The ultimate Homemade/D.I.Y./relational Christmas gift list.
This is my gift to you in hopes that you will not have to be the one giving out snuggies this Christmas season.
A few questions answered before you read on:
What is this list about?
For the first time this year we are participating in the Advent Conspiracy.
The idea behind these presents is that we give of ourselves in the ways God gave to us- by sacrificing our time, energy, resources, gifts. By not randomly shelling out money so people will feel loved, but by actually knowing people and giving of ourselves we can truly love them for Christmas.
Why does stuff on this list cost money to make?
The point of Advent Conspiracy is not to scrooge out Christmas. We can spend our money, energy, and resources loving people. We give to the people in our lives because Christ gave for us. We will save money by not buying gifts and we can give that away to love people we don’t know- people who need it greatly.
If I am on Vicky’s gift list is my present listed below?
Maybe… Maybe not…
The Advent Conspiracy challenge 2009: Buy one less gift- give that money away to provide clean water. One less gift…
You will be a changed by participating in this with us. By simply making one gift or making them all you will be a blessing to those near to you and to some who are far away. I hope this list will be of benefit to you in this challenge. Enjoy.
For Her…
Print out these stylish lists and add some padding compound to make note pads that will brighten up her to-do’s.
Make a few of these poppy boutonnieres and give them away as pins, clips, bracelets, or attach them onto pillows.
Everyone loves a special picture framed as a gift. Go a step further and create a funky frame to hang it in.
Grab a plain t-shirt and make it beautiful with this ruffle t-shirt tutorial.
Make a pillow out of her favorite fabric, out of his loved in but wholly shirt, or out of anything you can find special.
A hand sewed yoga bag + a promise to spend an hour relaxing.
A silhouette pillow made from a family photo, how special!
An offer to babysit for a day so the mom can have some “me” time.
A beautiful lace bowl for grandma, lovely indeed.
Earings…. Earings…. Earings. So simple and beautiful you could make them for anyone!
Book of the month club. A great idea to gift someone who loves to read. It could be a thrifted book every month, one you own, or a certain genre you would read together.
A whimsy way to re-purpose an old tray- give with the promise of tea to be served.
A homemade calendar out of pictures she’ll enjoy.
Name blocks made out of wood.
Hoping to quench a sweet tooth? This sea glass candy tutorial would do the trick.
For a friend who loves to host parties. Print a nice pack of these adorable pom-pom stationary cards and offer your assistance in throwing her next bash!
For a mom who is still getting used to her babies being in school help her into the new year with these sweet lunch box notes printable downloads. I would package a bunch of them together along with a stack of fun/healthy/quick lunch box recipes found online. Maybe even with an embroidered lunch box.
Make a few beautiful vases + add flowers.
A floral headband.
An awesome looking camera pouch for that aspiring photographer in your life.
Coasters -package with a favorite drink recipe and the ingredients.
His & Hers gloves from a pair of socks, how romantic!
A stylish scarf made from a t-shirt and a few simple stitches. Perfect for a fashionable sister or friend.
A business card holder that would be a blessing along with a free-set of Mom business cards (including name, number, and blog address, and job description) from vista print to encourage new friendships. It would also be lovely for any business card holder.
A flower of the month club, where you pick them yourself and hand deliver. Here is a great start if you need a bit of creative floral inspiration.
A place mat setting that would be great for any season.
A free stencil download for your walls. This seems to make a great gift as art or even as a full wall for someone special, imagine their surprise!
Create beautiful jewelry out of her favorite pictures. It is so simple; print, shrink, and attach.
Another necklace- simple to make and looks like it belongs on the runway.
An ironing board cover to brighten up a daily chore. Gift with a pretty bottle of homemade fabric perfume.
Make a unique garden stepping stone. We recently did this for a birthday with the baby’s hand print, it came out looking lovely.
Make a set of covered journals to corral all her musings on life.
For little ones…
For your aspiring little cooks a fun screen printed apron.
Make your own felt play landscape bringing hours of fun to old stuffed friends.
Pull out a sewing machine because these 50’s style bibs are simply adorable.
A tutorial to make your own adorable sleeping bag. Perfect with a bag of marshmallows for a night under the stars.
Take their old books and recycle them into new stories.
If you hope to support a growing child’s wardrobe this free pattern for a lazy day skirt is just lovely and check out the flickr group full of fabric inspiration.
Adorable Fabric appliques for art, the nursery or just for fun.
Make a stuffed pig that the baby will love.
Use the template to make a superhero cape.
Build a bird feeder and create a book of local birds for them to color and write about as they appear.
A free download of a beautiful paper doll house complete with tree swing.
Make personalized rub on tattoos.
A doorway puppet stage with homemade puppets!
This free art is legit. It would be so lovely with a few thrifted and painted frames.
Copy this great summer list booklet of fun activities your kids will enjoy and present to them under the tree.
Make a bed and offer to serve their favorite breakfast in it for a week. How fun!
Make a Kite!
So basic but so right on. A mitt and glove and promise from dad to play catch!
For Him…
A great recycled basket to keep his morning paper in, maybe with a note to sit and read it by his side some days, or an offer to watch the kids so he actually has a little time to read it.
A free printable happy husband kit. It even includes a day off from nagging card, perfect especially if he loves golf!
Make your own quality beef jerky.
A pair of warm manly slippers to toast his toes. This would be great given with a foot massage or a pair of pajama bottoms.
A handmade wall clock for his study, could also be personalized for a sports room.
A black and white canvas picture montage for his office wall.
A homemade meat of the month club – you would pick out a new slab for him to BBQ each month. I would gift it with this BBQ apron.
A homemade beer or wine of the month club. We did this a few years back and it was lovely to have the present extend throughout the year. It is extra special gifted with a researched print out accompanying each bottle.
A printed sneaker a great gift for a younger guy.
A passport cover for his or her trips out of town, this would be exceptionally sweet with a list of funkyoffthebeatenpath places for them to see when reaching their destination.
Make him a throw pillow, a scarf or a neck pillow from his collection of old t-shirts.
A bow-tie is a great gift this year.
A love quilt + a date for a picnic outside all cozeyed up together.
For dad or grandpa or anyone who loves your kids. Turn their precious scribbles into an indie hoodie design.
Put together a free cookbook of his favorite foods/with drink parings and type in dates over the next year when you will be cooking these masterpieces for him.
Mmmmmm. Peppermint Bark- it is a hard gift to beat.
Print out these college coupons for him to redeem while home on break. Laundry time???
Arrange a special man’s night in for him, set everything up so the poker can be played and the beer can be enjoyed!
Design your own PLANT ME cards. These would be great to give away as small tokens of love.
Homemade truffles.
A personalized dog leash to make the pups feel loved as well.
Lastly…
Give from your talents…. Babysit, set up a blog, rewire a TV, tune a car, decorate a room, paint, cut hair, or teach a skill. Give the gift of a dog walker, or a house cleaner, or an organizer, or a stylist, or a photographer, or an accountant, or a tutor, or a masseuse.
Give experiences… Go see a concert, or a play, go out to coffee, have dinner together, walk and talk for hours, go ice skating, spend a day thrift shopping and offer to fix all the loose strings. Go away if a vacation is needed.
Spend time.
Make memories.
Love.
Worship fully. Give more. Spend less. Love all.
Blessings
