Need a Last-Minute Christmas Gift? Take a Look Around the House

It's a few days before Christmas and that nagging, "I forgot something" feeling is rising in the pit of your stomach. We've all been there. It's easy to forget to grab a gift for a particular person. But who wants to brave the stores just days ahead of the holiday? And who has a million bells and whistles for homemade gifts? Here are some DIY last-minute gift ideas you can turn to in the eleventh hour that won't require any extra shopping since they make use of common household items. 

What you'll need: 

• Oranges 
• Cranberries
• Cinnamon sticks
• Cloves
• Star anise (optional)
• Lemons (optional)
• Rosemary (optional)

Slice up some oranges and lemons if you've got them and put them on a baking sheet. Do the same with some fresh cranberries. Bake the fruits low and slow, setting your oven to 200 degrees for 2-3 hours. As you build your potpourri, layer the dried fruits with cinnamon sticks, cloves, rosemary, and star anise in a jar or container. Be sure to include directions, explaining how to add the mix to water and simmer it in a pot to get the most out of the aroma. 

Instructions: Country Hill Cottage

What you'll need: 

• Index cards
• Hole puncher
• Binder ring or ribbon/string
• Pen or marker

Grab a few index cards and write your favorite recipes. Connect them together with whatever you have on hand and you've got a makeshift recipe book.

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What you'll need: 

• Mason jar
• Powdered sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Powdered coffee creamer
• Salt
• Cornstarch
• Chocolate chips (optional)
• Crushed candy canes (optional)
• Mini marshmallows (optional)

You can't go wrong with a hot cocoa mix around the holidays, and if you're a baker, all of the fixings are likely pantry staples.

Recipe: Sprinkle Bakes

What you'll need: 

• Mason jar
• Epsom salt
• Coarse sea salt
• Baking soda
• Essential oils

Giving the gift of relaxation is easier than you might think. Just mix together some epsom and sea salts, add in baking soda along with a few drops of your favorite essential oils, and put it all in a jar. 

Instructions: Elizabeth Rider

What you'll need: 

• Cookie/candy/brownie ingredients
• Disposable container

When in doubt, bake or make a treat to gift. Use whatever you have in the cabinet and find a recipe that fits, and it's as easy as that. No holiday gorcery-store horror story required.

What you'll need: 

• Soil
• Any household item that can work as a plant container
• Part of an existing houseplant

If you have an old tin, watering can, or even a boot that can be reused and repurposed into a planter, spruce it up for a homemade gift. And if you have houseplants you're able to propagate — specifically those that you won't have to put in water and wait for roots to grow before planting them in soil — you can elevate the gift that much further. 

Tip: Some of the easiest plant to propagate include Tradescantia, spider plants, snake plants, pothos, and even a Christmas cactus.