On a strict budget this year and looking for cheap DIY Christmas gifts? I’ve been making homemade gifts since I was old enough to realize I was getting gifts…but not giving any. That didn’t sit right with 7-year-old me (even if I only had $2 to my name), so I started crafting little presents for the people I loved.
Fast-forward to today, and I still believe the best gifts are homemade — but they don’t need to look like something your second-grade self would bring home in a backpack.
So if you’re looking for cheap DIY Christmas gifts that feel thoughtful, elevated, and actually beautiful, you’re in the right place. From handmade décor they’ll actually want to display in their home to delicious treats and sentimental keepsakes, I’ve rounded up my absolute favorites — including some you can batch for under $5 each.
Let’s get into it!
1. Christmas Tea Towel
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: Neighbor, Coworker, Holiday Gift Exchange, Friend
If you’re looking for a quick, budget-friendly Christmas gift that still feels thoughtful and custom, this DIY Christmas tea towel is it. It’s easy enough for anyone familiar with HTV, and chef’s kiss for friends, coworkers, neighbors, or even a White Elephant exchange. (Psst… the next idea goes PERFECT with this!)
👉Get the design file and tutorial for this DIY Christmas Tea Towel!
2. Recipe Card Box
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: a sentimental family member, a newlywed, a new home owner
Buy a recipe box (sometimes you can find them at the thrift store!) and fill it with handwritten recipe cards — including family favorites. Sentimental, inexpensive, and guaranteed to be a keeper.
👉 Grab the supplies to create this here: Recipe card box gift
3. Thrifted Crystal Candles
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: Friend, coworker, or family member
This is a cheap DIY Christmas gift idea that I make EVERY year. They just turn out soooo good and feel very luxe without blowing my gift budget. Check out the next gift idea for the perfect add on!
👉Learn how to make them with my DIY Crystal Jar Candle Tutorial!
4. Thrifted Match Cloche
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: Anyone who loves cozy candles!
I saw this crystal container at the thrift store and immediately knew what I was going to make with it! They sell match cloches like this one on Anthropologie for over $30!! Meanwhile… I made this one for just a few bucks!
5. Magnetic Bookmark
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: All the book lovers on your list!
I was gifted a magnetic bookmark one Christmas and LOVED it! I use it all the time… but ya know what? I thought… I could EASILY make one of these. I did, and you can too. Follow my video tutorial linked below and grab these magnets!
👉Watch my magnetic bookmark tutorial!
6. Love Notes
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: Friend, Family Member, or Significant Other
A meaningful, heartfelt gift anyone would treasure. Write 20–30 short love notes (“I appreciate your…”, “I love when you…”) and tuck them into a small glass box. Chic, sentimental, and totally budget-friendly.
👉Grab all the supplies you need here: Love Notes Gift Supplies
7. Chocolate Bark
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: anyone with a sweet tooth!
OK, next up in my lit of cheap DIY Christmas gifts that look expensive…Chocolate bark! This is the perfect gift, or gift pairing for anyone on your list. Add toppings like pistachios, freeze-dried fruit, or candy canes and bag them in cellophane with twine.
👉 Recipe Inso: Browned Butter Blondie
8. Scratch-Off Activity Cards
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: family member, close friend, or significant other
Make your own scratch-off activity cards by creating them in Canva, printing on cardstock and then adding a scratch-off paint layer by mixing black or metallic acrylic paint with an equal part of liquid dish soap. This is such a fun and cheap DIY Christmas gift idea to steal for partners, friends, or siblings.
9. DIY Desktop Calendar
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: Coworkers, or friends and family
Perfect for coworkers or anyone who loves to stay organized, this DIY desktop calendar is adorable and sentimental. Use my Canva calendar template to create your own custom calendar pages, print, trim them, and bundle with ribbon or a wooden stand.
10. Holiday Votives
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: The friend who loves cozy candlelight and minimalist décor
Grab some plain glass jars or vases (you can find a bunch of styles at the Dollar Tree) and turn them into boutique-worthy holiday votives using simple stencils and paint markers. It’s quick, easy, and totally customizable. Add a votive in a cozy holiday scent and it’s ready for gifting!
👉 See how here: Christmas Craft – Glass Jar and Stencil
11. Christmas Tea Tree
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: The cozy homebody
Turn what could be a basic grocery store item (tea) into an adorable and festive gift for your friend, coworker, or family member who loves a cozy cup of tea. Grab a few packs of tea, a festive mug, a foam cone, and some cute embelishments (ribbon, pom-poms, etc.) to recreate this (all can be found at Dollar Tree!)
👉Explore options for festive mugs, and holiday teas
12. Mini Frame Ornament
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: The sentimental friend or family memeber
Grab a mini frame (or thrift a vintage one for extra charm!) and turn it into a keepsake ornament. Just hot glue a small D-ring to the back, thread through some velvet ribbon, and voilà — instant heirloom.
👉Grab the supplies you need to make these here: Mini frame ornament supplies
13. A Year of Movies Box
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: The homebody
A favorite gift I bought for my husband was a “Year of Movies” box. Inside was 52 sealed mini envelopes , each with a movie name inside it. Each week, we’d take turns picking an envelope out and revealing which one we’d get to watch. It was super fun and would make the cutest DIY gift idea (that’s really affordable to make!).
👉Grab all the supplies you need: Year of Movies Box Supplies.
14. Scratch Off Travel Map
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: The waderlust friend
A DIY Christmas gift idea that’s been on my list for a few years to make now (just waiting for the perfect gift recipient!) is a DIY scratch off map. It’s easier than you think, and not super expensive to make.
Simply print a a world or US map outline. Paint a scratch off layer over the regions and set it in a frame (without the glass).
👉Get the supplies you need here: Scratch off map supplies.
15. Painted Taper Candles
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: Neighbor, coworker, friend
Ever seen Anthropologie selling a pair of taper candles painted with trees for over $30? Yup. Same. And I’m ALMOST tempted… but, no. Use my hack for creating $2 versions!
👉Here’s how to make painted taper candles.
16. Salt Dough Ornaments
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: Neighbors, Coworkers, Teachers, Gift Tags
The cutest nostalgic gift — and one of the cheapest. Make a batch of salt dough ornaments, paint them, and bundle them with ribbon for neighbors, coworkers, or teachers. They also make great gift tags!
👉 Get the full tutorial: Salt Dough Ornaments
17. Chunky Hand-Braided Scarf
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: Family or friend who looks a little chilly (lol)
Before you panic, there is no knitting or sewing skills required with this one (hence why this cheap DIY Christmas gift idea is classified as beginner!) I found this great tutorial from Girl Loves Glam you can follow to make an adorable chunky scarf for a friend or family member.
👉Get the tutorial from Girl Loves Glam.
18. Lotto Ticket (or Gift Card) Christmas Wreath
Skill level: Beginner
Perfect for: That friend/family member who’s hard to buy for (you know the one)
Got someone who is a pain in the a** to buy for?! Yes, same. I love this idea for it’s simplicity and affordability, while feeling festive and fun. Simple grab a metal wreath form, clothespins, and ribbon (all Dollar Tree finds), and add holiday-themed lotto tickets in a 2-3 varieties. Alternate as you go to create a uniform look like this one!
19. Coloring Shirt
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: Kids, Teens, or Someone who loves a good mindful coloring book
This idea is GREAT as a kids Christmas gift idea, but can also work for those who love a mindful coloring session, or are more artisically inclined. I made these for all the kiddos on my list one year, and they absolutely loved them!
👉Learn how to make these DIY coloring shirts in my tutorial!
20. Air Dry Clay Travel Game
Skill level: Intermediate
Perfect for: Kids
This air dry clay travel game was SO MUCH fun to make for my niece this year. You can really customize this to fit the kid you’re gifting to as well. All you need are some silicone molds, air dry clay, and a few basic supplies!
👉Learn how to make this DIY Tic Tac Toe Game here!
There you have it. My favorite cheap DIY Christmas gifts that are fun to make, satisfying to gift, and look anything but homemade! Which ones will you be making this season?!
Before you go…
🎄 Grab your free printable Christmas Gift Tags!
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