It's that time of year to start shopping for Christmas gifts for friends and family. Christmas shopping is such a fun thing to do, whether you are shopping for a family member or a friend. The joy of giving can be greater than the joy of receiving gifts. As fun as Christmas shopping is, it can also cost a lot of money. Even if you go on days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you will still probably end up spending a lot of money on gifts. If you are looking for some inexpensive gifts to give to your loved ones, consider making homemade gifts. Today, I'll be going over the best homemade gifts that are simple and easy to make. I'll also go over some gift giving tips and creative ways to wrap your presents this year.

Homemade Gift Giving Ideas

Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub

Sugar Scrubs are a great way to add some moisture and soften up winter-dry skin. This homemade Sugar Scrub is perfect for anyone you know who would like to relax and have their own personal spa at home. Not only does this Sugar Scrub look exactly like candy canes, but it also smells just like peppermint. Here is how you can make it:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup almond oil, divided
• 2 drops red food coloring (or raspberry juice)
• 8-10 drops Peppermint Essential Oil

Instructions:

1. Set out two separate bowls and fill each bowl with one cup of sugar.
2. Add the almond oil to each bowl. Stir together the oil and the sugar in each bowl.
3. Next, take one bowl and set it aside. Take the other bowl of sugar and add two drops of red food coloring and mix it
   together. You can also use raspberry juice instead of food coloring.
4. Add 8 to 10 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil to the pink sugar. Mix it well.
5. Take a clean container and add a layer of pink sugar using a large funnel. Follow with a layer of white sugar. Repeat this process until the jar is full.
6. Add a gift tag on it with the instructions on how to use it. The instructions are to scoop a small amount of the Sugar Scrub onto your fingers and scrub your damp or wet skin. Then rinse and wash away the excess sugar for nice exfoliated skin.

Hot Cocoa Kit

Do you know someone who loves hot cocoa? If so, this next idea may be the perfect gift. All you need is a jar or plastic container, hot cocoa powder, and candy. You may need a couple of containers, depending on how big your container is. If you will be using multiple containers, begin by filling the first container with hot cocoa powder. Fill the next container with marshmallows. For the rest of the containers, have fun filling it with whatever kinds of candy you think that person would like. Peppermint candy canes, Andes' Mints, chocolate chips, and Oreo mints are great options. Tie a ribbon onto each container, and place all of the containers into one larger container or box. Write your own homemade label if desired.

Mason Jar Cozies

This next gift giving idea can be used for many things. It can be used around drinks in mason jars, mason jar candles, or mason jar flower vases. If you got creative, you may be able to fit these covers around mugs. These mason jar cozies are so easy to make. All you need is some fabric, a sewing machine, Velcro, and batting. You can get the full tutorial at A Pretty Cool Life.

Homemade Bath Bombs

There is nothing more relaxing than taking a bath with bath bombs floating in the water. Bath bombs will give off a nice scent and are fun to watch dissolve. Get the tutorial on how to make it here.

Homemade Hand Warmers

These homemade hand warmers are perfect for stuffing in pockets on cold, winter days. They are also very easy to make. All you need are some fabric cut into squares and a sewing machine. Find out how you can make this gift on I Heart Naptime.

Homemade Peppermint Brownie Mix

Who doesn't love a delicious treat every once in a while? This next gift is perfect for anyone who has a sweet tooth. Here is how you can make it:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips (or chopped Andes mints)
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Layer the ingredients in a mason jar.
2. Tie a ribbon and tie on a tag with instructions. When baked, this makes 24 servings.

Gift Giving Etiquette and Tips

Now it is time to look at some tips for gift giving, as well as gift giving etiquette. People don't always think much about the way they give Christmas gifts. Hopefully, this list of tips and rules to gift giving will help you buy more meaningful gifts this Christmas.

Your Gifts Should Be Meaningful, Not Expensive

Sometimes people get carried away when it comes to Christmas shopping. They purchase gifts that have a big price tag on them. If you know someone who has given you something very expensive, you don't have to feel obliged to do the same. Your gifts should be meaningful, not just expensive. Even if it is a homemade card and a batch of cookies, this gift will most likely brighten your friend's day. Don't always worry about what the gift costs.

If You Go to a Christmas Party, You Should Give a Gift

The next gift giving rule is to give a gift to the person who is hosting a party. The gift doesn't have to be big. A Christmas card and a small gift are all that is necessary. Also, don't feel like you have to give a gift to everyone who comes to the party. This would get to be too expensive.

Choose Gifts That Are Personalized

According to a survey done by Gifts.com, 41% of people look for gifts that are personalized. When shopping for a gift for someone, make sure it means something special to that person.

How to Wrap Christmas Gifts Properly

Once you have your homemade gift ready, it is time to wrap it. There are many options for wrapping a Christmas present. The first option is to put it inside a box. This is the easiest method. You can then wrap the box with Christmas wrapping paper. Another option is to put the gift inside a bag. If you go with this route, make sure the bag you use has a Christmas design on it. Tying a bow on the bag will make it look more like a gift. As for wrapping your Christmas gift with wrapping paper, here are the steps for doing it properly.

Place the Gift in a Box

The first step to wrapping a Christmas present is to put it inside a box. The box will help it stay shaped nice. It is much easier to wrap a present that is in a box. Make sure you choose a box that the present will fit in.

Measure the Gift

The next step is to measure the gift. This will help you decide how much wrapping paper you should cut. Make sure you measure the gift once it is inside the box. To do measure the gift, place the gift on a large sheet of wrapping paper. Cut enough paper so that each side so that it's when brought around the box, it reaches slightly more than halfway across it. Having too much paper is just as difficult as having too little.

Wrap the Gift

Place the gift box upside down on the cut sheet of wrapping paper. Position the seam on the underside of gift box so it's hidden. Start on the bottom of the gift and secure the paper with tape before you wrap. This hides the tape when you wrap. Bring the paper around the box and overlap the edges 1 inch to cover the piece already taped.

Next, fold in the ends of the paper by laying the gift on its side. Starting at one end, fold a short side toward the center of the box, creating a crisp, pointed end at the corner of each long end of the paper. Repeat this step for the remaining short ends on each side of the gift. Fold the bottom flap up on each side and secure with double-sided tape. Then fold the top flaps down, securing again with double-sided tape.

Add Decorations and Labels

Next, add any decorations you would like onto the Christmas gift. Perhaps a candy cane or a fresh pine sprig would look nice. If desired, add a label to the gift that says who the gift is for. If you want, consider adding a bow to the gift.

Final Thoughts

I hope this article has inspired you to get crafting on homemade gifts. Homemade gifts are so easy to make and they are much cheaper than store-bought gifts. Today, I went over some great gift giving ideas and how you can properly wrap a Christmas gift. Hopefully, this article has inspired you to start making your own homemade gifts. Remember that the gift doesn't have to be expensive looking, but it should be meaningful. Have fun crafting!