Whether or not you consider yourself a crafty person, there are plenty of DIY or easy-to-make presents to gift your friends and family that won’t look like a kindergartner put them together. Not only will these creative gifts save you money, but they will show your loved ones that you care.

 

Try your hand at one of these homemade gift ideas:

• Body scrub or bath salts
• Aprons or coasters with kids’ handprints
• Personalized coupon books
• Hot chocolate or baking ingredient kits
• Hand-painted coffee mugs
• An “outing” day with your loved one

 

The last two years have been undoubtedly stressful — and focusing on mental health has taken a back seat for many of us. With worries about issues ranging from health to social to financial to job-related, there has never been a better time to put our energy into gaining a healthier mental state.

 

Here are some ideas to give the gift of well-being to your loved ones this holiday season:

 

• Weighted blanket: More than just a cozy addition to your bed or sofa, weighted blankets actually have some mental health-related benefits. Using a weighted blanket may reduce anxiety, relieve stress, and improve sleep. Try the Luxome Integrated Cover Weighted Blanket in a soothing color, like aqua and grey.
• Journals: Whether you gift a blank journal or one with wellbeing-related prompts, a cute space for your loved one to write down their thoughts and feelings can show that you care about their mental health.
• Therapy: With the recent rise in popularity of app- and video-based therapy, giving a gift card to start — or continue — talk therapy sessions has never been easier. Therapy could be an invaluable gift to a loved one struggling with their mental health — just be sure that they are open to the idea first before springing it on them.
• Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy can relieve stress, boost mood, and add a grounding ritual to a daily self-care practice. Try gifting fragranced candles or a visually appealing essential oil diffuser with a set of calming oils.
• Coloring books: Not just for kids anymore, coloring books are now marketed towards adults, too — and with good reason, as mindfully coloring in pretty patterns is a great way to relieve stress and keep both your hands and thoughts preoccupied.

 

The one thing we can’t get back is our time — and we all want more of it. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to “gift” time to your family or friends this holiday season. To give this gift, think about how your loved one spends a lot of their time — is it on laundry, child care, housekeeping, carpool duty, or walking the dog?  

Here are some ways you can give back the gift of time:

• Give a gift certificate for housecleaning services — or offer to do it yourself!
• Gift a grocery delivery or meal-delivery service for a week to relieve someone of their cooking duties
• Offer to run errands for someone with physical limitations or too much on their plate
• Take over carpool duty or childcare for a close friend or family member
• Give your own time by spending the day or weekend with an elderly loved one — or with someone you don’t know, like volunteering at a soup kitchen, hospital, or nursing home.

 

No matter which gift-giving route you choose to take this year, know that your family and friends will appreciate the thought and intention behind it — even if it didn’t cost you a dime.