Handmade gifts can be easy on the pocket and even more special than something store-bought! Here are some (actually good) ideas for Christmas prezzies that can be made at home in a pinch.
South Africa (18 December 2025) – There are many good reasons to make your Christmas gifts (or at least some of them) at home.
You’ll be saving some money (remember, January is a long month), flexing your creative muscle and most importantly, making somebody feel special with a gift that you poured loads of love and care into, even if it only took a few cheeky minutes to pull together.
It really doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming at all. You’re not painting the Sistine Chapel. The best gifts are actually the simplest ones. Things that can be used, shared, eaten or enjoyed. Even as the prezzie-unwrapping happens in real-time. Because some of us are record-setters at inhaling Christmas cookies.
If you’ve got a little bit of extra time on your hands, check out these easy DIY Christmas gift ideas that can be made at home and are ready for gifting in under a week! Even as stocking fillers, these are tried and tested winners in our books!
A Jar of Pickles? That’s My Jam!
A jar of something homemade always feels special. Pickles and jams are especially good festive gifts because they’re easy to make in batches (every auntie, cousin and grandparent gets one), they keep well, and can be customised to whatever fruit or veggies are abundant right now. At the moment, cherries, figs, watermelon, peaches and apricots are all in season. If savoury is more your vibe, go for classic pickled cucumbers, red onions or spiced beetroot. Once bottled up in clean jars and finished with a handwritten label, they feel like a proper gift.
Nothing Beats a Pamper Package
Pamper gifts land so well in December when bodies are run down and tired. A homemade bath soak or a body scrub can be indulgent, and it’s something most people wouldn’t buy for themselves. Plus, it beats the shop-bought pamper combos by a long shot. Epsom salts mixed with a touch of bicarbonate of soda, lavender and essential oils make a calming soak. Sugar or salt combined with coconut oil becomes a simple body or lip scrub. Pour into small jars and pair with a love note suggesting when to use it.
Christmas Cookies That Don’t Last Long
Sugar is a language that most of us speak fluently and few things say ‘love you’ like baked goods do. Christmas cookies are a classic for a reason, whether they’re gingerbread, shortbread or choc-chip favourites. They travel well and rarely overstay their welcome. Look up a lebkuchen recipe if you’re feeling especially festive about it. Or, if baking honestly feels like too much, layering dry cookie ingredients into jars works just as well. Either way, tied with ribbon or packed into tins? Cute, and yum!
The Bees Knees
Beeswax goodies are one of those things that look way more impressive than they are difficult to pull off. Lip balms, wax melts, candles, and reusable food wraps all come in handy, are planet-friendly, and surprisingly satisfying to make. Plus, affordable – you can easily find a kilogram of beeswax online for under R300, which can make a good number of small gifts.
With Love From The Garden
A cutting from your garden can be a wonderful prezzie for the plant-lovers in your life. It’s the gift that keeps on growing. Nurseries charge a pretty penny for plants that can actually be grown from cuttings. Small potted plants make thoughtful gifts, especially when they come from something you’ve already been caring for. Plants like spekboom, aloe, rosemary, lavender, mint, and basil all root easily and cope well with summer conditions. Planted into small pots (even recycled mugs or tins) and paired with a handwritten care note, this makes such a special gift.
Infused Oils and Vinegars
A bottle of infused olive oil or vinegar is a spoil and requires little effort from your side. Rosemary, chilli, lemon peel or garlic work well in olive oil, especially when it’s a good, locally produced extra virgin olive oil. Decanted into small bottles and labelled by hand, it becomes an elevated gift for your beloved foodie friends and family. One big bottle of quality oil can be shared between a few smaller bottles.
Nice-Smelling Household Basics
It might not sound very glam, but homemade cleaning sprays or washing powder mixes are surprisingly well received! Especially when they’re natural and nicely packaged. They slot into daily life and end up being used long after chocolates are gone. Especially in January when the cents are sparse – that washing powder you made might actually be put to good use!
These are just some good ideas we love, and know always work. Pinterest exists, with many other unique DIY gifting ideas. The point is that you don’t need to spend thousands of rands to make loved ones feel special over Christmas. Something handmade says a thousand words.
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