It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s especially magical for children. But breaking up from school means one thing – presents for the teachers . Instead of giving them their 10th box of chocolates or bottle of wine, you may want to get them something more personal. DIY Christmas gifts are the perfect solution, saving you money while being thoughtful and memorable. Here are some of our favourites.
Reindeer sweets jar
This adorable jar is a fun way to present you child’s teacher with some sweet treats.
Ensure the jar is fully washed and dried before you start. Then, simply paint or use card to make a brown band around the centre of the jar. Stick on two googly eyes and a glittery pom-pom for the nose.
For antlers, glue brown pipe cleaners to the top of the lid, twisting a smaller piece around the top to create the antler shape. Tie a ribbon around the lid for some extra decoration.
Now, fill with whatever sweets you like! For reindeer noses, use any small brown cylindrical sweets and throw a few red gobstoppers in for Rudolph!
Image courtesy of GreenOrc
Read more: 4 DIY Gift Ideas To Say Thank You To Your Favourite Teacher
Gingerbread
The smell of gingerbread instantly makes us think of Christmas. The big bonus with this gift is that you’ll get to keep some for yourself!
Check out this BBC Good Food recipe to make the perfect gingerbread. You can cut the biscuits into any shape you like – we love the idea of making mini snowmen or snowflakes instead of traditional gingerbread men. You can buy cutters from most craft stores and can usually pick them up cheaply in supermarkets too.
Don’t hold back on the decoration – the more personality, the better! Add icing, sweeties and edible glitter to make a statement with your biscuits.
Handwarmer
Give your teacher something to warm their hands with while on playground duty. Hand warmers are super easy to make and will come in very useful on chilly days. We love these ones by Rae Ann Kelly.
Method:
- Cut some scraps of fabric into squares using pinking shears to create a neat edge and stop fraying.
- Place the fabric wrong sides together and sew around the square leaving a 2cm gap.
- Fill the pouch ¾ of the way with dry rice.
- Sew the gap up.
Make sure to tell your teacher to heat these little parcels in the microwave for around 20-30 seconds to feel the warmth.
Image courtesy of Rae Ann Kelly
Related: How To Turn A Plastic Bottle Into A Gift Box
Scented DIY Christmas gifts
Bring some natural Christmas cheer into your teacher’s home with some beautifully scented pine cones. Collecting them will be fantastic festive fun for you and the kids too!
Rinse your pine cones to ensure there are no bugs or dirt inside them and leave to dry fully. Pop them on the radiator to dry them quicker and give your home a lovely pine smell.
Cover them with some drops of essential oil – cinnamon, orange and vanilla work best. Leave them in a plastic zip-lock bag for at least three days to soak in the smell of the oil.
Once you take them out you’ll be able to smell it all over the house. Why not glue some glitter on to the tips and a loop of ribbon to the top for a gorgeous tree decoration? Alternatively, place in a clear bag and tie with a big ribbon and gift tag to use as potpourri.
You’ll put a guaranteed smile on your teacher’s face with one of these personal DIY Christmas gifts. Have a great Christmas!
