By Julissa Higgins

The holidays are about more than just gifts but everyone likes receiving them and it’s a good idea to give back to those people you appreciate. So if you are a last-minute gift shopper or simply want to make something from scratch, follow these instructions for making cute holiday gifts.

1. Hot chocolate mason jar. This first idea is pretty quick and effortless. Grab a mason jar and fill it halfway with hot chocolate powder. Next, layer some mini marshmallows and at the top, crush up some peppermint candy. After you close the jar, wrap some twine around the neck of the jar and add a little greetings note. Feel free to decorate the jar however you want (you can add some red and white foam stickers and make them spell out ‘Happy Holidays’). Snowman stickers work just as well.
2. Christmas mug mini gift baskets. For this next idea, first grab a solid white cup and some sharpies. Cups that are not glossy are better because the marker won’t peel off on them. Decorate the mugs as you please. Draw snowflakes, pine trees, snowmen, candy canes on the handle, or anything else you’d like. Put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes to let it solidify. Afterwards, add in some candy canes, chocolates, or anything you prefer!
3. Personalized Beanies. This next idea is probably the easiest and most affordable. Buy some cute solid colored beanies and print out holiday-themed stencils. Using a foam brush and white paint, or any other color you prefer, paint in the stencils to create a pattern. And that’s it, you’re done! An alternative for painting beanies, though slightly harder and more time-consuming, could be to sew on beads around the edge of a beanie to make something a little more cute and stylish.
4. DIY photo coasters. Start by buying small white tiles (they are pretty inexpensive at any hardware store). You will also need a foam brush, pictures of your choice, and black felt for the bottom. Start by tracing the tile on the felt and cutting out the shape. Glue the felt to the bottom of the tile using a hot glue gun. Cut the picture to fit on the tile and after applying a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front part of the tile, glue the picture down. Let it dry for about an hour and then add another layer of Mod Podge on top of the picture and let that dry. After you’re done making all your coasters, stack them up on top of each other and tie them off with bow.
5. Movie night basket. This is an awesome gift for a friend and super easy to put together. Start by finding a big enough basket that will fit in everything you want to add in. Add a fluffy blanket at the bottom, Christmas movies, hot chocolate, candy canes, chocolates, a throw pillow, and anything else you may want, and you’re done.

Good luck!