Homemade Gift Ideas – 70 Great Suggestions for Every Occasion

Post / Several

We’ve all experienced this situation – a holiday approaches, be it Christmas, Mother’s Day or a someone’s birthday, and we rush to the mall to get a gift. We are always looking for something cool and unique, but all too often we end up spending a fortune on ultimately useless items. In this article, we would like to share a selection of homemade gift ideas, which will help you create original presents for every occasion.

Let’s be real – our consumerist society is slowly but surely sucking the life out of holidays, and diminishing their charm. In the past, Christmas, birthdays, and other special occasions used to be about showing people your appreciation. In our modern day and age, however, everything revolves around shrewd marketing and the accumulation of material goods. We struggle to buy more and more gifts, and spend an increasing amount of money each year, without realizing that quantity cannot replace quality. A truly good present needs to be personal and thoughtful, and no amount of cash can buy you that.

Here’s where handmade gifts come in. They show that you are willing to spend hours of your time making something truly unique for the special people in your life. It’s like giving a small piece of your soul, which bears the imprint of your inimitable imagination. Plus, DIY gifts are a lot more sensible from a financial perspective – even if your budget is quite tight, you can still surprise your loved ones with something beautiful. Last, but definitely not least, handmade gifts are environmentally friendly. All too many of us buy mass-produced items that quickly end up in the bin, once people have grown tired of them. Not so with DIY presents! Not only are they usually made from recycled materials, but they hold tremendous sentimental value, which makes people want to keep them forever.

In addition, the variety of homemade gift ideas is simply staggering! For Christmas, you can try making DIY candles, customized calendars, knitted goods, coasters, lavishly decorated everyday items and, of course, chocolate and sweets, in attractively crafted containers.

What about Mother’s Day? Well, a DIY wallet, a hand-crafted bracelet, or a decorated vase, are excellent suggestions. Dads meanwhile, are sure to love a customized mug, or a creative frame, containing your favorite family photo. As for your besties, the possibility are simply endless! Depending on their preferences, you can opt for handmade bookmarks, t-shirts, phone covers and more.

If you’d like some visual inspiration, check out our gallery bellow! It has tons of great homemade gift ideas, including several awesome video tutorials.

Homemade Gift Ideas – a gorgeous black and white photo, decorated with fresh flowers. An original and creative gift for your best friend

These lovely multicolored fabric keychains are another great DIY idea. They make great party favors, too

seven multicolored keyrings, made from patterned fabric, in round shapes, attached to metal rings, homemade gift ideas

An adorable handmade calendar, with photos of your friend or family member’s pet!

different photos of pugs, decorating a diy wall calendar, homemade gift ideas, placed on a wooden surface

Star shaped paper craft, covered in family photos. It can be used as a Christmas (or all-year-round) decoration

star shape made from card, decorated with colorful patterned paper, and black and white family photos, homemade gift ideas, 3D effect ornament

Personalized wooden bowls – cute and very easy to make

three wooden bowls, decorated with geometric shapes, in turquoise and neon pink, yellow and black, homemade gift ideas, stacked on a white surface

And here is an adorable Valentine’s day idea

burlap-like cushion in beige, decorated with a romantic message, written in dark grey, homemade gift ideas, on a white leather sofa

How about these gorgeous DIY Christmas decorations?

several clear glass containers, in different shapes and sizes, with ornate lids, each containing faux snow, and christmas-themed figurines, homemade gift ideas, tiny fir trees

Transform old boxes into gorgeous decorative items, with decoupage. Great idea for a Mother’s Day gift

last minute birthday gifts, beige cardboard boxes, decorated with pink and green, floral paper decoupage, rolls of patterned paper, a jar with glue, and a brush nearby

We simply adore these lush, DIY scented candles!

layered multicolored candles, inside six clear glasses, placed on a pale beige surface, last minute birthday gifts

Personalized cushions – a lovely gift for Mother’s or Father’s day

customized white cushions, with greyscale images, of a large house, and two children holding hands, last minute birthday gifts, large red cushion behind them

The book-lovers in your life will treasure these jewel-like bookmarks!

stack of vintage books, most containing diy bookmarks, made with suede straps, in different colors, and jewelry-like charms, last minute birthday gifts, cameo brooch and rose ornament

Learn how to make Father’s day bookmarks in this cool video (very kid-friendly DIY idea):

Instagram photos, transformed into gorgeous and unique greeting cards

hand holding a diy card, made from a printed photo, decorated with paint, last minute birthday gifts, more printed photos in the background

wooden cutting boards, decorated with customized inscriptions, last minute birthday gifts, cherry tomatoes and basil leaves, near a small knife, on one of the boards

Homemade gift ideas to die for – Christmas themed salt and pepper shakers

salt and pepper shakers, filled with faux snow, and decorated with tiny christmas trees, and a reindeer figurine, handmade gifts

These knitted coasters are fun and easy to make, even if you are still a beginner 

nine square knitted coasters, in navy blue and teal, pink and yellow, green and red, and mixed colors, last minute birthday gifts, half-filled teacup on one of them

filled water glass, on a beige wooden coaster, shaped like an asterisk, handmade gifts, more similar coasters, shaped like @, & and a hash key nearby

coasters made from thick white material, decorated with colorful family photos, handmade gifts, on a white surface

Lavender-scented, vegan homemade soaps – a cute and thoughtful idea

bars of orange soap, decorated with white and purple, lace like paper ribbon, handmade gifts, placed on a white dish

Why not wrap the soaps in a cute and creative packaging?

christmas tree ornament, tied with a white and red string, to a present, wrapped in beige paper, with a drawing of a car, handmade gifts

More excellent Christmas DIY ideas

Handmade Kindle, tablet,or mobile phone covers are an awesome idea for any occasion

kindle inside a protector, shaped like a book, with hard beige covers, and a red bookmark, handmade gifts, placed on a laminate floor

mobile phone covers, shaped like ice creams on a stick, handmade gifts, made from pieces fabric, in different colors

cute gift ideas, mobile phone case in white, decorated with hot pink, shimmering gold and pale pink strips, white earplugs attached to it

fabric book cover, in mustard yellow, and teal blue, decorated with white polka dots, and off-white patterns, and a wooden button, cute gift ideas

A DIY hamper, designed especially for coffee aficionados 

crate made from metal and wood, containing paper cups, packets with coffee beans, cute gift ideas, marshmallows and a bottled beverage

rusty teal bucket, decorated with floral decoupage, and containing candy, flowers and a candle, cute gift ideas, various other items

serving trays made from pieces of wood, with black metal handles, and multicolored stripes of paint, cute gift ideas, images showing the needed materials

A fun and cheeky Christmas gift idea

game board for tic-tac-toe, made from a polished piece, of natural wood, with round wooden pawns, cute gift ideas, under the christmas tree

yarn in three different shades of pink, wrapped around a big L shape, decorated with pink flower ornaments, cute gift ideas, three balls of yarn nearby

cute birthday ideas, cream leather purse, opened to reveal two bottles of nail polish, two fabric heart ornaments, in red and pink, and a pair of gold earrings

Gorgeous candle holders – another cool suggestion, perfect for Christmas 

handmade gift ideas, sticks of cinnamon, placed around three candle holders, with lit candles, and tied with gold ribbons, a pie in the background

shot glasses, decorated with multicolored splashes of paint, containing small lit candles, cute birthday ideas, on a white surface

five large carved candles, in different colors, featuring bow-like details, on an off-white surface, cute birthday ideas

pressed flowers inside a glass panel, with a light wooden frame, cute birthday ideas, held by two hands, in frilly white sleeves

DIY hot chocolate kit – an adorable idea for the colder months of the year

jar with a snap lid, containing cocoa powder, and white marshmallows, cute birthday ideas, small bottle of rum tied to it, two peppermint canes on top of the lid

towels in white, decorated with patterned pieces of fabric, in red and white, cute birthday ideas, two wooden spoons with red handles

Jewelry boxes and organizers – elegant presents, ideal for Mother’s Day

plates and a teacup, spray painted in gold, white and yellow, and attached to a gold pole, to form a jewelry organizer, cute birthday ideas, bracelets and rings, necklaces and earrings inside

gold-painted small jewelry box, with an angular deign and a lid, handmade gift ideas, slightly opened to reveal, a gold charm bracelet or necklace

opened wooden box, decorated with hand-painted shapes, in green and teal, hot pink and pale blue, yellow an pastel pink, handmade gift ideas, beaded necklaces inside

Have a friend who loves traveling? Give them customized memory-boxes to store small items from their trips

six boxes made of card, each decorated with a different map, and a small, red-rimmed label, handmade gift ideas

scrapbook decorated with colorful paper, stickers and cutouts, handmade gift ideas, paper ribbon in beige, with a zigzag pattern

Bottle racks are a great idea for a friend or relative’s house warming party

seventeen bottles of red, and white wine, on a diy wine rack, handmade gift ideas, five wine glasses

And now, a few creative suggestions for tea-lovers

wreath made of tea packets, in different colors, secured with patterned clothes pegs, handmade gift ideas, mounted on a white wall

creative gift ideas, three christmas trees, made from tea packets, and decorated with stars

People with a sense of humor will love this Chill Pills candy jar

large clear glass jar, filled with multicolored candies, and decorated with a large label, reading chill pills, creative gift ideas

bows and buttons in black, and ribbons in red and green, decorating four small, and one large jars, painted in white and red, and filled with candy, creative gift ideas, christmas tree in the background

Another delicious idea – brownie mix jar

chocolate chips and walnuts, sugar and flour and cocoa, layered inside a mason jar, creative gift ideas, diy cookie kit

Customized kitchen mitts and utensils – always a good idea for friends who love cooking

thermometer and wooden spoons, a whisk and a peeler, a spatula and other kitchen utensils, inside a red glove, tied with a purple bow, creative gift ideas, three glazed cookies nearby

light blue recipe book, under a wooden rolling pin, and a wooden spoon, tied together with a ribbon, creative gift ideas, large burlap bag

lantern-like candle holders, made with clear glass containers, in different shapes and sizes, decorated with photos, creative gift ideas, lit candles inside

Jewel-like fridge magnets. Perfect for your mom, sister or firend

inexpensive thank you gift ideas, six decorative fridge magnets, in black and silver, red and yellow, pink and blue, shaped like flowers and jewels, holding photos and a shopping list on a fridge door

Charming decoupage hangers

floral decoupage in pink, blue and cream, decorating a set of three wooden hangers, inexpensive thank you gift ideas

hollow large tin letters, spelling out the word mom, inexpensive thank you gift ideas, mounted on a wall, filled with sponges, and decorated with fresh flowers, in different colors

Customized multicolored DIY camera strap. Cool and super easy to make

brunette woman in a black skirt, white shirt and a denim jacket, wearing a vintage camera, with a multicolored diy strap around her neck, inexpensive thank you gift ideas, geometrical figures in orange, yellow and blue

succulent terrariums made of glass, two round ones, filled with soil, a few green succulents, and small decorations, inexpensive thank you gift ideas, six more similar containers, in different shapes

book with a secret compartment, containing various small items, inexpensive thank you gift ideas, placed on a desk, near other books

Homemade gift ideas – a lovely floral ceiling decoration

hanging round ornament, decorated with faux flowers, in different shapes and colors, inexpensive thank you gift ideas, suspended from the ceiling on a string

A DIY photo frame – creative present for Father’s Day

frame made from small twigs, containing a photo, of a father, his daughter and their dog, in front of a tent

square frame, painted to look like the instagram logo, with the words we and you, divided by a speech bubble, containing a heart symbol

sewing accessories organizers, made from mason jars, with beige labels, two containing buttons, and one thread and pins

How about a stylish cookbook stand?

stand for cooking books, made of wood, holding an opened book, piece of cheese, basil leaves and nuts, condiments and utensils nearby

A mousepad featuring a gorgeous design

drawings of birds and trees, decorating a mousepad, with a white mouse, near a keyboard

rope in off-white, decorated with hot pink thread, and wrapped around a small vase, containing shirt dried twigs, yellow lamp nearby

A monogrammed serving tray. Perfect for breakfasts in bed!

cutlery and four glasses, on a green monogrammed serving tray, decorated with a symmetrical pattern

neon colored stripes, ad paint daubs, decorating five wooden bangles, with different shapes

Adorable Valentine’s day gift idea

red and pink paper, with heart motifs, decorating several matchboxes, some opened to reveal white, pink adn red candies

Tweet
Share
Pin
Share
+1

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *