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.
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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
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!
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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
You’ve made it a tradition! Hopefully it stays fun for you to make them!
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.
Restaurant cards are a great idea! I love practical and fun gifts that will be used and enjoyed!
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 🙂
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.
What a lovely idea to include the firefighters! Thanks for sharing Christy – I love hearing your ideas!
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.
That’s great Nina! I’d love to see a photo of your masterpiece!
So many great ideas. I love the World Vision idea of helping others.
Thanks Kelly. Your wonderful soaps would also make a great holiday gift!
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!
Your welcome Jennifer! I’m glad you’re an experience shopper as well!
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!
Thanks Katrin! I agree that tickets to events and activities are wonderful gifts. I love giving and receiving them!
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.
Hi Jill! I loved seeing the Blue Man Group years ago. What a wonderful memory. Homemade socks are so special – definitely a win-win!
These are some great ideas…thanks for taking the time to share them with us!
I love the idea of giving something homemade! Thank you for sharing these ideas at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
These are great ideas for the holidays. Great list. Thanks for sharing with Small Victories.
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.
Thanks so much Gaye!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
What a great idea Tanya! I love that idea to update the recipe binder – what a special gift that will be to your family.
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.
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.
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.
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!