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You are here: Home / At Home / Holidays / Over 25 Ideas for Experience and Homemade Christmas Gifts

December 2, 2017 by Angela

Over 25 Ideas for Experience and Homemade Christmas Gifts

When we talk about focusing on experiences versus things during the Holidays, the goal is not just to reduce clutter and save money. The goal is to foster time that focuses on relationships. Homemade Christmas gifts are one way to foster relationships while making the gifts, as well as after, when experiencing the gifts together.

Over 25 Homemade Christmas Gifts

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Instead of just giving movie vouchers as a gift, plan a time to go to the movies together. When giving a homemade recipe book as a gift, set a date to host a potluck with people bringing food made from the recipe book. Plan the experience gift for the time that you will be together during the holidays, whether that is a cooking lesson or an outing to the nearest ice skating rink with hot chocolate.

12 ideas for Clutter Free Homemade Christmas Gifts:

  • Make a consumable gift that is your “specialty.” I love this recipe: 1 recipe= 4 different cookies.
  • Make homemade vouchers to give to family members:
    • coupons for babysitting,
    • mowing the lawn or raking leaves,
    • fixing things around the house,
    • cutting hair,
    • a birthday cake,
    • a special homemade meal, etc.
  • Make a photo calendar
  • Make a recipe book of family favorites
  • Plan a special outing during the holiday time when all the members of the family will be together:
    • ice skating with hot cocoa
    • Christmas light display
    • local holiday play or event
Over 25 Ideas for Clutter Free Homemade Christmas Gifts

13 Other Clutter Free Christmas Gifts:

  • A family portrait – plan for a family portrait while everyone is gathered together.
  • A cow, chick, or goat from World Vision or another relief organization
  • Restaurant vouchers
  • Movie vouchers
  • Theater tickets
  • Sports tickets
  • Gift Certificate for a Massage
  • E-readers like the Kindle
  • Cooking lessons
  • Music lessons
  • Family membership to local museums
  • Wine
  • Wine and Painting Night.

For other homemade Christmas gift ideas, hop over to:

  • Winstead Wandering’s Homemade Christmas Gifts with Photos  
  •  Cookin’ Mimi’s 15 Homemade Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen

If you’re hoping to simplify Christmas this year, try sharing this post and discuss what you as a family or group can do together. You’re bound to find a great idea or two to share!

What ideas do you have for clutter free homemade or purchased Christmas gifts?

Editor’s note: This was originally published in November 2015, but has been revamped and republished for the season!

PIN IT FOR LATER:

Over 25 clutter free homemade Christmas gifts for mom

 

You Might Also Like: 3 Ways to Give Joy this Holiday

Joy of Giving during the holidays

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About Angela

Wife. Mom to three boys. Writer. Reader. Aspiring Minimalist. Lover of chocolate and fitness. She loves blogging about the ways she is finding success in simplifying life one step at a time. Her mantra is "Progress, not Perfection."

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Comments

  1. Alexandra @ My Urban Family says

    November 18, 2015 at 11:02 am

    I love these! Each year I make a photo calendar for my parents and one each for my in-laws. So much fun to make, and they always love it. Except now that I’ve done it a couple times it seems to be expected haha

    • Angela says

      November 19, 2015 at 5:48 pm

      You’ve made it a tradition! Hopefully it stays fun for you to make them!

  2. Melinda says

    November 18, 2015 at 10:25 pm

    I love this list. I’m so over buying “junk” that will just be thrown away in a few months. I like giving restaurant gift cards.

    • Angela says

      November 19, 2015 at 5:51 pm

      Restaurant cards are a great idea! I love practical and fun gifts that will be used and enjoyed!

  3. Abby says

    November 19, 2015 at 8:25 am

    I make photo calendars for my parents and my in-laws every year. They’re a huge hit and I’m pretty sure they’d rebel if I skipped a year 🙂

  4. Christy King (@SimpleWhiteRab) says

    November 19, 2015 at 2:56 pm

    Some years I knit one or two gifts. I frequently give charitable gifts like the chickens to kids, because I think that’s more understandable to them than a more typical charitable gift. Mostly I bake cookies – including for the local firefighters.

    • Angela says

      November 19, 2015 at 5:54 pm

      What a lovely idea to include the firefighters! Thanks for sharing Christy – I love hearing your ideas!

  5. Nina @ Hugs and Lattes says

    November 19, 2015 at 6:05 pm

    My boyfriend and I are supposed to do a wine & painting night soon. I can’t wait!!! I love these clutter-free ideas. Goodness knows I don’t need more clutter.

    • Angela says

      November 23, 2015 at 9:02 am

      That’s great Nina! I’d love to see a photo of your masterpiece!

  6. Kelly says

    November 20, 2015 at 7:57 am

    So many great ideas. I love the World Vision idea of helping others.

    • Angela says

      November 23, 2015 at 9:03 am

      Thanks Kelly. Your wonderful soaps would also make a great holiday gift!

  7. Jennifer says

    November 23, 2015 at 10:20 pm

    Love everyone of these ideas and will definitely be referencing it as I shop. I am all about giving experiences over things. Thanks for the great ideas!

    • Angela says

      November 25, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      Your welcome Jennifer! I’m glad you’re an experience shopper as well!

  8. Katrin@KreativK.net says

    November 24, 2015 at 3:27 am

    Hi Angela! These ideas are great – especially because they are clutter free. I love giving gifts to go do activities or tickets to events and such, it’s so nice! Thanks for sharing at Share it Link Party this week!

    • Angela says

      November 25, 2015 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks Katrin! I agree that tickets to events and activities are wonderful gifts. I love giving and receiving them!

  9. Jill says

    November 24, 2015 at 9:52 am

    I love the idea of giving tickets and vouchers. Last year, my parents gave us tickets to see The Blue Man Group for Christmas. They were delighted with our reaction! We still talk about how much fun we had that night.

    I usually knit them some of my special homemade socks. Every year they ask for another pair. I love doing it and they love getting them – total win-win.

    • Angela says

      November 25, 2015 at 4:49 pm

      Hi Jill! I loved seeing the Blue Man Group years ago. What a wonderful memory. Homemade socks are so special – definitely a win-win!

  10. Janelle@The Peaceful Haven says

    November 27, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    These are some great ideas…thanks for taking the time to share them with us!

  11. Echo says

    November 28, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    I love the idea of giving something homemade! Thank you for sharing these ideas at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!

  12. Leigh Powell Hines says

    November 29, 2015 at 10:43 am

    These are great ideas for the holidays. Great list. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories.

  13. Gaye @CalmHealthySexy says

    December 10, 2015 at 8:48 am

    I love these ideas, Angela. Thanks so much for sharing with the Let’s Get Real Party. This will be my featured post at this week’s party.

    • Angela says

      December 12, 2015 at 11:22 pm

      Thanks so much Gaye!

  14. Jenn says

    December 12, 2015 at 11:01 pm

    I tried the gift vouchers with my husband, but he wasn’t much into it. Personally, I would love those!

    Time to celebrate via experience gifts, like ice skating & Cocoa.

    • Angela says

      December 12, 2015 at 11:10 pm

      Ice skating and hot cocoa sound wonderful! Yes, vouchers aren’t for everyone. No matter how you celebrate, I hope you have a great holiday!

  15. Mother of 3 says

    December 13, 2015 at 7:30 pm

    What great ideas! We make photo calendars and try to get a family photo every now and then for the grandparents but we don’t usually think of anything beyond that.

    • Angela says

      December 17, 2015 at 11:29 am

      Hi! Thanks for dropping by and commenting! I love the idea of photo calendars but have never actually made one! I’d love a family photo on my side too – we’ve never done that with all the grands.

  16. Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says

    December 17, 2015 at 9:47 pm

    I love all these ideas. We have too much stuff so I appreciate getting and giving things we can experience with our loved ones. I actually had a photo book on my Christmas list and updating our family favorite recipe binder I handed out 10+ years ago. There have been lots of kids, holidays and yummy recipes added since then! Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinning to our linkup board and hope you found some great posts to visit this week!

    • Angela says

      December 22, 2015 at 12:05 pm

      What a great idea Tanya! I love that idea to update the recipe binder – what a special gift that will be to your family.

  17. Sue Ready says

    December 7, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    You have inspired my holiday gift giving with the voucher idea. Many have so much and we need to look at how to declutter our lives. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

  18. Fabiola Rodriguez says

    December 8, 2017 at 8:57 pm

    I love the idea of a photo calendar. The grandparents would love it! I’m all for no-clutter presents, I’ve been promoting the idea this year. I’ll be pinning this! Greetings from the Blogger’s Pit Stop.

  19. Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says

    December 10, 2017 at 7:49 am

    Great list! I’m one of the few that loves to get gift cards!! And I like the idea of gifting a farm animal, for a good cause, of course. Visiting from Nifty Thrifty Sundays.

  20. Mother of 3 says

    December 11, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    Oh yes! I just love experiences and things to do together in place of more things! We have been given gift certificates for the movies, a waterpark, an escape room, and each and every time we have had so much using them together!

Hi Friend! I’m Angela

Welcome to my blog where I write about simplifying life in small, manageable steps and creating healthy habits. You'll find inspiration, practical tips and community here for the decluttering you're doing in your own life. (whether that's physical, mental, or emotional clutter) Thanks so much for stopping by! Read More…

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