25 Kid Friendly Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas

"And numerous indeed are the hearts to which Christmas brings a brief season of happiness and enjoyment.” — Charles Dickens

The best Christmas memories are often made by hand.

And if that is true, perhaps some of our least favorite Christmas memories are made when we spend the holiday season rushing through department stores without our children, trying to purchase gifts for people who have everything.

I love gifts, and giving them is important to me. But over the years, I've learned that one of the gifts our children most long for is the gift of our undistracted time.

On the other hand, many of us envision making things by hand as just another distraction from our children.

When a handmade gift requires hours of work alone, we find ourselves choosing between time with our children and time spent doing something for them, rather than with them.

What if we approached handmade gifts differently this year?

What if we invited our children into the process, chose simple projects, and made gifts that encouraged creativity, hospitality, and connection?

A few Christmases ago, we began making changes that created more room for family time during the holidays. We adopted a theme of used or homemade for our Christmas gifts. I took a few children at a time to thrift stores, sewed simple gifts like capes and doll blankets, and encouraged the children to make gifts of their own.

By lowering expectations and making things together, we've been able to focus more on the people we love and less on the pressure to buy more things.

We still enjoy giving gifts to grandparents, friends, and family members. We simply want those gifts to reflect what matters most to us: relationships, creativity, beauty, and a life centered on Christ.

Here are some of our favorite ideas for handmade gifts, along with a few ways to put together thoughtful gift baskets for the people you love.

Gifts for Young Children to Make

Some of the most meaningful gifts for children aren't expensive toys. They're opportunities to make something, learn a skill, participate in family life, and create memories together.

Woven Bookmark

Handmade Capes and Doll Blankets

A simple cape or doll blanket can become a treasured gift, especially when a child helps choose the fabric or sew a few stitches.

These projects are also wonderful ways to introduce practical skills. Children can help measure, cut fabric with supervision, select colors, and wrap the finished gift.

For younger children, a no-sew cape or asmall fleece blanket may be an easier place to begin.

Rolled Beeswax Candles

Rolled beeswax candles are a simple handmade gift that older children can help create with supervision. They make lovely gifts for grandparents, neighbors, and friends, too.

You need:

• Beeswax sheets
• Candlewick
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Carefully cut your beeswax sheets to the desired candle length.
2. Cut the wick slightly longer than the candle.
3. Place the wick along one edge of the beeswax and carefully fold the wax over it.
4. Roll the sheet tightly, pressing gently as you go.

Two sheets of beeswax can make four thick candles, depending on their size. Cut the sheets into thirds for thinner candles or quarters for shorter ones.

Let children choose the colors and help prepare gift tags. A simple ribbon and a handwritten note make these candles feel extra special.

Homemade Bath Salts

Older children can help prepare a simple bath-salt gift for friends and family members who enjoys a relaxing bath. This could be part of a gift basket focused on self 

care and relaxation.

You need:

• Epsom salt
• Clean, dry mason jars
• Ribbon and fabric for decorating
• Optional fragrance, if appropriate for the recipient

Instructions:

1. Pour the Epsom salt into a large bowl.
2. If desired, add a small amount of skin-appropriate fragrance according to its product directions.
3. Stir well and spoon the mixture into clean, dry jars.
4. Cover the lids with fabric, secure with the jar rings, and finish with ribbon and a gift tag.

Keep the ingredients clearly labeled and avoid claiming that bath salts treat medical conditions or improve sleep. If using essential oils, follow the supplier's dilution and safety guidance, and keep the mixture away from young children's eyes and mouths.

Homemade Non-Toxic Cleaner

Fill a spray bottle with water, a few drops of essential oils, and a tablespoon of castile soap. Shake well and add a label.

To Make with Older Children

Tallow Balm

Melt equal parts tallow, olive oil, and shea butter in a double boiler until just combined. Remove from head, add several drops of your favorite essential oils, and when it is slightly cooled, whip together with an electric hand mixer until fluffy. Spoon into jars and top with a label.

Lip Balm

Use the same recipe as the tallow balm but replace the tallow with beeswax. Pour the melted balm into a lip balm container kit or into small tins.

Find the full recipes in our Peaceful Press Cookbook and Peaceful Press Curriculum.

Each of our homeschool resources includes weekly projects like elderberry syrup, tallow balm, sourdough bread, handmade dolls, and more to help your children apply reading and math skills to making creative projects. 

Handmade Gifts That Keep on Growing

Other simple gifts children can help make include:

• Bean soup mix layered in a jar.
• A potted plant grown from a cutting.
• Homemade granola packaged in a reusable container.
• A hand-drawn picture book for a younger sibling.
• A coupon book offering help with chores or an afternoon of play.
• A handmade nature journal with a pencil and colored pencils.
• Cloth doll
• Simple quilt
• Elderberry syrup
• Homemade herbal tea blend
• Air dry clay ornaments 
• Clay trinket dishes
• Handsewn notebook
• Knit washcloth
• Felted doll
• Woven bookmark
• Homemade laundry soap
• Dipped beeswax candles
• Coconut sugar scrub

The goal isn't perfection. It's to help children experience the joy of thinking about another person and creating something with love.

Our Peaceful Press Christmas Guide includes seasonal stories, games, recipes, tutorials, and early learning activities that can help families make these traditions part of their holiday celebrations.

Once you've made a few gifts, add them to a themed gift basket for your loved ones. 

Gifts for Homemakers

I love gifts that make ordinary home life a little more beautiful. A handmade candle, a favorite cookbook, or a useful item for the kitchen can encourage someone in the work of creating a welcoming home.

For a friend who loves homemaking, consider assembling a basket of useful, beautiful things rather than purchasing a collection of novelty gifts.

A Gift Basket for Homemakers

Fill a basket with items that encourage simple rhythms of hospitality and care.

Include:

• Handmade rolled beeswax candles. Dunridge Farms sells a beautiful kit.
• A bottle of homemade cleaning spray in a reusable spray bottle
• Hand-knit washcloths. Cotton yarn and knitting needles here.
• The Peaceful Press Cookbook.
• Habits for a Sacred Home.
• A handwritten recipe card or a favorite family recipe.
• A small bundle of dried herbs or a simple seasonal decoration. Buy bulk herbs from Azure Standard

This is a gift that invites someone to enjoy the ordinary work of home: preparing food, caring for a space, and establishing habits that nurture family life.

The cookbook offers inspiration for bringing people together around the table, while Habits for a Sacred Home encourages families to cultivate meaningful rhythms and practices rooted in faith.

You could even include a little note that says, "May your home be filled with good food, meaningful traditions, and the people you love."

More Handmade Gifts for Homemakers

• A jar of homemade granola or a favorite baking mix.
• A seasonal simmer-pot kit with dried citrus, cinnamon sticks, and whole spices.
• A bundle of reusable cloth napkins.
  
• A collection of favorite recipes tied together with ribbon.
• A small potted herb for the kitchen windowsill.

These gifts are especially meaningful when they reflect something you know about the recipient. A homemaker who loves baking might appreciate a recipe and its ingredients, while someone who treasures quiet evenings might enjoy candles and a good book.

Gifts for New Moms

The early days of motherhood can be beautiful, exhausting, and overwhelming all at once. New moms don't necessarily need more decorative things. They often need practical help, nourishing food, encouragement, and reminders that they are being cared for, too.

A thoughtfully assembled gift basket can be a lovely way to say, "You don't have to do everything alone."

A Gift Basket for New Moms

Choose a pretty basket or reusable storage container and fill it with a few comforting, practical gifts.

Include:

• Homemade tallow balm (recipe in the Peaceful Press Cookbook)
• Homemade lip balm. Get a balm container kit here.
• A gentle coconut sugar scrub for the mother's personal use.
• A nourishing snack or homemade granola bars. (recipe in Christmas Guide Volume 1)
• A packet of herbal tea with the ingredients listed. Red raspberry leaf is especially helpful for moms.
• A handwritten note offering a meal, grocery run, or afternoon of help.
• The Beautiful Babies curriculum as an encouraging resource for enjoying connection, stories, and simple activities with a little one.

For a new mom who is breastfeeding or caring for a newborn, choose products with clear ingredient labels, avoid applying adult skincare products to the baby, and consider sensitivities or allergies. Herbal teas and supplements should be checked for breastfeeding compatibility before use.

The most valuable part of this basket may be the offer of practical help. A meal delivered, laundry folded, or an hour of holding the baby while Mom showers can be more memorable than any purchased item.

A Meal and Encouragement Basket

If skincare projects aren't your preference, make a simpler basket with:

• A freezer meal or homemade soup.
• A loaf of sourdough bread.
  
• Hot cocoa mix for soothing evening sips. Find a recipe in the Holiday Book Flood.
• Herbal tea, with ingredients listed.
• Mothering by the Book
• A gift card for groceries or meal delivery.
• A note offering a specific time to come help.

Rather than saying, "Let me know if you need anything," offer something concrete: "I'd love to bring dinner on Tuesday. Would that be helpful?"

Small acts of service can make a new mother feel seen and supported during a season when so much of her attention is directed toward someone else.

Gifts for Homeschool Moms

Homeschooling mothers spend so much time creating meaningful experiences for their children that it can be lovely to give them something that nurtures their own learning, encourages their calling, or makes everyday life a little easier.

A homeschool mom's gift basket can combine inspiration, practical nourishment, and tools for cultivating a peaceful home.

A Gift Basket for a Homeschool Mom

Include:

• The Inspired Homeschool, an encouraging book about learning from the lives of history's heroes.
• The Restoration Home Daily Journal for reflection, planning, and intentional daily habits.
• Homemade muffins for a busy homeschool morning.
  
• A beautiful notebook and pen for lesson ideas, reading notes, or personal reflections.
• A list of your favorite read-aloud books. Get our Master Book List here.
• A small candle or a simple handmade bookmark.

You could also add a note reminding her that homeschooling is about more than completing lessons. It is about nurturing relationships, cultivating virtue, and making room for wonder in everyday life.

This basket offers a little encouragement for the mother behind the homeschool. It gives her something to read, something nourishing to enjoy, and a place to gather her thoughts.

A Few More Ideas for Homeschool Moms

• A collection of favorite picture books or a gift certificate for books. See our favorite books here.
• A homemade lunch or snack basket for school days.
• A set of nature-journal supplies.
• A simple planner or notebook.
• A handmade bookmark and a list of books you think she would enjoy.
• An offer to watch her children so she can have an afternoon to herself.

Sometimes the best gift for a homeschool mom is permission to rest, read, or enjoy a quiet cup of tea while someone else takes care of the details.

Give the Gift of Time

There are countless possibilities for handmade gifts: bean soup in a jar, cloth dolls, simple capes, potted plants, candles, knitted washcloths, homemade treats, and thoughtful gift baskets.

But the deeper purpose of these gifts is not to create more work for ourselves. It's to give with intention and make room for meaningful relationships.

If a project is too complicated, simplify it. If making everything yourself becomes stressful, purchase one or two useful items and add something handmade. If the season is already full, offer an experience or a practical act of service instead.

We can turn the tide on Christmas expectations and create a holiday defined by precious moments with the people we love.

Our Unearthing Wonder Advent offers more ideas for bringing meaningful Christ centered traditions into the season, while also helping you evaluate what really matters to you.

Explore All of Our Holiday Guides

The best gifts don't have to be expensive or elaborate. They can be simple expressions of love that remind the recipient they are known, valued, and cared for.

May this Christmas be less about what we can buy and more about the beauty we can cultivate together.

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