Has Christmas snuck up on you this year? It’s not too late! Here are 15 last-minute gifts that you can DIY today!
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While it’s true that Christmas comes on December 25th every year, and that should be ample time to plan, sometimes life gets in the way. Every year, I realize at the last minute I’ve forgotten someone or that I need something small to add to a gift I already have.
I’m not one to only give handmade gifts. I think there’s a time and place for them and an understanding of the person you’re gifting to. Not everyone will appreciate all the work that goes into handmade, and that’s okay! (Struggle with knowing whether or not to gift handmade, and if so, what to give? Check out my post, Choosing the Perfect Handmade Gift!)
That said, some people love the handmade touch. And for those people, I try to include something I’ve made—even if it’s small.
So, if you’re on a time crunch and looking for some small, quick, and super easy DIYs, I’ve got you covered. This list is sure to have something that’ll inspire you.
While I’m writing this post in the last few days before Christmas, there’s nothing on this list that can’t be made any time of year! (Even the Christmas ornaments can be adapted to something more relevant to the gift-giving event you’re approaching!) Many of them are great for teacher gifts, housewarming gifts, and just-because gifts!
Plus, if you’re interested in doing some Random Acts of Handmade (don’t know what that is? I wrote about it! Read the post here!)
Okay, get ready! It’s time to get to that list!
15 Last-Minute Gifts You Can DIY TODAY
01. Easy Vinyl and Acrylic Ornaments
If you have a Cricut and some vinyl, there is no limit to the number of projects you can tackle and complete in a day! I JUST got myself a Cricut last month, and I’ve really enjoyed exploring it to see what it can do. This super cute Christmas tree ornament is one of my more recent makes. I got this SVG file from Creative Fabrica (find the file here!), the acrylic ornaments from Michaels (check them out here!) and used some gold Cricut smart permanent vinyl. I haven’t branched out to other vinyl brands yet, but you can bet I’ll update when I do!
02. Soup Mix in a Jar
Soup mixes are a welcome gift for the busy professional or mama—both of whom find themselves constantly low on time but eager to make nutritious meals. Food is fuel! A delicious, healthy soup mix tells them you care about both their health and their sanity. Make sure to include detailed instructions and an ingredients list! These are great for family members, new moms, teachers, or anyone who already has everything!
03. Linen Lavender Eye Pillows
It doesn’t take a huge gift to make someone feel seen and loved. These little linen lavender eye pillows are cute, thoughtful, and versatile. And if your intended recipient hates the smell of lavender (those people exist! My mom is one of them!) you can use other herbs or scents instead. These are lovely as part of a care basket, as stocking stuffers, or on their own for a birthday, holiday, or just because!
04. Fleece Headband Ear Warmers
Do you live somewhere that gets cold in the winter? I sure do! There is something so beautiful about the snow—until I’ve been outside just a little too long and my ears start to freeze. If you know the feeling, these ear warmer headbands are a great little DIY project you can complete in a hurry. These make great gifts and are really quite warm. Don’t worry if your intended gift recipient already has some hats and headbands for winter—having options is one of the few fun things about winter accessories! Or if you’re dying to make some of these, but don’t have a recipient in mind, why not make them to donate to a shelter? They’re always looking for warm winter clothes!
05. Cute & Cozy Handwarmers
I love making little hand warmers; they come together quickly, and you can make them with a variety of patterns and colors. BUT—and this is IMPORTANT—if you’re making ANYTHING that will go in the microwave to be heated, you MUST use only cotton products. Your fabric must be 100% cotton, and your thread must be 100% cotton. If they’re not, they’re not safe for the microwave and can start on fire. You really don’t want that, nor do you want that for your gift recipient. This is really, really important. Please, be safe!
06. Alcohol Ink Coasters
These coasters are stunning and rival the coasters you’d find in a specialty home store. Plus, you can make them for a fraction of the price they’d cost you in such a store! One of the things I love about projects like these is you can deliberately tailor them to match your gift recipient’s aesthetic. Is everything in their apartment pink and blue? Yellow and purple? It doesn’t matter the combo; you can do it! They’ll appreciate that extra attention to detail. Not only do these make great Christmas gifts, but they’re also perfect for a housewarming party! Or make one for the teacher in your life and wrap it with some coffee or a coffee shop gift card!
07. Wood Ball Photo Holder
Need a quick and easy gift for someone in your life who loves to take pictures? This wooden ball photo holder is a great option! You can leave the wood plain for a more neutral look, but you can also paint them—or coat them in glitter! You can gift them as is or print off some photos from the recipient’s Facebook or Instagram feeds so you can gift these holders with photos already in them. Note: if you’re not good friends with the person, and/or already on their Facebook/Instagram page, don’t be creepy about it. If you want to include images, you can always print off some gorgeous stock photos.
08. Citrus Sugar Scrub
This super simple sugar scrub is a great gift for anyone into relaxation and self-care. Containing only three ingredients—coconut oil, sugar and oranges!—you might even already have everything you need for this project in your house. If not, you can find everything you need with a quick trip to the grocery store. And don’t think you’re limited to oranges! Why not lemon or grapefruit? Or try adding some vanilla, or cinnamon! But make sure you’re gifting responsibly. If you don’t know what allergies or sensitivities your recipient might have, keep the ingredients to a minimum.
09. Scrunchies
I love making scrunchies. It’s a perfect last-minute gift you can DIY in a hurry. All you need is some fabric (about half of a fat quarter will do one scrunchie!), some elastic, and thread. I recommend making them on a sewing machine but if you don’t have one, you can make this project by hand. Make a set of three, four, or seven—one for every day of the week!—and wrap them up with some pretty tissue paper. Your gift recipient is sure to love it!
10. Infused Salt Blends
If you need a gift for a foodie, these infused salts are a great option and can come together quickly. Look how pretty they are all neatly arranged in that box! You don’t need a lot to make an impact, and you can tailor the salts to the types of foods you know they like to cook. The photo above didn’t come with a tutorial, but I’ve found a great tutorial elsewhere for you on how to infuse salts. Check out this post from The Pioneer Woman.
11. Snowball Bath Bomb
Getting a little tired of the snow? Make it fun again with these adorable snowball bath bombs! Look, winter can be tough. It’s long, cold, dark, and it has a terrible impact on our skin. There’s nothing quite as drying as that deep cold! Gift some cute snowball bath bombs and encourage your loved ones to relax, soak, and warm up in a delightfully cozy bath. This pairs great with the sugar scrub earlier on the list, or the lavender eye pillows. Of course, it also stands on its own as a great little gift perfect for stocking stuffers, gift exchanges, or teacher gifts. It would also be a great addition to your craft sale booths if you’re someone who sells handmade products.
12. Christmas Ornament Throw Pillows
Okay, this one is pretty Christmas-specific—unless you know someone who likes to keep their Christmas tree up all year! Regardless, look how cute these throw pillows are! They’re great for the friend who goes hardcore on the holiday décor. I love the pinks, but you can also give them a try in the more traditional red & green, or whatever other colors best suit your gift recipient’s aesthetic.
13. Quilted Potholders
Potholders are the perfect mix of pretty and practical, especially when you choose a fun and vibrant print! These potholders can be a perfect little gift on their own—or you can stuff that pocket with kitchen tools, a grocery store gift card, or perhaps a bag of cookie or brownie mix (depending on how big the store-bought mix bags are, where you live)! This is another gift that’s perfect for your all-year gifting needs. It’s definitely not limited to the Christmas season!
14. Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar
While hot cocoa is delicious any time of year, it’s definitely more of a go-to in the winter. Making up your own mix is a thoughtful way to gift in a hurry or make a few for when those last-minute gifting needs arise. Get creative and make your own “signature” hot cocoa mix that family and friends will ask for every year!
15. Wristlet Keychain
I love making these gorgeous little keychains, and they’re great gifts for all gift-giving occasions! Stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, housewarming gifts, you name it! Pick a fabric that matches your recipient’s interests or use some heat-transfer vinyl and your Cricut, Silhouette, or other craft cutter to cut out the recipient’s name to personalize it! This is another quick and easy project that you can make in advance and keep on hand for last-minute gift-giving occasions!
Will you try any of these easy, last-minute gifts?
Whether you need something for a friend, family member, colleague, or classmate, there’s sure to be something on this list that you can make!
Did any of the projects inspire you? I want to hear about it! Let me know in the comments!
If you need more gift ideas, check out my archive of free patterns/resources! I’ve also got some project lists in my gifts & gift inspo archive.
Happy making!
