not another capitalist christmas part 1: handmade gift guide
a three-part gift guide for conscious giving this holiday season
what’s in my 2025 outs? a consumerism-based holiday. grocery prices are on a never-ending incline, morale feels lower than ever, and the last thing anyone wants is to spend hours wandering department stores or scrolling through endless gift guides trying to find something the people you love might not even need.
we shouldn’t have to trade the joy of the season for the chaos of consumerism. somehow gift-giving has turned into a full-time job and the pressure to buy more, spend more, show more is exhausting.
this year, I’m opting out. I want slow mornings and thoughtful gifts, and I know I’m not alone in that.
enter my new series: Not Another Capitalist Christmas - a three-part guide to giving that’s creative, affordable, and environmentally conscious. best of all, they’re gifts your loved ones will actually like.
welcome to Part 1: Handmade Gift Guide - DIYs that feel chic, elevated, and surprisingly fun to make. (see part 2 here)
Needle Felting
my personal favorite and what sparked the idea of this series in the first place. It’s like sculpting with wool and it’s fascinating and so intuitive and fun. you can make anything from ornaments to bag charms, and the limit is your imagination (and the amount of wool at your disposal.
to make the biggest impact: purchase supplies from a local fiber arts store wherever possible.
the next best thing: find beginner needle felting kits online (like this one or this one).
Hand-Painted Candles
so fun and you can get super creative with colors or designs. you’ll need plain candles or candle sticks, colorful candles or tea lights that can be melted down, and some kind of tool or paint brush to help make the designs. you’ll want to use the colorful wax as the “paint.”
to make the biggest impact: try thrifting as many materials as possible!
Hand-Embroidered Napkins
this is such a good way to brush up on your embroidery skills while making a personal gift for your gift-receiver. you can embroider almost any fabric (shirts, napkins, etc.), and your designs can be as personal as you’d like! all you need is some embroidery thread, a hoop, and a way to sketch out the design.
To make the biggest impact: thrift whatever you plan on embroidering and shop local!
Hand-Poured Candles
a crafty, fun, and elevated way to give the gift of every season: a candle. because truly who doesn’t love candles? all you’ll need is a vessel, a wick, and some wax (soy or beeswax is the best!) to make them smell nice, you can grab some essential oils to add as well.
to make the biggest impact: thrift the candle holders for an even more unique (and sustainable) gift!
Air-dried Clay
it’s versatile, easy to work with, and let you create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that feel thoughtful and elevated! some great ideas include a tic-tac-toe game, magnets, or incense holders. just be sure to avoid any gifts meant for food since air-dry clay is NOT food safe.
Bookmarks
perfect for the reader in your life, and there are so many ways to create them. you can get crafty with some cardstock or pressed flowers, or put your crochet skills to work.
to make the biggest impact: create bookmarks out of recycled materials (like old maps or books that are no longer useable) to repurpose them and give them new life!
Keychains/Bag Charms
remember those beaded lizards we’d make in elementary school to decorate our Jansport backpacks? think that, but more refined, and for our LL Bean Boat and Totes. I especially love the little beaded fish charms.
to make the biggest impact: repurpose old bracelets, necklaces, or vintage charms!
Seashell Candles
yes, another candle, but hear me out. candles are surprisingly versatile and easy to tailor to the person you’re gifting. if you know someone who lives on the coast (or at least dreams of it), this is a chic, thoughtful way to bring a little seaside vibes to their space. bonus points if you use leftover wax from some of the other projects on this list.
to make the biggest impact: get shells straight from the source if you can (the beach of course), but many restaurants have been known to recycle their used oyster shells if you ask nicely! Just be sure to clean them well first.
Stamped Tea Towels
these are easier than they look, and you can either find stamps that are already made or make them yourself! you don’t have to become a linocut expert either, almost anything can be a stamp if you try, even fruits and vegetables you have lying around! Just be sure to use fabric-specific ink.
to make the biggest impact: find and wash secondhand tea towels before stamping!
Mosaics
you can make mosaics on almost anything - table tops, coasters, planters, really anything with a surface (again, not exactly food safe). all you need is some leftover glass, mortar or cement, grout, and if you want to get even more detailed - glass cutting tools. here is a good how-to guide!
to make the biggest impact: use an old broken plate, secondhand glass materials, or maybe even seashells!
Sewn Felt Ornaments
again with the felt ornaments, but this time, these are sewn and stuffed with a polyfill. you can even bead them to make them even more ornate! these are a bit more 2D than their needle-felted counterparts, but if you can sew it, you can make it into an ornament!
to make the biggest impact: recycle stuffing from old pillows or cushions!
Photo/Painting Fridge Magnets
help your loved ones decorate their fridge with a photo they love, or even a one of a kind painting! all you’ll need is a little frame, some magnets, and some hot glue.
to make the biggest impact: create frames out of the air dry clay from earlier, or find them secondhand!
these homemade ideas let you slow down, get creative, and celebrate the season in your own way.
which of these will you try first this holiday season? let me know if you have any other ideas you would add!
Disclaimer: Images in this guide come from Pinterest for inspiration. You can browse the full board here to find the original creators.
This has been weighing on me lately. It feels like all the magic is replaced with consuming more and more. You listed some amazing ideas, thank you 💙
Literally as I’m thinking about what handmade gifts to make this year, the algorithm delivers this perfectly curated list. Thanks for these beautiful ideas, I cannot wait to start crafting 🙌