"Follow Me Monday" Homemade Christmas Gifts!
Alright, so today’s “Follow Me Monday” video is on homemade Christmas gifts! First, please keep in mind , I am NOT a crafty person whatsoever and you will soon see this when you watch the video. Also, the lighting is really bad and it’s hard to see some of the gifts, so sorry about that. Please remember we are not experts in the video production field, but we sure are trying!;-)
I suggest watching the video first and then checking below for links to the homemade gifts I discuss in the video. I also have a few other ideas listed, so definitely read below after watching.
Enjoy!
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qq_XllBGL6I&w=560&h=340]
If you can’t see the video, then go here to watch it.
Homemade gift ideas from the video:
- Car Wash Kit
- Cookie Puzzle
- Chocolate Covered Pretzels with Sprinkles
- Body Scrub
- Spice Rub
- 2 Liter Bottle Gift
Also, here are two more ideas from my sister and mom:
From my mom:
Christmas traditions can be fun and memorable for families. One tradition, which our family and friends enjoyed, was our annual family Christmas postcard inspired by our three daughters. Each girl drew her own holiday picture then signed it and added her age. I then reduced the size of the pictures so that all three drawings would fit on a postcard. I added a holiday message around the drawings to further personalize the card and to help tie the drawings together. We used red or green card stock for the postcards – two to a page. Copying costs were relatively inexpensive, and postcard stamps much cheaper than regular postage. These cards have become keepsakes for our family. My children are now grown and have their own little ones. My hope is that they might consider keeping this tradition alive.
From my sister:
Ever wonder what do with the kiddos when it is freezing outside and you don’t want to spend any money? I discovered ice ornaments in the December/January 2010 issue of Disney’s Family Fun Magazine. My 3 year old son and I filled a 9×13 glass pan with water and red food coloring. We then placed several cookie cutters inside the pan and strung a piece of ribbon through each cookie cutter. We placed the pan outside and within hours (thanks to our zero degree weather!!) we had ice ornaments. We ran some warm water over the frozen ornaments; and we were then able to pry out each individual cookie cutter and basically pop out the ice from each cutter. We tied the ribbon into loops and hung each ornament on an outside tree for everyone to enjoy until the weather warms up.
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Christmas really shouldn’t be about the gifts we give or the gifts we get, but about the memories we make! …And by making your own homemade gifts and coming up with Christmas traditions, you’re doing the most important thing of all, creating lasting memories!
Merry Christmas!!!
Collin, you are such a goof ball! I mean that in a good way though. I LOVE your follow me Monday videos. You are doing such a great job, your blog is the best blog ever.
I love all of the ideas and maybe that is because I have done most of them. I worked in a gourmet candy store in high school and that is exactly how we made chocolate dipped pretzels. We also did fruit. Though the fruit doesn’t keep so it is done on Christmas eve.
You can also mail a ball by just addressing it. I am going to do that for my 3 young cousins this year and my neice and nephew.
We also make a homemade ornament for everyone each year.
Collin, do those stockings on your fireplace happen to be Pottery Barn?? I saw some in a catalog recently that looked just like those for $15 a piece. It had space for monogramming at the top too. I would like to get some of those for my family; maybe after Christmas..just curious if you were able to ‘score a deal on those.’ 😉
i made some sugar scrub. it’s 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 a cup of olive oil and a few drops of essential oil (i choose lavender because it’s generally liked, i prefer eucalyptus). it came out great! i can’t wait to give them to my friends. I used some little mason jars so really my gift is less than $2 each (i used some high value coupons to buy the olive oil).
ok Patricia I am going to do the pretzel rolo idea in the chinese food containers from Michael’s. Thank you!
I love the 2 liter idea. I may use smaller bottles and put my gift cards in them…. let my teenage nephews work for their present!
For everyone who is giving the scrub please let the recepient know not to shave before using the scrub. My legs have never hurt so bad!!!
I use apricot oil mixed with salt for a scrub and put a drop of lavendar oil. The apricot oil is unscented and can be purchased at vitacost less expensively than I have seen elsewhere. And I just use regular old salt! Or sugar!
Hilarious video! Thanks for making me laugh. I use Sweet Almond Oil to make my scrubs.
https://www.nextag.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-16-699059161/prices-html
My daughter (2nd grader) came home today with a box of store bought hot chocolate that her friend had bought, one for each of the kids in her class! These are about $2 each and there are 20+ kids…so she now wants to give a gift to every child. I told her she had to either make it or find something for less than $10 for the whole class. Any ideas? I think we might try the marshmallows dipped in chocolate.
I really love the wall paint color/treatment in the dining area. Did you do that yourself and if so, do you happen to know the color brand and name? Thanks!
Where do you get the lavender oils n such?? I cannot find them anywhere
I LOVE the bottle idea! I doing it for my teenage god children. One is 16 so I am putting gas gift cards and movie gift cards in it! Also, I am a teacher and those bottles would be great to get…my husband is a “guy teacher” and was laughing along with you!
As for the rolo & pecan it is like a turtle and I use round pretzels, when you push the rolo down it covers the whole pretzel and they look really “fancy”!
Heidi,
Target has Hot Chocolate on sale this week for like $1 and then there is a coupon…I think after it is FREE!
Hip2Save – Thanks SO much for all your tips! You’ve saved us a TON of money since I’ve been visiting your site (for about a year)…you’re awesome and I love your Follow Me Mondays!
I am going to use the smaller bottles as well- use as stocking stuffers! I have SO much chapstick, etc after the wakgreens RR deal on it a few weeks ago.
Thank you! So many neat ideas!!
The Whole Foods in my town carries essential oils. You can also order from Young Living:
https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/index.html
True essential oils are pretty pricey but you only use a few drops at a time so it will last a while. They also vary in price depending on the oil. Lavender from Young Living is $27.30 for 15 mL
This video rocks. You are beautiful, and I wish I had your energy. I also wish I had a friend like you, you seem fun. Have an awesome Blessed Day.
Sat Nam, ~(-_-)~
Piper
I really love this blog. Such great ideas.
One tradition I’ve started with my 4 and 2 year old is an advent calendar, but instead of treats/toys, we do activities. Each day we open the door to the advent castle and a handwritten activity awaits us. It’s super easy and a lot of fun. Activities include: read a Christmas story with mommy and daddy; enjoy a cup of cocoa; drive around town and look at Christmas lights; etc. Cater it to your schedule. The kids really enjoy it, and it is very inexpensive.
Heidi, I have a really inexpensive idea for gifts for your daughter’s classmates. I did this for my son’s preschool:
I’ve been saving toilet paper rolls (habit I guess) and they work great for gift holders. Simple take a toilet paper roll and stuff with inexpensive treats (from the dollar store….candy, erasers, stickers etc. Only a handful of stuff will fit inside the roll)then wrap the tp roll with cute holiday tissue paper and tie the ends with ribbon. The end product looks like a large wrapped candy. It’s pretty cute and very inexpensive.
A friend of mine makes the choc. covered pretzels, but first she wraps warm carmel around the pretzel, then dips it in chocolate. the pretzel looks fuller, and in my opinion fancier.
Colin, you crack me up. Your comment on the KY was hilarious. Thanks for the video and tips!
Yes. Those stocking holders are from the pottery barn. They have ones that say “NOEL” and ones that have 5 that say “PEACE” I know because I have a two-sided fire place and have one set of each. 🙂 They also use to have a 3 one that said “JOY”… however I think you have to get these on ebay now, they have picture frame ones this year and I don’t think they carry the word ones anymore.
I want to try the pretzels, with rolos.. and then MnM’s to top. Bet the kids would dig THAT
Hi all, just wondering when you make the pretzels with the hershey kisses and M/Ms do you use the knot type pretzels? I’ve made the ones with the circle pretzels but I can’t find them anywhere this year!! They are called “bulleyes” I just wanted to try and make them again and just use the regular pretzels! You can also use the mint M/Ms too, sounds yummy! Thanks Hip2save, your videos are great and goofy!
Do you guys have any cute christmas related sayings to put on a tag for the pretzel rods? I’d be so so so grateful!
Hi Collin. I think I couldn’t get to sleep last night for thinking about these cute ideas! Esp. the 2 liter bottle. Who in the world thought of that?! I have my kids’ teachers some Christmas dishtowels along w/a plushy-type Santa and Snowman and a mug mat (scented with spices) that I got on sale last yr. from Cracker Barrel. So I think I will put that stuff in there along w/maybe some chocolates. I am so excited b/c this is right up my alley. I love to wow folks w/neat creative ideas, esp. if they save you money! I also love the idea about the toilet papaer holders. Who would have thought these could be used to make a cute little inexpensive gadget for kids friends in their classes. And everyone loves candy, right? Perfect. Thank-you. That is why I love this blog so much b/c we spur one another’s creativity along! Good Going! Merry Christmas Everyone!
Gift Ideas..even Collin can do 😛 (I say this because I have NO crafting skills whatsoever)
Ornaments:
Make some salt dough (you can get the recipe anywhere) roll it out, cut with cookie cutters, (be sure to leave a hole for a hook at the top) ..bake them paint/glitter them
Something to do for a snow day..
Take old cardboard boxes (from cereal etc) cut and draw out shapes..let kids paint them *i let mine use glitter too* use a paper punch for a hole..I found a tree for 5 bucks and let the kids decorate it with those ornaments..its cute on top of the table
an awesome food gift..that is REALLY EASY is Oreo Balls (or Oreo Truffles)
All you need is oreos, cream cheese and chocolate *whatever kinda ya want*
Ground the oreos up really fine..and add a package of softened cream cheese..mix it up really well…chill in the fridge for 30 minutes..
Roll walnut size balls out of the dough and freeze for 15 minutes..
Melt chocolate..and dip the balls into the chocolate..decorate em if you want…
You can put some sucker sticks in the bottom of the balls and make a bouquet of them!
Everybody is doing their baking and cooking I see! Or at least starting! I made one Red Velvet Cake (for my church staff) the week before Thanksgiving…then I made some chocolate chip cookies and some w/pecans in them and took them to my neighbors and also, a friend down the road. But the great ideas just keep rollin in. I am gonna have to try the oreo balls. That DOES sound too easy! Thanks!
I have to agree with everyone else who raves about how adorable you are. Lol. I was watching this video in my car on my phone while my husband was inside BestBuy and I started cracking up…then I realized I hoped no one was watching me laugh by myself in my car. Lol Any way…great ideas! Just wanted to add that instead of vegetable oil in the body scrub, you an substitute other oils, such as coconut oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil or soybean oil. They are a bit lighter and much better for your skin. They are a little bit more costly, but I think it’s totally worth it!
And to Anon 7:06, I actually prefer to use sugar instead of salt. It is a finer grain, which is less abrasive, plus it does NOT have the added disadvantage of the sting that comes with shaving! I shave after I apply it all the time and it does not sting at all, plus I love that I don’t even have to use an additional shaving cream!
pretzel/rolo/chocolates are VERY good and people are starting to take them to school functions instead of cookies.
Suggestion for Christmas wrap: buy cheap wrapping paper (and use the white side) or use any white scrap paper and have your kids draw or color on it – Grandparents love it.
When you cut the 2 liter bottle, you can just cut a slit up the side and then put all your stuff in there. It doesn’t have to be a very big slit and then put your label/tag over it. I did Valentine ones for my grandkids and put candy and a stuffed animal in there. They had the most fun trying to figure out how to get it out before I showed them the slit.
Thanks for all the good ideas and all the money saving things you give us!!!
I just tried using Hershey kiss on the tiny knot shaped pretzels. However, when I pressed in the m&m, the chocolate kiss just broke apart in crumbs, all dry and not creamy. This is first time I tried this and don’t know what went wrong. I thought the kiss would be creamy and mushy after being in the oven, but no, the chocolate was all dry and crumbly. Luckily, I just made only 4. Maybe kisses are made differently now. Anyone have problem making these?
we loved the nut-less turtle idea my kids don’t like nuts so it was perfect, We used carmel kisses and reg pretzels and also hugs with reg pretels. these lasted only one day . yummo
Being vegetarian, I am DEFINITELY going to try the squash/pesto lasagna. I experiment with recipes a lot to fit my needs, so dinner doesn’t always turn out very edible, but that’s ok. I am still going to try the lasagna. I also plan to try the salt scrub with lavender oil, my favorite! Thanks for all your ideas and upbeat attitude. Thanks for bringing your upbeat attitude and a smile to my day 🙂