As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking for ways to show our love and affection for the wonderful people in our lives. Mothers are extra-special, superheroes, brilliant beings who deserve kind gestures in spades. One of the sweetest ways to express tenderness for someone you love, particularly your mother, is to make her something by hand. The following will explore some festive ideas for handmade crafts and gifts for mums.
Gnome Jars
Let’s face it; gnomes are adorable. Gnome cookie jars are even more so; they’re also incredibly easy to make. All you need is a cookie jar, some felt (for the pointed cap, of course), some faux fur for the beard, and a little ball for the nose. One of the most wonderful parts about this gift is that it still works as a jar, meaning you can give your mum the craft, which will last for years to come, but also fill it with treats. Consider picking up her favourite cookies and filling the jar. Or, if in addition to being crafty, you’re also a good baker, why not make something homemade to go in the jar as well?
Handmade Tree Ornaments
Decorating the Christmas tree every year is a wonderful time. Nostalgia and festivity intermingle, creating the Christmas spirit inside even the grouchiest person. To make this time even more darling to your mother, consider crafting some handmade tree ornaments. No matter what her style is, you’ll be able to find a how-to guide for making ornaments that fit with her vibe. Felt, glitter, naturally-foraged elements, inside jokes… There’s space to include whatever your mother likes here. For an extra special touch, why not include some scented herbs in the ornaments? Cinnamon and cloves are excellent Christmas scents, but there are endless others like Lavender or rosemary.
Personalised Christmas Sweaters
The Christmas sweater tradition is rife with classic patterns, but you can take this gift to the next level by personalising the sweaters. Find yourself a good sweater and design an image on the computer (childhood photos make an excellent addition to Christmas sweaters) and print the image onto transfer paper. The best printers for transfer paper also tend to allow for unusual sizes if you need those and once the image is printed, iron it onto the sweater. You can go all out and add elbow patches in festive material or bells or pom poms… whatever you think will capture the Christmas spirit.
Macrame Flower Pot Hangers
Macrame pot hangers are taking the world by storm. They’re cute and, when filled, bring life into any space. If you’re new to macrame, don’t worry! There are lots of tutorials for beginners online. If you have experience then you know how intense this can get if you take on a tougher knot! Take your time and select a pattern that you have the time and skills to handle and get tying those knots. Once you realise how fun it is to create these and see how pretty they are when they’re done, you’re going to be making these for all the plant lovers in your life.
Chunky Knit Blanket
Now we’re getting into the territory of harder to pull off. Chunky knit blankets are the ultimate cosy luxury. You can find patterns online and will need to order an intense amount of thick wool, but the real difficulty in this craft involves how tired your arms get when you’re doing giant knitting. The extra weight means you might need to take breaks and rest your arms more often.
Decadent Skin Products That Are Actually Good For Skin
Terrifyingly, it turns out that the majority of skincare and hygiene products are filled with nasty cancer-causing chemicals and inflammation-causing fragrances. Help your mother avoid the disgusting ingredients in modern-day skincare and opt to make her something all-natural like a whipped body butter or a sea salt body scrub, or shea butter shaving cream that leaves legs silky smooth and reduces the irritation of shaving. Once you see the results that natural skincare has, everyone is going to be wanting you to mix them up something healthy and rejuvenating.
The above crafts are just a few ideas of how you can create something special for your mother this holiday season. Of course, no one knows your mother better than you do, so feel free to deviate from this list if there’s something, in particular, she’d love. You can also reach out to your siblings or get the grandkids involved and work on a group project.
