12 Quick and Easy DIY Christmas Gift Ideas

12 diy Christmas gift ideas

Simple gift ideas that can work all year

Trying to find just the right gift for friends, family and more? Adding personalized labels, tags and fabric transfers to an inexpensive gift can make a thoughtful present that won’t break the bank. We’ve put together 12 easy DIY Christmas gifts to help you get through the holidays for less. Just grab a few simple items, add a personalized tag or label, and you’re good to go without spending a lot.

We’ve included some of our free holiday templates for inspiration, as well as the DIY and custom-printed Avery products we used to create these easy gift ideas. And with a few simple tweaks, these gifts can be given year-round.

1. Mulling Spices

Fill cellophane baggies with assorted spices for mulling as an inexpensive gift

Mulling spices like cinnamon, allspice and cloves are a fantastic way to kick up the flavor in wine and cider and are the perfect DIY gifts for party hostesses, neighbors and friends.

We used square tags to create this look. You can personalize any style gift tag with your own messaging and add the instructions on the back of the tag.

2. Special Seasonings

 homemade seasonings in a jar make a lovely hostess gift or gift for neighbors and friends

Have that special BBQ rub your husband swears by or a special homemade salt or seasoning you love. Put it in a jar and tie it with a bow and you have a gift everyone will appreciate having in their pantry.

We used a Mason jar, some red twine and a personalized kraft brown round label on the lid for this tasty gift.

3. Baking Staples

Fabric transfers are great for shirts but you can also iron them onto small canvas bags to create this awesome gift of baking essentials. White flour sacks will work great too. It just depends on if you want a rustic, organic look or a rich, clean feel.

We used our iron-on fabric transfers to make this fun kit of baking essentials.

4. Cookie Cutters

Add a tag to a special cookie cutter for a simple Christmas gift

Cookie cutters, spatulas, holiday dish towels, and even a festive oven mitt make an inexpensive gift for the bakers in your gifting circle. They also make an awesome party favor for holiday parties.

Just attach a fun personalized tag and you’re done. We use a scallop tag with this simple snowflake design.

5. Cookie Dough

cookie dough rolls wrapped in fun Christmas designs for an inexpensive gift

Is it even Christmas without cookies? Give everyone the gift of sugar with a roll of your very own, homemade cookie dough. Again, if times are tight like they are for most right now, try some store-bought dough wrapped up and personalized.

We used white wrapping paper, ribbon and a rectangle label for this look. Be sure to include baking instructions for homemade cookies.

6. Cinnamon Rolls

Give the gift of cinnamon rolls this holiday. Everyone loves them

Whether you have your own recipe or buy a tin from the store, cinnamon rolls are a delicious treat that everyone will enjoy during the holidays.

For our canned rolls, we added a simple ribbon and tag. If you home bake your rolls, you can do the same thing with a brown bakery box.

7. Cookie Decorating Kit

beautiful craft box filled with various cookie decorating items each neatly identified with festive Avery labels and tags

A cookie decorating kit immediately looks fun as soon as you open the box and is a great DIY Christmas gift for the whole family. Include cookies, frosting, sprinkles, gumdrops and more.

We used fun little scalloped tags on the individual items and printed the instructions on a full-sheet label we adhered to the inside lid.

8. Cookie Baking Kit

cookie decorating kit in festive box with items labeled with holiday theme tags

Expand the gift of cookie dough to include cookie cutters and toppings to create a gorgeous cookie baking kit. These sets are fun for everyone and can be the start of a beautiful holiday tradition.

We used banner tags to label each item. Make sure to include any instructions that might be needed.

9. Pineapples

Add a personalized tag to a pineapple. Voila, holiday gift

Pineapples are a symbol of warm welcomes and hospitality and can make the perfect hostess gift.

Just add a festive Hawaiian holiday tag and some ribbon for an easy inexpensive gift. We used our banner tags to create this fun look.

10. Snacks

jar of Chex Mix with festive ribbon and holiday tag attached is an easy DIY gift. Dress it up by making reindeer food

Try as we might, we can’t survive on cookies alone. That’s why jars of snack mix can be the perfect Christmas gifts for coworkers, teachers or kids to give them that extra handful of energy when they need it.

We used a mason jar, ribbon and a personalized banner tag for this easy gift idea.

11. Jams & Jellies

homemade jam jar tied with red and white ribbon and labeled with oval Avery label for the holidays

Homemade preserves hold a lot of love but a store-bought jar of gourmet jam is also a lovely gift. It’s a perfect item to pull from the cupboard and serve with toast on Christmas morning or to make jam-filled cookies for friends and family.

We just added an oval label and a sweet bow to create this sweet treat.

12. Pancake Mix

pancake mix wrapped and tied with festive scallop tag

Wrap up the dry ingredients for a pancake mix, such as all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda and add a whisk or spatula for a tidy pancake starter kit everyone will love on a holiday morning.

We used our pretty scalloped tags with some beautiful plaid ribbon for this easy idea.

No matter what you decide to give this holiday season, know that the recipient will appreciate the thought more than anything else. We all know times are tough for most right now and a simple gesture of a small gift or card is all it can take to make someone’s day.

Happy gifting!

Author: Melanie Neff

Melanie has an extensive writing background built on an impressive journalism foundation. As a reporter for USA Today and The Los Angeles Times for almost 20 years, she covered everything from the Los Angeles riots, fires, and floods to LA Lakers, Raiders and Clippers games and movie premieres. She followed her newspaper career with a long tenure covering commercial real estate financing and development. Melanie has been writing about small business marketing and labeling needs for the last 12 years. She thrives on reading, researching and expanding her knowledge of everything going on in today's business world and looks to provide the most valuable information she can to her readers.