6 Simple Homemade Christmas Gifts That Encourage Self-Care

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6 Simple Homemade Christmas Gifts That Encourage Self-Care Title Card. In the background someone holds up a small gift. A lit tree can be seen behind it.

Hiya Sweet Friends:

Somehow we’re about to tumble into December. How did that happen? I have no idea! But time is pushing us forward into a new month. And you know what that means – it’s the season of giving.

So many of us stress over the perfect gifts to give to all of the people we love. We all have that one friend that’s impossible to shop for, or the sibling that seems to have everything.

And then there’s the whole financial part! We want to give them the world, but our wallets won’t let that happen.

But I have good news!

You can easily make beautiful, homemade Christmas gifts that feel decadent, thoughtful and divine, without breaking the bank. And your loved ones will absolutely know that you want to spoil them rotten.

This week I put a little list of my favourite Homemade Christmas Gifts together for you. The best part, they all encourage a little self-care time. Total win! Plus there’s a free Relaxing Bath Recipe Book in there for you too. How awesome is that?!

Let’s get creating! Here are 6 Self-Care Themed Homemade Christmas Gifts You’ll Love:

Why Homemade Christmas Gifts Rock

A close up of Christmas bulbs hanging from a tree.

To me, nothing says I love you quite as much as taking the time to create something special! The homemade aspect of gift giving adds extra magic to the mix.

And, super bonus, you can take it a step further by creating a gift that encourages self-care and relaxation. Because we could all use a little more of that, right?

Christmas has many of us in selfless mode, more so than usual, putting our friends and family ahead of ourselves. And working our booties off to make sure that everything is as festive and lovely as can be.

Related: 10 Easy Self Care Ideas That Will Help You Relax

Not to mention, this time of year can leave us feeling stressed out! The Holidays involve so much planning and spending and require a ton of time, dedication and social interaction. That’s enough to drain any of us. But the winter season in general can push us into a negative funk too.

A beautifully wrapped Homemade Christmas Gift

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) sneaks up on a lot of us in the winter. This is a type of depression that can pop up when the seasons change. And it really takes a toll one our mental and physical well-being.

But, thankfully, indulging in stress relieving self-care activities is one of the ways that you can lift yourself back up.

Related: 5 Powerful Ways To Cope With Seasonal Affective Disorder

With all that in mind, homemade Christmas gifts with a self-care theme are a total win! Are you ready to get creating?

Here are some of the goodies that I’m making for my friends and family this year!

6 Self-Care Themed Homemade Christmas Gifts

Someone holds a lit sparkler

Before we even begin, I want to remind you to take care of yourself this Holiday season! Everything I mentioned above applies to all of us. If you’re feeling drained, it’s ok to stop for a moment and respond to your needs. Even though this is the season of giving, you should still be giving to yourself.

One of the wonderful things about creating homemade Christmas gifts like this is that you can make some for yourself too. Without in any way taking time away from your gift creating activities. Total win! So do me a favour and make a gift for you, would ya? You deserve it!

And, since it’s the season of giving, here’s a free copy of my Relaxing Bath Recipe E-Book. Merry Christmas sweet friends!

1. Coffee Face or Body Scrub

Coffee body scrub, a great homemade Christmas gift from mshealthesteem.com

I made coffee face scrubs for EVERYONE last year. It’s so simple to create. You only need 4 ingredients! And if you’re a coffee drinker you can even do the environment a solid and make it with your used coffee grounds.

Coffee is amazing for your skin! Check out all of the goodness it has to offer:

    • Increases circulation, giving you smooth, glowing skin
    • Slightly diminishes sun damage and reduces the amount of cancer cells created by too much time in the sun
    • Reduces fluid build up and decreases puffiness (awesome for puffy morning eyes!)

It’s so amazing that this coffee hater (sorry, it tastes like sadness) always keeps coffee in the house. Can’t miss out on all of that skincare magic, yo!

A beautifully wrapped Homemade Christmas Gift, candy canes and pine tree cuttings.

Now you may have noticed that I mentioned making either a face or a body scrub. And there’s an important reason for that! Your face is extra sensitive, so I always make sure that the coffee grounds are super fine and the scrub is extra moisturizing. We don’t want to dry anyone’s pretty face up!

A coffee body scrub is extra exfoliating, so there’s a little less oil and the coffee doesn’t need to be as tiny. But you can absolutely use the face scrub on your body if you’d like.

Personally, I love to find little glass jars (like these), fill them with coffee face scrub and tie some twine around it for a sweet effect. But feel free to have fun and make it your own!

Oh, and all you need is a coffee grinder and/or food processor and some jars or packaging and you are good to rock and roll. Nothing complicated here. Holla!

Find the easy recipe for a coffee face scrub right here or go bigger with a coffee body scrub here

2. Chocolate Coffee Face Mask

Chocolate coffee face mask from mshealthesteem.com. A great homemade Christmas gift.

While we’re on the subject of putting things that you typically eat or drink on your face, why don’t we add a chocolate coffee face mask to the mix?

Chocolate might as well be coffee’s equal in the skin care department.

Check out this awesomeness:

    • Helps to reverse sun damage
    • Further protects against future sun damage
    • Increases blood flow to the skin
    • Helps to keep skin clear

My chocolate coffee face mask recipe typically yields enough for 3 masks, so we’ve got a beautiful multi-use gift waiting for us right here.

A close up of a section of a decorated Christmas tree

But it does have to be refrigerated. I usually make this for friends and family who will be visiting, so I can keep it cool for as long as possible before they get here (and encourage them to pop it back in the fridge asap). I would not recommend mailing it out!

This is because this mask contains a little coconut milk yogurt. Which, as you can imagine, doesn’t do well outside of the fridge for very long. But I do have a simple fix if keeping your gift in the fridge is not ideal!

You can easily mix the 2 dry ingredients, coffee grounds and cacao powder (and optional essential oils) and place them in a cute little container. Add a personalized instruction card telling your loved one to add 1.5 tablespoons of coconut milk yogurt and mix well. Voila! Face mask time baby!

Encourage them to put those feet up while the masks does it’s work. They can dive into a favourite book, journal, colour, or do whatever their heart desires. So much fun!

Get your hands on the chocolate coffee face mask right here

3. Coconut Milk Bath

Coconut milk bath from mshealthesteem.com. A great homemade Christmas gift.

I could never gush too much about how wonderful a relaxing bath can be for your health. I’m actually aching to write an entire post about it (would you be into that?)

But in short, bath’s help to:

    • Elevate your mood
    • Boost relaxation
    • Reduce stress
    • Improve sleep
    • Support skin health
    • Ease cold symptoms like congestion and cough
    • Potentially support heart health (source 1, source 2)

Wrapped Christmas gifts sit under the tree

According to Jessie Violet Larson, a medical massage therapist with UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine in Pittsburgh:

“When you’re in a bath you can’t really do anything else, and it forces you to clear your mind and be calm. Bath time can be a really great exercise for mind, body, and spirit, renewing your energy.” (source)

So gifting a loved one with a relaxing bath in a bottle is a pretty lovely gift indeed!

It’s a reminder to slow down a little and truly take some time to unwind. And the added skin health benefits are a pretty sweet bonus too!

Did I mention that it’s really easy to make? Just 3 simple ingredients (4 if you add essential oils), a coffee grinder or food processor and blamo! You’re golden Ponyboy!

Get your hands on this wonderful Coconut Milk Bath Recipe right here

4. Bath Bombs

A bath bomb recipe from mshealthesteem.com - a great homemade christmas gift

While we’re on the subject of baths, did you know bath bombs are super simple to make in bulk? And if you have a muffin tin you’re good to go! No special equipment needed here. Although a big bowl and a spray bottle can be helpful, but they aren’t hard to come by either.

These are kind of the ultimate homemade Christmas gifts if you’re creating for a few! And you already know that encouraging baths is basically encouraging relaxation and de-stressing. You’re so sweet!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, this one is super easy to create too. Only 4 ingredients (5 if you use essential oils). Because this girl doesn’t like to over-complicate things. Yahoo!

Get your hands on the recipe. Feel free to personalize them with your favourite skin friendly essential oils too!

5. Moisturizing Deep Conditioner

Homemade deep conditioner from mshealthesteem.com - a great DIY Christmas gift idea.

The gift of soft, healthy hair! You can’t go wrong. In fact, if anyone’s looking to make something special for me, this is a fun one. Feel free to do anything on this list really, I love them all! (Looking at you, my three lovely sisters <3.)

It only takes 3 ingredients to make a moisturizing hair mask to condition thirsty locks.

Wondering what it does for hair health?

    • Helps to keep your mane thick and lustrous
    • Protects your hair from UV damage
    • Locks in moisture and reduces dryness
    • Encourages new growth
    • Makes hair softer and more pliable
    • Reduces hair loss and breakage

That’s an awful lot of hair goodness. But this deep conditioner is oil based, so it does make the tub slippery. I discourage you from gifting this to seniors or any overly klutzy friends. And I advise anyone who uses it to use a bath mat, towel down the tub when you’re done to get rid of excess oil and be careful. Slipping is no fun!

Get the full recipe right here

6. Gratitude Journal

A pink journal that says "Today I am grateful" with a pen ready by it's side

One of these things is not like the others… I know that this gift might seem a little different. But I saved the best for last, because it’s my favourite!

Get your hands on a cute little journal and write a thoughtful note inside encouraging the reader to create a gratitude journaling practice. It might not be as homemade as the other gifts, but it is so thoughtful and such a beautiful gift to give.

When we practice gratitude we:

    • Experience a boost in our mood
    • Create lasting happiness
    • Sleep better
    • Increase patience
    • Improve relationships
    • Begin to prioritize self-care

What exactly is a gratitude journal?

A close up of a Christmas decoration that says "Merry Christmas"

Gratitude journaling is super easy. All you need is a journal, a pen and about 10 to 15 minutes to jot down some goodness.

Write down what you’re grateful for, who you are undeniably blessed to be surrounded by and positive quotes and affirmations that make you exude joy. It may be difficult at first, but you will find that your list will grow every time you sit down to create one.

Your note can easily include these instructions. And, if you want to take it a step further, you can add a little list of your own favourite inspirational quotes to uplift the reader. Or tell your loved one why you’re grateful for them. Isn’t that a wonderful gift?

If you want to learn more about gratitude journaling (or practicing gratitude in general), there’s a ton more info waiting for your right here

Final Thoughts

Someone holds up a small gift. A lit tree can be seen behind it.

What’s more thoughtful than the gift of your time and love? Especially when it encourages someone to make extra time for themselves? It’s a pretty beautiful gesture!

Christmas gifts don’t have to break the bank! And they don’t need to be redonkulously fancy either. It truly is the thought that counts! Don’t hesitate to shake things up and create some thoughtful homemade Christmas gifts if that’s what feels right for you.

And remember – give yourself a little something special too! If you choose to make homemade Christmas gifts, create a few for yourself. You deserve goodness just as much as everyone else! So give to you, my friend. And Christmas will be all the more merrier!

Don’t forget to get all of these recipes and more by downloading my FREE Relaxing Bath Recipes E-Book:

Do you like to create homemade Christmas gifts? What are your thoughts on giving gifts that encourage self-care? Anything that you’d add to the list? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Health and love,

sara-signature

Thought of the day: Your friends and family are grateful for your presence and love. You don’t need to stress about providing more than that.

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Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

Sara Flanagan is a wellness writer and the creator of www.mshealthesteem.com, where she shares her story of being diagnosed with Graves Disease, a chronic autoimmune disease, and empowering herself to do everything she can to thrive in spite of her diagnosis. She writes articles on self-love, acceptance, wellness and nutrition. Join the Health-Esteem Family today and share in the journey.

56 Comments

  1. Reply

    Nicole

    December 5, 2018

    These are wonderful DIY gift suggestions, Sara! I would absolutely love every single one of these if they were gifted to me. My favs are the coffee scrub and mask though, I would imagine they smell divine when using them. Merry Christmas!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I wish I could make some for you Nicole! I love coffee self-care goodies, because they always smell like magic ^^. I hope you treat yourself to some sometime hun. Sending tons of love your way! Merry Christmas <3

  2. Reply

    simplyoutrageousyouth

    December 5, 2018

    I love these ideas!! I want like to do the graditide journal. It helps to get your day started right!! Thank you for posting this!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I’m so happy you enjoyed them Andrea! You’re right on the money – gratitude journaling is a beautiful way to start the day. It always makes me smile and I find myself carrying that joy with me as I continue through the day. That’s truly a wonderful thing :).
      I hope you start a gratitude journaling practice if you haven’t already. You’ll definitely adore it :). Merry Christmas!

  3. Reply

    dianarowe

    December 6, 2018

    I LOVE these homemade Christmas gifts. I’m going to share these with my granddaughter as she is into facial masks.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      That’s awesome Diana! I hope that the two of you can enjoy a lovely self-care day together. It’s especially fun if you get to make the mask and then relax and enjoy it. Craft day and home spa day all rolled into one!
      Hope you both enjoy it! Wishing you a beautiful Christmas season <3.

  4. Reply

    Deborah Hunter Kells

    December 6, 2018

    More natural is what I agree wtih. Lovely facial masks – plus I like the hair one too. Putting them together here is a plus when you are looking for gifts with no nasties.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Totally with you there Deborah! There are enough ickies in the world, we don’t need to add them into our beauty or self-care routines. I’m happy you think so too! I hope you treat yourself to a hair mask sometime! Let me know what you think <3.

      Merry Christmas!

  5. Reply

    Anitra

    December 6, 2018

    These are all so amazing! I love drinking coffee, but now I’vee found some other great uses for it too! I love my doTERRA essential oils too!?

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      That’s awesome Anitra! I’m really glad you like them. You can save your used coffee grounds and have fun with them too! Total win!
      And you have wonderful tastes. DoTERRA oils are wonderful. I don’t know how I used to live without peppermint oil and I never plan to go back. Now I have a lovely collection :). Which ones are your favourites?
      Wishing you a lovely Holiday season! Have a wonderful time with your family <3

  6. Reply

    Vicki Belanger

    December 6, 2018

    Wow – my daughters are definitely getting some of these homemade gifts!! I may even make a couple for myself 🙂

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I really hope you do Vicki! You deserve a little Christmas self-care goodness too. 🙂 Enjoy them!

  7. Reply

    Lauren

    December 6, 2018

    I can honestly say I went “oh that sounds great” to the coffee scrub and then continued with “but this is even better!” for each gift!

    Lauren | https://livebythesunshine.com/

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Oh yay! That makes my day Lauren. Thank you! I hope you spoil yourself to some of this goodness. Wishing you the most wonderful Holiday season <3

  8. Reply

    Azzama

    December 7, 2018

    These are all lovely ideas! especially love the gratitude journal

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Gratitude journaling really is wonderful! I couldn’t agree more Azzama! I hope that you have lots of goodness to write in your gratitude journal today. And that you have a beautiful Holiday season. 🙂

  9. Reply

    Shirley

    December 7, 2018

    I love these! Going to try the coffee scrub recipe tonight!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      That’s fantastic Shirley! Did you enjoy it? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
      Have a beautiful Christmas!

  10. Reply

    megforitcomMeg

    December 7, 2018

    Gratitude Journal. That is going on my new years resolutions for sure. I need a more positive outlook on life- for 2019

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I’m actually usually totally anti New Years resolutions, simply because they’re often too grandiose and usually set us up for failure and sadness… but that is a beautiful resolution Meg! Resolving to create a gratitude practice and work on developing a more positive outlook is truly lovely. And such a marvelous form of self-love! Thank you so much for sharing hun! I love it <3.

      Have a beautiful Christmas with your family hun! Wishing you well 🙂

  11. Reply

    Jasmin |VeeatCookBake

    December 8, 2018

    What great gift ideas. Love them all. And I still have to make your coconut milk bath.maybe this week ?

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Oh I really hope you treat yourself to the bath Jasmin! I think you’d adore it. Plus, you can never go wrong with a relaxing bath. It’s basically magic, right?

      I’m so happy you enjoyed these sweetheart! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas full of goodness. Sending tons of love your way 🙂

  12. Reply

    Elisha

    December 9, 2018

    I heard of using coffee as a scrub but, didn’t know how beneficial it was for the skin.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Isn’t it amazing Elisha? I had a ton of fun researching to goodness of coffee for your skin when I first worked on creating self-care products with it. And I was pleasantly surprised. There was a ton more goodness to be had than I thought. I’m glad you were surprised too! Learning new things is always a blast!
      I hope you treat yourself to some coffee scrub hun! And I hope you have a marvelous Holiday season with your friends and family. Wishing you well <3

  13. Reply

    Debrah

    December 10, 2018

    Those are wonderful ideas for thoughtful Christmas gifts. I’d love getting any one of them and I can think of someone that might like the coffee scrub. Thanks for the ideas.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      That’s wonderful Debrah! I really hope that someone makes something special for you this Christmas! And/or that you make some for yourself. Gifting ourselves with self-care goodness is never a bad idea!
      Have a beautiful Christmas hun! Wishing you the best 🙂

  14. Reply

    jamonkey

    December 10, 2018

    THe coconut milk bath sounds amazing!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      It’s my idea of heaven! If you’re a bath person too I think you would adore it :). I hope you spoil yourself to one <3

  15. Reply

    megforitcomMeg

    December 11, 2018

    Getting a present for myself? unheard of! lol. Thank you for the reminder.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Oh I hope you do Meg! You deserve it :). Happy Christmas <3

  16. Reply

    Deborah Hunter Kells

    December 11, 2018

    Self care so vitally important!… Baths??! yes you have me there – a fave pasttime. Had been 5 years without a bath and now have one…. think I will go and enjoy one now! 🙂

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Oh goodness, I don’t think I could survive 5 years without a bath tub! You are a total trooper! Thank goodness you have one now. I hope you have fun making up for lost time Deborah! Bonus points if a good book is involved ^^.
      Merry Christmas hun! Have a wonderful on 🙂

  17. Reply

    Shirley

    December 11, 2018

    Update: I made the coffee scrub and absolutely love it!!!!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      EEEE! That makes my day Shirley! I’m so happy to hear that. <3 And really glad you spoiled yourself to some self-care. You deserve it! Thank you tons for sharing your thoughts with me! Happy Christmas :)

  18. Reply

    budgetbelles80

    December 11, 2018

    I would love to have the gratitude journal especially since mine journal is almost filled!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      Oh that’s so lovely! I bet it’s filled to the brim with goodness. You definitely need a new one. Hopefully someone knows to get you one <3. Here's to all of the future goodness waiting to make the pages of your next journal!
      Have a beautiful Christmas 🙂

  19. Reply

    Live Learn Better

    December 11, 2018

    These are great ideas for Christmas DIY gifts. Love making and learning to make new stuff.

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      That’s awesome! Same here. Creating things is always a joy. And learning new things is always exciting. Combine the two and we are in heaven! I’m happy you think so too. And I hope you make something special for yourself this Holiday season. Happy Christmas hun 🙂

  20. Reply

    Krysten

    December 17, 2018

    Ooooh these are WONDERFUL ideas, thank you for sharing!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I’m really glad you enjoyed the Krysten! Thank you. I hope you treat yourself to a thing or two from this list. Have a happy Christmas <3

  21. Reply

    Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    December 18, 2018

    Hhhhmmmmm….the coffee scrub…..I must admit, it’s my first time hearing of it. Will try it out this festive-season!

    • Reply

      Sara

      December 18, 2018

      I’m really excited for you to give it a go Ntensibe! I would love to hear what you think :). I hope you adore it as much as I do!
      Wishing you a wonderful Holiday season 🙂

  22. Reply

    Bill Sweeney

    November 26, 2019

    These are some great gifts my kids and I could make for their mom. Homemade gifts that come from the heart are the ones that bring the biggest smiles.

  23. Reply

    Matt Taylor

    November 26, 2019

    These are all awesome homemade gift ideas! Homemade gifts are the best. Some of my favorite gifts I have ever received were homemade gifts.

  24. Reply

    Audrey

    November 27, 2019

    When our kids make homemade gifts for my husband and me, it makes us feel so good inside. I would love any of these gifts!

  25. Reply

    Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    November 27, 2019

    Aaaahhhh….there you have it….my favourite of them all….the “gratitude journal”! Once you gift it out, I assure you, the recipient of it will live to appreciate it fully!

  26. Reply

    Mahmudul

    November 27, 2019

    Wow. all are great homemade christmas.. love all… thank you for share it

  27. Reply

    Emman Damian

    November 27, 2019

    Coffee body scrub is a good gift idea. We have a lot of coffee in my country so I think that would be fun! It’s also cheap.

  28. Reply

    Wendy Polisi

    November 27, 2019

    These are some really cute ideas! Having gifts to give yourself really does help with your self esteem!

  29. Reply

    Tiffany La Forge-Grau

    November 27, 2019

    These are all some really great ideas. Gifts for yourself are always fun to make!

  30. Reply

    katrina Kroeplin

    November 27, 2019

    self care is huge. i love these ideas. essential oils are a big thing for me.

  31. Reply

    Simply healthy vegan

    November 27, 2019

    these are all wonderful ideas 😀

  32. Reply

    KiwiTheBeauty

    November 28, 2019

    I am a pretty crafty chick! I love all of these items to give as gift for this season!

  33. Reply

    Angela Ricardo Bethea

    November 29, 2019

    There is something about homemade gifts that makes them extra special. Those listed about all sounds amazing and I’d definitely love to try out that chocolate coffee mask.

  34. Reply

    SOMGOLIBE

    December 7, 2019

    Ohh wow…these are really great ideas, I’ve never been a skincare person so I’m definitely trying out the gratitude journal.

  35. Reply

    Niharika Verma

    December 9, 2019

    I Love Coffee and Coconut in Skincare or Bodycare 🙂 They work soooo good. Esp the coffee scrub ? Loved your ideas.

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Hiya! I’m Sara

I’m a wellness writer, Graves Disease thriver and self-love advocate.

And I’m passionate about empowering you to prioritize self-care and love yourself fiercely.

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