Whether it’s budget issues or just a desire to get back to what matters most, homemade and do-it-yourself (DIY) gifts are on the rise lately. Making a gift specifically for a person or for a group and personalizing it is a great way to show that you’ve been paying attention and that you care enough to give their gift that special touch. Here are five ideas to help make those holiday gifts stand out this holiday season.

Convert or Upcycle

There are a million different options for taking something that already serves a purpose and giving it a new one. One of the most exciting ways to do this is to celebrate the item itself by turning it into a decoration. We’ve seen wreaths made of bundt pans, tic tac toe using ornaments as the Xs and Os – anything you’ve already got, especially if it’s something you’re afraid to give away but don’t actually use that often, can find its way into a gifted decoration.

Candles

You can get candle-making sets in any craft store nowadays, with loads of scent options to accompany a rainbow of colors. Put in some holiday scents like mint or pine, some of your favorite holiday colors, and you can use something as simple as a rocks glass to make your candle holder. We all like a little extra holiday scent to ring in the cheer – just be sure to go easy on the scent – you want it to spread and waft, but you don’t want to overpower anybody.

Make Your Own Snow Globe

Snow globes have been around for a long time, and make their way into almost every holiday movie. You can get them everywhere, but none of them will have your own personal touch. Check out this set of instructions for making your own mason jar snow globe to see a fun way to repurpose a jar and some holiday decorations to become a festive kinetic sculpture they won’t forget.

Fabric Photo Ornaments

Print some of your favorite family photos onto photo transfer paper, then put those transfers on canvas or some durable cotton, and then sew them up, stuff them, and hang them. This is especially helpful if you have kids or pets and don’t want any heavy, hard frames hanging from your tree.

Tile Coasters

Using a bit of Mod Podge, you can permanently affix your favorite printed photos to cheap ceramic tiles. Let them try and you gift a full set of customized, festive coasters to your loved ones.

Summary

Homemade gifts are becoming so popular that in some families they’re a growing holiday tradition. You can even bring the same gifts back each year, with a different theme or concept behind them, or make gifts intended to be re-used each year. Customized wish balls (small ornaments with a slot for wishes for the following year) and shelf ornamentals that can look out over the holiday festivities are fun ways to make mementos that are easy to spot and remember.