Does Christmas shopping stress you out? Whether you’re buying for Mum, Dad, the kids or that special someone, you can avoid the holiday rush by upcycling. Using objects and ingredients from your own cupboard, you can create meaningful and delicious pressies for the people you love most.
Pampering
Every woman needs some R&R over the holiday season. Create a coffee body scrub, and she’ll feel revitalised for the year ahead. Simply mix together 1 cup of ground coffee, 1 cup of salt or sugar, half a cup of coconut oil, half a tablespoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Place it in a Mason jar and decorate with a ribbon to add a dash of luxury.
For the men
If you struggle to find the perfect pressie for the men in your life, nothing beats ‘guy time’. Write this phrase on some cardboard, decorate and laminate. It can be used whenever the receiver needs some time to chill and watch sport, play a round of golf, or go out with friends.
A timeless classic
A repurposed tea cup candle is the ideal gift for someone who has everything. Find a long-forgotten cup and saucer, buy some wick and fill with wax. Glue the cup and saucer together, and, voila, you’ve created a classic gift from repurposed items! Choose a pattern that best reflects the receiver or use an heirloom—either is sure to be a hit.
Yummy stocking stuffer
A present can always use a little oomph and including a sweet treat makes for a delectable treat. If you’re a keen baker (or prefer the boxed variety), make a cake and cut it into squares. Place in a jar and mix with your choice of cream, jelly, icing, peppermint, chocolate, caramel and/or lollies and top it off with a bow.
For the kids
Delicious and easy to make, give children a hot chocolate snowman (pictured) by filling three small identical jars with cocoa, marshmallows and Christmas candy. Blu-tack on top of each other, and dress the jars with a festive material for a scarf, and stickers for the eyes, mouth and ‘carrot’ nose. It’s cute, and they’ll have a tonne of fun taking Mr Snowman apart and ‘making’ their own snack!