Homeschool On the Range: Spread Cheer with these Frugal Homemade Christmas Gifts

I don't know about you, but with the way the economy is headed south right now, we've been tightening our belts every place possible. This year, that will include gift-giving as well. But at the same time, we have so many people that we love, and we want to spread cheer! We want to continue with our RACK program (Random Acts of Christmas Kindness)...and so we set off looking for some ways to create handmade gifts for the majority of our presents this year...

If you are truly trying to cut down, pick only one or two things from this list, and get the supplies in bulk. If you just like making crafts and / or have lots of different supplies on hand, the more ideas, the merrier!

Not sure what to make? One idea is to make a couple of several items and offer a "choice box," where people can look through and pick one item. This way they will get something they will actually use, and you'll get a better idea of what your circle of family and friends would really like in the future (then you can go back to bulk supply purchases). Try to keep items useful, or you'll spend time on things that get trashed or donated.

Kitchen Crafts

Fabric items are a hit, whether seasonal or not.

You can make tie-dye dish towels in the color scheme of your recipient's kitchen, or go with traditional red and green.
Paint some hand towels with fabric paint - use seasonal or classic kitchen designs.
Bowl cozies are nice for warming soups in a bowl in the microwave and not burning yourself.

A few notes:

You can pick up plain towels in bulk to start this project.
If you're planning to make anything that will go in the microwave, be sure to use 100% cotton.

Using cotton and beeswax, it only takes a little bit to put together homemade beeswax food wraps for a fraction of the cost.
Know how to embroider? Why not create some personalized grilling aprons?
Heading to a party? Bring a bottle in these cute, seasonal homemade wine bags using old blue jeans.
If you're handy with a woodburner, create some personalized wooden spoons and spatulas, then add in a potholder and / or cookie mix.
You could also design a recipe box and put in your favorite recipes!

Foodie Gifts

When it comes to homemade treats, the list is endless! Pick up baskets from your local thrift store if you want to gift multiple items to someone, or just dress up small jars with a bit of ribbon or twine!. The book series Gifts in a Jar has fantastic ideas for getting you started!

Some ideas include:

Self-Care Gifts

Essential oils plus some basic kitchen supplies can go a long way! There are MANY different kinds and brands of essential oils to choose from, but outside of the MLM brands, this is one that our family has had good experiences using.

All of the below suggestions can be dressed up using small jars and a bit of ribbon or twine!

Mix them with coarse sugar crystals and hand soap for a sugar scrub.
Combine them with a coarse sea salt for bath salts.
Put a few drops into some homemade lotion - made by mixing vaseline, baby lotion, and vitamin E.

Reusable necessities are earth-friendly and chemical-free...for the young women in your life.
Grab some kitchsy socks and create rice heating pads. This is also good for using up cute (clean) mismatched socks from the laundry room.
Using bulk elderberries, whip up several bottles of elderberry syrup for a seasonal immune booster.

House & Home Crafts

Using a simple recipe, you can make cute Christmas shaped bird seed ornaments. They hang outdoors like an ornament, and the birds can enjoy them.
Here's a simple tutorial video set for using air-dry clay to make a nativity scene!
Using colored sharpies and / or paints, kids can make personalized doodle magnets.
Grab some super-cheap paintbrushes to make a Santa Claus decoration they'll love!
One unique gift idea - that keeps on giving - is the "Open When" envelope series. This includes things such as, "Open when you're going on a road trip"- with a prayer for safe travel, added some gum, and a gas gift card, or "Open when it's snowing!" with a packet of hot chocolate and paper snowflakes. Here are 150 ideas for what to put inside your envelopes.

Holiday Schooling & Home Economics

The holidays are a great time to get a lesson in on Budgeting and Shopping with a Budget!
When the holidays arrive, it's so tempting to completely put school aside...but one does not preclude the other! Here are some fun ways to include science in your Christmas school.
Part of Celebrating Holidays through Literature, here is the entire Christmas Book List for all ages, from board books to adult reads.
Do you sew? Do you have a child who would like to learn? Check out the free patterns from 5 out of 4, perfect for beginners or intermediate sewers, plus tons of free tutorials.
Homeschool through the holidays with this holiday bundle that includes three full-length history-based holiday unit studies plus several extra crafts and activities!