Three homemade christmas gifts your friends will love
Giving gifts to all of your friends does not need to put you in debt. Here are some inexpensive gifts that you can make yourself.
Heating Pad Hands: Everyone on your list over 30, and some under, will enjoy this heating pad.
Step 1: Purchase colorful striped toe socks (with individual toes) or long winter gloves. Purchase one pair for every two pads you want to give. Make sure it is tightly woven. If it is not, you may have to insert a stocking into it to keep the rice from coming through.
Step 2: Mix rice with eucalyptus oil. You will need 3-4 cups per pad. Mix in enough to make a pleasant smell, but not enough for the rice to feel wet.
Step 3: Fill the socks to 60% capacity with the rice mixture. Do not fill it all the way, so that the user can wrap the pad around their neck or mold it to their back if they need to. Push the rice into the fingers or toes of the pad so that it looks like a hand.
Step 4: Take special care to sew the pad closed very well. Use tiny close stitches to make sure the rice will not leak out. If you cannot sew, purchase socks or gloves long enough to allow you to tie an overhand knot at the end.
Step 5: You can add final touches like making a face on the heating pad or embroidering the recipients name on it. This gift is most appreciated when it is personalized.
Home Made bath salts: This is a great gift for all of the women on your list.
Step 1: Purchase Epsom salts, kosher salt, peppermint oil, blue food coloring, and green food coloring.
Step 2: Purchase decorative containers for the bath salts. You can use plastic storage containers, or decorative glass containers from either a specialty store or the dollar store.
Step 3: Make two batches of bath salts. For each batch, mix 6 cups of Epson salts, 3 cups kosher salt, and 12 drops of Peppermint oil. In one batch, add 10 drops of green food coloring and in the second batch, add 10 drops of blue food coloring.
Step 4: Layer the batches of bath salts alternately into your jars to make layers. You should have enough to fill four 30oz. jars.
Step 5: Seal jars and tie with ribbon. Add a gift tag to the ribbon. If you are feeling generous, add the recipe so they can refill the jar when they have used up the bath salts.
Chocolate Indulgence: This gift is for the chocolate lovers on your gift list.
Step 1: Purchase mugs for each person. You can get them inexpensively from the dollar store, or purchase a set of mugs from the discount store.
Step 2: Using plastic spoons, dip the spoons in melted chocolate chips, and then cover them with crushed peppermint candy.
Step 3: Wrap the dried candy spoons in cellophane and ribbon, and place a set of 6 in each mug. If you want, you can add packages of flavored coffee or hot chocolate mix to the mug depending upon the recipient’s preference.
