The holiday season is upon us. We all know what that means-a lot of holiday traditions are up for the making: too much eggnog, matching pajamas, snowball fights, and movie marathons galore. It also means it’s that special time of year when you get to show off your best gift giving skills to your loved ones.
Except gift giving can be difficult. How are you supposed to know what your sister really wants? Did she outgrow her horse phase? Is she really into Tik Tok now? Well, while we know that we may not have all those answers, we can help you get in touch with your sustainable and DIY gift sides.
This year, the FIG team wants to encourage you to give away handmade presents. Temperatures are dropping outside, so what better way to spend your time than inside making gifts? There’s something about a DIY gift that makes people swoon just a little more and that seems to always give you major cool points amongst your family and friends.
We’ve outlined a few DIY gifts to give you some inspiration. These goodies are fun to make, gratefully appreciated and an ethical option for the planet, too. Let’s dig in!
First, pick your craft.
Whether it’s embroidery, knitting, songwriting, comedy or painting, everyone has something beautiful to offer. Get in touch with your crafty side; after all, gift giving is an art form. Based on your unique craft, you can write a song or poem, cook someone a homemade meal, or paint a portrait.
If you’re feeling less-than-inspired, don’t worry just yet. Below are more specific guidelines to other swoon-worthy gifts that would even outshine Santa’s presents.
PEPPERMINT LIP BALM
There’s plenty of lip balm recipes that only require as little as 3 ingredients. For this one you’ll need coconut oil, essential oil (peppermint-scented) and beeswax. Here’s more
LEMON CANDLES
This gift is sure to keep someone warm this winter. Hollow out half of a lemon, boil wax, add lemon oil and a wick. Then as quick as that, your gift will have someone’s home smelling of a delicious citrus aroma.
- Step 1: Cut the lemon in half. Then cut a little slice off the bottom, so the lemon can sit flat on a surface. Hollow the lemon out by scooping out the fruit.
- Step 2: Add a candle wick to the center of the lemon bowl you’ve created.
- Step 3: Pour your melted wax into the lemon bowl with the wick centered upright. Finally, let it cool completely.
QUILT
It is getting colder outside, which means an extra blanket on someone’s bed is always appreciated. This winter, consider sewing together a quilt out of old t-shirts in your closet. Is sewing not your forte? Check out this video on how to make a tie blanket from fleece.
WINE CORK BULLETIN BOARD
A bottle of wine’s use doesn’t die after the wine is all gone. Glue together all of those collected quarantine corks to a piece of cardboard and build a bulletin board of sorts for your best pal. A cork board makes for a perfectly functioning place to hang pictures.
If you don’t feel like diving into a project, you can always browse our collections or check out our “Buy it for Life” section on the FIG forums for ideas from your fellow friends of the FIG community. Whatever route you choose to pursue this holiday season, remember building a gift yourself or buying sustainably will definitely get you on Santa’s nice list (or so we’ve heard).
Happy Holidays!
The FIG Team
P.S. Have other gift ideas? Add it to the DIY section of our forum.
Originally published at https://thefutureisgood.co on November 15, 2020.
