How Much Did You Save with D.I.Y. Gifts?

D.I.Y. pinback buttons made from photo greeting cardsWith the exception of my husband and my girls (they get handmade gifts from me every other day of the year), I make D.I.Y. Christmas presents for every single person on my gift list.

The reasons that I do so are aesthetic, of course- I like handmade gifts better than I like store-bought ones. I also consider the thoughtful construction of a gift to suit each loved one to be a philosophical rebuttal to mass-market consumer culture, and the fact that my loving friends and family are inevitably thrilled to receive my creations doesn’t hurt, either.

When you get down to it, though, I also craft homemade Christmas gifts for one very, very practical reason: they’re cheaper! With my stash of thrifted and found craft supplies, I can create Christmas gifts for far cheaper than I could buy a gift of the same quality, and sometimes in less time than it would take to drive to the mall and shop around in the crowds.

The truth is that if I had to buy all my Christmas gifts, I’d have to confine myself to a budget so tight that I’m not sure what I’d buy for some people (What would my mother-in-law like to have that costs less than $10?), and I’d have to cut some people off of my list entirely (Sorry, little cousins!).

Fortunately, I’m a crafter, and so all my loved ones got to feel my love this Christmas.

Next >> Here’s what I made, and more importantly, what I DIDN’T spend

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Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now.

Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

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