This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNH chapter.

It’s always such an exciting time when the holidays roll around. And here they are! Are you not equipped with the financial funds this year to buy gifts, but still want to show some love to your family and friends? Here are 10 easy, inexpensive, awesome DIY Christmas gift ideas!

1. Nail Polish with Cute Sayings

Every girl loves a few new colors to add to their nail polish collection. And to make it even cuter and personal you can add a little note with holiday puns such as “Rudolph the red TOES reindeer” or “for your mistleTOES”. Get cute & creative!

2. Mason Jars Full of Goodies

Everyone knows mason jars have a bunch of creative uses. Well, add another to the list! Christmas gift idea number two… mason jars full of your friend or family’s favorite candy! And of course you have to add that little note on there. Christmas time is the perfect time to not only splurge on your favorite candy but to let your friends know just how SWEET they really are.

You don’t have to stop there! Decorate the mason jars with fun winter/christmas. If using chocolate candy, fill it up to make a brown body and decorate the front with a reindeer face! Or if white candy make a snowman out of it.

If you’re not looking to fill up with candy, then decorate them easily with sparkles and modge podge. Fill with whatever you’d like! Presentation goes a long way.

3. Movie Night!

Everyone loves a good movie night with their girl friends to talk, laugh, cry and snack. So head over to Walmart and go in the $5 dollar bin, or even hook up your Netflix and put together their favorite snacks, candys and drinks which you can find easily at the dollar store and treat them to a movie night basket & your company! Two great gifts in one.

4. Hot Cocoa Ornaments

Nothing like getting cozy by the tree with some warm hot chocolate. And even more convienent you can go right to your tree for the cocoa! To make the ornaments just grab clear ornament balls, and the ingredients. With just some cocoa, one bag of marshmallows, and some peppermint candy you can make quite a few ornaments! Depending on what the reciever likes you could make a peppermint chocolate one, white chocolate, or traditional chocolate with marshmallows!

Get festive with it!

Peppermint Ornament: chocoalte cocoa, pieces of peppermint (use candy canes!), red sprinkles, mini marshmallows

White Chocolate Ornament: white chocolate cocoa, white chocolate chips, blue sprinkles, mini marshmallows

Traditional Christmas Cocoa Ornament: chocolate cocoa, chocolate chips, red and green sprinkles, mini marshmallows

5. Mint Sugar Scrub

Another thing us girls love is the fresh smell of mint and a nice new scrub to get us feeling refreshed and renewed! With only a few simple ingredients you’re set up to make a fun scrub for multiple people. The green color gives the mint feel and top it off with a cute christmas or festive ribbon! Easy as that.

½ cup coconut oil
1½ – 2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
1 drop green food coloring

Place coconut oil in a bowl and microwave on HIGH 15-25 seconds until softened.
Start by adding 1½ cups sugar to the oil, along with the peppermint extract and green food coloring. Mix until ingredients are well combined and food coloring is evenly distributed. If mixture is too wet, add another ½ cup sugar until scrub is to desired consistency.

Finally, spoon scrub into air-tight containers (such as a mason jar) and decorate with twine or ribbon.

6. Decorative Wine Glasses!

Head right on over to the dollar store and get plain, glass wine glasses. Then use paint, markers or whatever you are feeling and decorate the wine glasses! You can do it Christmas themed, put their name on it, draw a picture, or just some fun designs. Whatever you want to make a personal, crafty gift!

One can never have too many wine glasses, right?!

7. Decorative Mugs

Now, what else does a girl love more or just as much as wine? Coffee! Grab any color mug and decorate away. It’s a way for you to say enjoy your coffee with a personal touch, and you can even fill the mug with whatever you’d like. It’ll be their new favorite cup and all because of you! Sparkles, words, initials- GO ALL OUT!

8. Festive Frames

Nothing beats a nice framed picture of you and your bestie. Why not fancy it up with some wrapping paper and bows?! Take any frame and any wrapping paper/bows you have laying around and wrap around the frame. Top it off with a bow in the corner or some ribbon. They’ll take it out each Christmas and love the memories!

9. Canvas Painting

Does your friend have a favorite quote or painting? Put your artistic talents to the test and make a canvas painting for them to put on their wall! Let them know you’re thinking of them this holiday season with new handmade room decor.

10. Christmas TrEATs

And of course, who doesn’t love an edible gift?! Get the apron on, get the ingredients out and get to cooking! With these fun and easy snack and dessert ideas any friend (and their sweet tooth) will enjoy your personal, made with love treats.

Santa Crunch

10 cups of Popcorn (or however much needed)
Salt
3 tablespoons of Butter
3 cups Mini Marshmallows
Mini M&M Candies – Red and Green
Pretzel M&M Candies – Red and Green

1. Put popcorn in bowl

2. Melt butter and mix in marshmallows

3. Add m&ms and pretzels to popcorn

4. Drizzle butter and marshmallow mix to get everything to stick and taste sweet!

Reindeer Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie cookie dough
Red M & Ms
Black decorative icing

1. Bake sugar cookies by directions on cookie dough

2. Use black decorative icing use it to stick on red m & m for nose

3. Also with black decorativce icing make the face of the reindeer and you’re done!

Festive Pretzels

Bag of large pretzels
Bag of white chocolate chips
Red sprinkles (or whatever toppings you choose)

1. Melt white chocolate chips in microwave in 20 second incraments

2. Once melted dip the top of pretzels into white chocolate and leave somewhere to set

3. While still wet sprinkle toppings so they stick as white chocolate hardens

Sweet & salty!

Any friend of yours would be lucky to get any of these gifts! Happy Holidays!

10 Easy DIY Christmas Gifts for Friends