Homemade Gifts Your Neighbors Will Love
If you have amazing neighbors like we do, they're the watchful eye on your home when you're away, the place you go when you need to chat, the parents of your kids' best friends, the sweet couple that lets your dog have playdates with theirs (maybe that's just my neighbors), and the lender of many cups of sugar. They deserve some love during the holidays too and all it takes is a small token that lets them know they are appreciated. Homemade gifts are always a great idea if you need multiples and we've scoured the web and found some great ideas from our colleagues in the blogosphere that you'll have fun creating and your neighbors will love receiving.
If you have a neighbors who love to cook this is a thoughtful, practical, and very easy homemade gift we found from blogger Keeper of the Home. Make your own 4 oz. jars of all-purpose seasoning by combining the following ingredients. (Makes four 4 oz. jars)
- 2/3 cup of fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup dried parsley
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons onion powder
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons dried rosemary
- 3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Mix it up and with a tablespoon evenly distribute the seasoning to your four 4 oz. mason jars and it's ready to go. Wrap the lids with some festive paper and finish it off with some ribbon and a tag. The clever "Seasons Greetings" gift tag is our favorite part.
We adore this idea from Yellow Bliss Road for your baker neighbors. Buy a set a cookie cutters and place them in a themed bag or jar, then head over to Yellow Bliss Road's website for this free printable recipe card. Tie it onto the jar with some twine and a nice gift tag and you've got yourself a simple, affordable gift that your neighbors will really enjoy. You may even get some cookies out of the deal!
Who doesn't love to be pampered? And these adorable little gingerbread sugar scrubs from A Pumpkin and a Princess can get rid of that dry skin caused by the cold weather. Your neighbors will thank you! This is great if you live in a close-knit neighborhood where everyone is a friend because they're great for mass production and inexpensive to make. Here's what you need:
1/4 cup Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 cup Shea Butter soap base
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Gingerbread mold (found anywhere that sells holiday candy molds)
Go to A Pumpkin and a Princess for step by step instructions.
Last, but not least, these cozy hand warmers from Swoon Studio are a great gift for the guys and gals. If you have a sewing machine handy, these would be a cinch to make and so useful. We love a gift with a practical purpose. All you need for these toasty gifts is fabric, uncooked rice, and a needle and thread. Here's the tutorial to create your own. You could even make a larger version as a neck warmer if you wanted. Add a little card with instructions on how to use like they've done and there you have it. An easy idea that shows your neighbors you care enough to hand make them a gift they'll appreciate during cold winter days.