, and essential oils. These can be found online or in craft stores like Michaels. The candle-making is pretty easy, you just melt the wax over the stove and add in your oils before pouring over jars with the wicks inside. The good news is that you can reuse these supplies and make personalized candles for anyone on your gift list!
- Pre-Made Picnic Basket
The first thing you will need is a nice basket, which, again, can be found at thrift stores. What you choose to put in your basket is totally up to you, but I recommend items that will not expire anytime soon. You can include a bottle of wine, a jar of olives, dried fruit, and mixed nuts for example. Other nice items to include which are totally optional are small cheese knives, a bottle opener, and small mason jars to pack snacks in. You can look for these items at thrift stores or Target.
- Recipe Book
If you have a friend or family member who likes to cook and bake or know someone moving into their own place soon, consider making them a recipe book! You can gather favorite recipes from your mutual friends and find easy recipes online to fill the book. To make it, either hand make a booklet or binder with handwritten or typed up recipes, or order a book online with a service like Shutterfly. You can personalize this with stickers, drawings, and little notes to show them how much thought you put into a gift.
- Upcycled Denim
Take another thrift store find like a denim jacket or a pair of jeans and make them your own with some simple crafting! You can pick up fabric paint at the craft store to paint daisies or hearts on the pants, or find some scrap fabric to patchwork a section of the denim in fun colors and prints. You can even pick up some rhinestones and E-6000 glue and bedazzle the pockets 2000s style. Even if you aren’t the most skilled sewer, there are tons of simple ways to spice up an inexpensive thrift find and turn it into a one-of-a-kind gift.
- Cocktail Kit
Start off with a jar or small basket. You’ll want to get a basket if you find cute cups or shot glasses to include in the gift, but a big mason jar works great if you’re sticking with the cocktail ingredients! Stop by the grocery store or a liquor store for 50ml bottles of your favorite spirits, and pick up any cocktail must-haves like lime juice, rimming salt, and maraschino cherries. Throw all of the items into the jar or basket and be sure to include your favorite recipes for a night out!