The Christmas gift list seems to get longer and longer every year. Many of us are attempting to curtail that list for various reasons, but when the kids ask for money so that they can buy a gift for their brother or sister it can be difficult to say no when all they want is to buy a gift for those they love most.
This year, why not encourage a little DIY and get the kids to make gifts for each other. Here are some homemade gifts they can make for their siblings.
Playdough
Playdough is one of those gifts that brings out the magic of Christmas. It is the easiest of recipes: It is made up of two cups of flour, a half cup of salt, two tablespoons of cream of tartar, two tablespoons vegetable oil, one and a third cup of boiling water with food colouring.
Add glitter to your homemade dough to make it sparkle and why not drop a hint of rosemary or peppermint essential oil into your little one’s mixture for a heavenly scent. Decorating an old jam jar to hold the playdough in adds to the gift.
Glitter Jar
Glitter jars are wonderfully calming and not only are they good fun to make but they’re also very easy to do. The simple recipe includes adding glue and glitter (and any fun bits and pieces you’d like to see swirling around the jar) to hot water along with a splash of food colouring. Glue the lid back in place and decorate your jar. Et voila, calming, glittery perfection!
Bookmarks
Get creative by drawing, decorating, and designing your own bookmarks for the book lover in your life. The great thing about simple things like bookmarks, cards, and scrapbooks is that you can use anything you ordinarily find around the house such as photographs, ticket stubs, or a deck of cards, to make something magical, memorable, and usable.
Building Blocks
Use your imagination to create some homemade gifts for siblings that will prove useful, including using leftover building blocks. Build them together to make a pen holder, photo frame, or jewellery box.
Notebooks
A homemade, personalised notebook is a fab gift for the little detective, writer, or dreamer. And they’re simple to make too. Simply cut and fold scrap paper in any colour, or even a variety of colours, to the same shape and size. Use old wallpaper for the front and back cover, cut to the same shape and size. Finally either staple the notebook together or punch holes along the edge and use twine to bind the pages together.
Washi Tape Bracelets
These creative little gems are the ultimate repurposed DIY craft for little ones. Gather used ice pop sticks and soak them in warm water for at least two days until they are pliable enough to bend and mould. Bend the stick to the shape of a wrist, and leave for another few days in a mug to dry and reshape. Then decorate with different styles and patterns of washi tape. Pierce holes on either end to add a ribbon or cord. Simple and beautiful!
