It’s that time of year again. Streets are covered with snow, houses are lit up with colourful lights, trees are decorated with tinsel; it truly is a winter wonderland. But wait, there’s one thing missing…

Where are the presents?

Christmas is just around the corner and the malls are packed with shoppers scrambling to finish their shopping. Instead of breaking the bank this year, save a few hundred dollars (your wallet will thank you, I promise) and show your loved ones that you care by giving them handmade gifts. After all, it’s the thought that counts.

Sugar Scrubs

You’ve seen these at countless spas, and believe it or not, they are quite cheap and easy to make. Sugar scrubs are incredibly moisturizing and leave the skin feeling exfoliated and silky smooth. They can be used on the face, body or feet, and take less than 10 minutes to make.

Here’s the basic recipe:

2 parts sugar (white or brown)

1 part oil (almond, olive, and coconut work best)

1/2 tsp Vitamin E oil

Essential oils (if desired)

Mix well.

If you’re feeling creative, try these other recipes.

Pumpkin Pie Scrub:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 tsp vitamin E oil

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spices

(or 1/2 tsp of cinnamon if you prefer).

Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup almond oil

1/2 tsp vitamin E oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Citrus Hand Scrub (for after washing dishes):

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 vitamin E oil

15 to 20 drops (or more) of lemon or orange essential oil.

Relaxing Vanilla Lavender Facial Scrub:

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup almond oil

1/2 tsp vitamin E oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

15 drops lavender essential oil.

Recipe Book

Does your mom love to cook and bake? Surprise her with a handmade recipe book complete with various soup, salad, bread, main dish, side dish, and dessert recipes. Type up the recipes (with pictures too, of course), put them in sheet protectors, and place them into a binder.

Tea Wreath

Do you have a tea lover in your life? Surprise them with this adorable tea wreath.

You’ll need:

2 pieces of cardboard

Patterned paper

Clothes pins

Hot glue

A Ribbon for hanging

- Hot glue the pieces of cardboard together (to make them sturdy, since they will be holding clothes pins). Cut the cardboard into a wreath shape.

- Cover the circle with patterned paper.

- Cover clothes pins with patterned paper as well. (To do this, cut strips of paper to match the width of the clothes pin, hot glue the paper on, and trim the ends)

- Hot glue the clothes pins to the wreath. Continue until the whole wreath is covered in evenly spaced clothes pins (Make sure the mouth of the pin faces the outside of the wreath)

- Tie a ribbon on the wreath for hanging and clip tea onto each of the clothes pins (These instructions from tinyurl.com/teawreath13.)

Gift Baskets

Let your imagination run wild and make your own gift baskets for family and friends, including as many handmade goodies as you can. Toss in a box of chocolates, coffee, tea, cookies, candy and nuts for the person with the biggest sweet tooth, or some body lotion, your homemade sugar scrub, shower gel, soap and candles for the spa lover. How about movie tickets, popcorn and candy for the movie lover? The combinations are endless, and you can customize every basket to everyone on your list, what’s more thoughtful than that?

Cookies

First, bake your favourite cookies. Then take an empty Pringles can, clean it out, wrap the outside with wrapping paper, put your cookies in the can, put a ribbon on top and voilá. You’ve got a cute can of cookies all wrapped up and ready for that special someone!

Homemade Fudge

This easy chocolate fudge recipe is the perfect treat for the holidays.

Ingredients:

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Place chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a large microwavable bowl. Heat in microwave on medium until chips are melted, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour into well-greased 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Refrigerate until set.