Christmas is one of the loveliest times of the year. Sitting here typing this, all I can think of is the meal prep, the strenuous dessert-making, the excitement of staying up late, and opening presents at midnight on Christmas morning.

It’s a wholesome holiday, more a time for being with family and friends more than anything; and also for expressing gratitude for the year behind you and wishes for the year ahead. In saying that, I know this holiday can also be the absolute worst!

Gift-giving is, surprisingly, the toughest part about Christmas. You can spend hours curating a list of ideas for gifts, and then hours more sourcing them online and in your local shopping centre (don’t even get me started on how crowded the malls are this time of the year too).

More than that, we’re living in an age where the way we purchase things is starting to shift. Buying gifts from overseas means contributing to environmental issues and plastic waste; buying from department stores means supporting large franchises that don’t have the best ethical business practices.

In recent years I’ve talked about my wishes to make Christmas presents by hand or to purchase from local, small businesses. This year it feels like I’ll finally have the chance to try and make some presents by hand – who doesn’t love something that someone made for them?

So, today I’m sharing a list of ideas for handmade (and also mindfully handpicked) presents for Christmas. I refer to ‘friends’ a lot in this post but really these Christmas present ideas are great for anyone; especially someone who is creative and passionate about their hobbies. If you’re looking for a neat gift guide for Christmas time, and you want to make them by hand, stay here and read the rest of this post!

Bookish gifts

For the friend who can’t seem to stop buying new books even though they have many other, unread ones on the shelf.

A painted or illustrated set of cardboard bookmarks inspired by the person’s favourite books, quotes, characters, and fictional worlds.
A stitched fabric book cover made from fabric, perhaps with embroidered text, images, or the person’s initials.
A drawn or digitally-designed reading tracker calendar printed on A4 or A3 paper.

Journaling/Artistic gifts

For the friend who is obsessed with collecting journals for bullet journaling and art journaling.

An ephemera/photo collage kit made up of cut-outs from old magazines, vintage postcards, book pages, and torn paper.
A curated stationery kit from a local stationery store, with a small journal, pens, pencils, markers, stamps, and washi tape.
An art kit with a sketchbook and an assortment of pastels, pencils, charcoals, paintbrushes, and paints.

DIY gifts

For the friend who prefers to make things for themselves by hand.

An embroidery kit with cloths of fabric (or a thrifted tee-shirt), embroidery loop, silk threads in pretty colours, and needles.
A knitting kit with colourful balls of yarn, knitting needles or a crochet hook, and a beginner pattern book.
A candle-making kit with soy wax, wooden wicks, and miniature glass jars.

Digital gifts

For the friend who is attached to their social media accounts and their devices.

A collection of digitally-designed wallpapers to use for phone backgrounds, digital stationery, or Instagram posts.
A curated aesthetic mixtape of the person’s favourite songs, or songs you think they’d like as a private playlist on Spotify or YouTube.
A collection of digital stickers or a personally-made photo preset on Lightroom for Instagram posts.

Delicious gifts

For the friend who loves sweet treats after eating a meal.

A tin of homemade gingerbread cookies.
A wrapped package of homemade macarons.
A jar of homemade fudge in a range of flavours.

Fashionable gifts

For the friend who expresses themselves through their clothes.

An embroidered or hand-painted tee shirt or jacket.
A made jewellery piece (necklace, bracelet, earrings, rings).
A set of handmade hair scrunchies from thrifted, stylish fabrics.

Beauty gifts

For the friend who adores her self-care sessions.

A pair of handmade lip balm and lip tints using coconut oil and fresh berries.
A batch of handmade bath bombs or a jar of bath salts infused with essential oils.
A group of reusable face pads for skincare and makeup made from organic cotton.

Decorative gifts

For the friend who is always re-decorating their bedroom.

A curated wall collage kit printed on gloss paper for arranging on an empty wall or photo frames (photographs, art prints, vintage prints).
A painted, embroidered, or needle-punched wall tapestry made from thread and white fabric.
A sculpted trinket tray, a candle holder, or an incense holder made from air-dry or oven-bake clay.

This is my list of handmade gift ideas for Christmas time. I hope you found something like on this list in time for Christmas day. Even so, many of these are quick and easy to make once you have the right ingredients and materials. Additionally you could also make your own gift wrapping, with Kraft paper, paints, and stamps. Happy gift shopping!