11 Inexpensive DIY Holiday Gift Ideas
If you're looking for the perfect gift or some handmade decorations for your home, but are lacking time or creativity, take a look at these 11 gifts that range from $3.50 to $24.50 from online marketplace Etsy. These do-it-yourself (DIY) kits have most, if not all, the materials you need -with varying shipping costs- to create the perfect white elephant gift or crafty present. Channel your inner Martha Stewart with the following ideas:
DIY Kit-Iddie Biddie Chipboard Gingerbread Houses ($10 for 3)
Get a little boost in making the perfect gingerbread house or mini holiday village with these die-cut chipboard houses, made in the U.S.
Wanderlust Travel Planner Kit ($17)
This gift comes with a vintage-style world map, 18 travel method stickers, 25 map pins and baker's twine. Designed in Melbourne, Australia, (with an official price of $16 Australian dollars) this map should be ordered early, because it also needs time to travel to your home.
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Teardrop Camper ($6)
Cut, fold then glue this letterpress printed card for a mini-camper that can be displayed as an ornament. But it's very giftable, with its own orange envelope. It also comes with baker's twin for hanging. A companion station wagon is sold separately.
DIY Paper Penguin Puppet ($10)
This quaint puppet "for your own drama play" has moving penguin parts that come in a paper envelope. You can also create friends for the penguin, like a bear or rabbit puppet.
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Owl Ornament ($15)
You'll have a hoot learning how to needle felt with this kit that makes two owl ornaments, which include a foam safety cube, one barbed felting needle, bakers twin and instructions.
Three DIY Birdhouses ($3.50)
For ages four to 77, this Etsy seller says, this is just a jpeg file of a printable DIY kit. Just add thick paper, scissors, glue or tape and "ten minutes." When mounted, each birdhouse measure 3.5 inches by 3 inches.
Japanese Wood Envelope Template Set ($9.20)
These "antique" wooden templates allow you to create DIY small and large envelopes from paper of your own choosing. Trace, fold, glue and repeat.
Mason Jar Ornaments ($10 for 2)
These Mason Jar Lantern Luminary Lids include two chain jars of two sizes of your choice with lids, with chains in color options of silver or black. You can turn these into hanging lanterns with a candle or a flower vase.
Letter in a Bottle ($15)
Write a letter to a loved one or gift a kit to them. This comes with a borosilicate glass test tube, two sheets of Mohawk Superfine paper or Japanese rice paper, "old-timey" pencil, silk thread, and is sealed with a cork.
Sew a Creature Kit (£15.00)
At about $24 and straight from Great Britain, this DIY kit comes with printed fabric, un-dyed cotton twill, felt, wool, stuffing, and templates for everything from its head to its claws.
Clarence the Lion Tea Towel/Cloth Kit ($15.50)
"He's the King of Beasts… who just couldn't quite be Beastly!" Clarence, the cross-eyed lion, was a character in a film in 1965, who couldn't hunt. This silk-screen design on 100 percent cotton is also human-friendly and can be stuffed with a pillow. No animals were harmed during the making of Clarence the Tea Towel.
