Vanshika Dhyani shares her favourite Christmas crafts and how to let the holiday cheer in, and the holiday-budget out with artsy presents!
Do you remember all the presents you got last Christmas? Probably not. What about the handmade birthday card from your best friend back when you were in primary school? Exactly. Gift-giving is a love language that should be nurtured. There is something so warm and fuzzy about a handmade gift - perhaps it is the effort that goes into it, or the fact that every aspect of the gift can be personalised to its recipient. If you are wondering if you should make your Christmas presents this year, the answer is yes!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
A Christmas Scrapbook
Basics: scrapbook, photographs, glue stick, scissors, paper, markers, printouts
Extra: mod podge, hot glue gun, old magazines, stickers, coloured pencils, old tickets, receipts.
The idea for a Christmas themed scrapbook is to collect aesthetically pleasing supplies from your surroundings and buy a few specific ones from the shops. From my experience, I would recommend you use what you have at hand and trust the process! Christmas wrapping paper makes a lovely base to get layering on the scrapbook. Add photographs, quotes, artwork, pages from a book, flower petals, gems, yarn, cloth, there is no end to this list and you can be as creative as you like! You can make personal, themed pages, listing memories alongside photographs together. You could also make it activity focused with pages including Christmas-themed colouring sheets or a handful of your favourite recipes. What I love about this idea is that it embodies the spirit of Christmas - festive and flavourful. Not to mention, this is a token of love that can be created in under €25!
Keychains
Basics: DIY keychain making supplies
Extras: Resin, yarn, beads, pipe cleaners
Christmas keychains are another exciting option, and there are so many ways to go about it!
Don’t mind getting your hands dirty? Get yourself supplies to make resin art. UV Resin is easy to use and comes in a squeeze bottle. You can get moulds to make earrings, pendants and dog tags. Like to sew, stitch, knit or crochet? Use yarn, beads or pipe cleaners to make little Christmas themed keychains. You can make a wreath with yarn (red, white, and green), a crochet hook, ring and tapestry needle. There is so much you can do with pipe cleaners and a hot glue gun, whether it is a snowflake, a Christmas tree or a reindeer, there’s little that twisting, tweaking and turning can't do. And if you want to steer clear of the messy side of things, you can add acrylic frames to your keychain clasps and slide in cute photos.
Ornaments
Basics: ribbon
Extras: Airdry clay, felt, hot glue, dehydrated citruses
Christmas ornaments are delightful to make, and present endless ways to express your creativity. Airdry clay is fun to play with and you can make ornaments to match your aesthetic! I like to use a tiny cookie cutter to get my shape and then paint over it. Felt ornaments make your tree look wholesome and they are very easy to make. Download a template from Pinterest and make your own using just a pair of scissors, hot glue gun and different colours of felt. You can also revamp your old ornaments by hot glueing different beads and buttons over it, or spray painting them a different colour. And if you have mod podge, you can sprinkle glitter over it. And if you are having an eco-friendly Christmas, I have a recipe for natural ornaments that are compostable and sweet-smelling! Head to your nearest store and come back with a collection of citruses. Thinly slice the oranges, lemons and grapefruit, and bake in the oven until completely dehydrated. Thread them through with a natural twine. You can also add cinnamon sticks or any other sustainable decor!