So, you’re trying your hand at homemade gifts. Whether you’re trying to save money, surprise your friends and family, or just straight up avoiding the mall, making your gifts is a noble endeavor. There are so many ways you can go with homemade gifts. The DIY side of TikTok is blowing up and the Pinterest boards are popping!

DIY-ing can be as extreme as you want it to be, but if you’re trying to live sustainably, there are a lot of one-time-use products you may want to avoid purchasing and cluttering up the house. Another thing with sustainable home-made gifting is that you want to make something the person on the receiving end is going to like, hence, your popsicle Christmas tree may not be it.

We present to you our 2021 Holiday Gift-Making Guide:

Edible Gifts: Baked Goods, Jams, Preserves, Mixes

Perhaps the most clutter-free and sustainable homemade gift options are the edible ones.

Home-baked goods are a crowd-pleaser across the board. Depending on your recipes, some can even be prepared several weeks in advance and frozen. Might we suggest Laura’s Lavender Brown Butter Sugar Cookies?!

Jams, preserves, and pickles are excellent options if you want to get your projects out of the way before the holiday craze begins as they’re shelf stable, and your giftees will appreciate not having to go through something perishable immediately.

If canning and baking are a bit out of your time-budget, jarred mixes are a very simple and quick preparations that are still well-received! Dry cookie, muffin, bread, and soup mixes are thoughtful gifts for those who love home-cooked meals but don’t always have the time to prepare them. The best part is that you can find almost all the ingredients you need for dry mixes at The Apothecary!

For the culinary afficionados in your life, might we suggest a homemade vanilla extract (it may be too late to make vanilla extract for gifts this year, but you can already get started on next years!), herbal vinegar, or infused olive oil? While these may take a bit more time, they are artisanal showstoppers and will be highly appreciated!

Arts and Crafts

This one can be hit or miss. Art and home décor is incredibly personal, but if you’re confident that the recipient will appreciate your creation this can go over very well! Whether you're picking up a new skill or using one you've been honing over the years, a handmade piece of art or clothing can make someone's holiday very special. You don’t have to master knitting in a few weeks to make a stunning gift, either.

We’re currently loving embroidering thrifted t-shirts! With just a needle, a set of embroidery floss, and preferably an embroidery hoop (this will make your life easier, but you can get away without it for small designs) you can even start embroidering things you already have around the house. You can embroider shirts, hats, or handkerchiefs with personalized designs for everyone you know. Favourite TV quotes, catch phrases, animals, foods, plants – the options are endless!

Bath & Body Products

This is another personal one, but this can be a super thoughtful gift if you know someone’s favourite scent. We carry a wide variety of DIY bath and body ingredients at The Apothecary, from carrier oils and clays to essential oils and salts, as well as whatever packaging you need. We have a ton of recipes on our blog including a calming facial toner*, body oils*, hair oils*, bath salts, aromatic roll-ons, and room sprays and body mists!

*For facial products, body oils, and hair oils we recommend having some idea of the recipients skin or hair type so that your gift doesn't get wasted!

Whatever you're making this holiday season, we wish you the best! Happy Holidays!