Christmas is a time of giving… but what about when you aren’t sure who to give to and what to give? Maybe you’re like me and you really love gift giving. So maybe you kind of want to give one to everyone but come on, that’s not affordable! With some clever family gifts for Christmas you can bring the joy of Christmas to even more people without breaking the bank. These ideas will range from DIY homemade things to gift baskets they can enjoy together to simple and big items you can just purchase.
Creative Whole Family Gifts for Christmas
I love having a bunch of family gift ideas on hand every year because they really are helpful when you love gift giving. There are so many times that a family gift is applicable.
- You can use them to gift to neighbors.
- They are perfect for coworkers with families.
- Sometimes there’s a place for family gifts to your own siblings and their kids or other family members like that.
- If you are in a lot of social groups like sports, a homeschool co-op, church groups, Scouts, and more, those are appropriate places for family gifts for Christmas.
- These can even be used for your very own family!
No matter how far your social group of gift giving extends, I’m sure you’ll be able to find the perfect idea (no matter what budget you’re wrking with) here in this post.
Some of the gift ideas are bigger, like something you’d give to your sister for her family, some are small and affordable like what you’d give to your neighbors.
But rest assured you will find the inspiration you are looking for here with these Christmas Gift Ideas for a Family.
Because I love the idea of family gifts so much and have so many to share with you, I’ll divide this post into a few different categories to help you find just what you are looking for for each family.
We’ll start off with DIY gifts like handmade crafts (not cheapo ones, things that actually look super nice) and baked Christmas treats. After that I’ll dive into some creative gift baskets for families, and then jump into things you can buy that range from affordable like board games to bigger ticket items like a family trip.
385 WORDS
First Up, 12 Super Nice Homemade DIY Gifts for a Family
Flavored Finishing Salts
Salt improves the flavor of any dish and is a secret of all pro chefs. Try these flavors, or create new ones you’re inspired to make. These colorful DIY finishing salts make a great (inexpensive) gourmet food gift this holiday!
Christmas Cowboy Cookies in a Jar
This classic DIY gift idea is pretty, delicious, and unique. No treats scream Christmas more than cookies, so this Christmas Cowboy Cookies in a Jar makes the perfect gift for the holiday. It is easy to make even with the help of little hands.
Peppermint Bath Salts Gift in a Jar
Homemade peppermint bath salts make a wonderful Christmas gift idea! Easy to make and the presentation is so pretty, your friends and family will love them.
Easy DIY Gnome Ornaments
These gnome Christmas ornaments are so easy to make it takes on 5 minutes and look how cute they are! You can make this your main gift or tie it on top of a bigger DIY Christmas present too.
Hot Cocoa in a Jar Christmas Gift
No matter how you look at it, this hot cocoa mix recipe in cute jars is the perfect simple gift during the cold winter months. Who doesn’t like to warm up with a nice warm cup of cocoa?
Handmade Funfetti Bath Bomb Cubes
Bath bombs can be pricey if you go for the great-smelling all-natural kind. But did you know you can make some pretty awesome bath bombs at home that also make great gifts? Try your hand at these Funfetti bath bomb cubes.
Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments are super easy to make and will last for many years to come. Salt dough is made with salt, flour, and water.
This easy kids’ craft project is especially popular for the holidays for salt dough ornaments and hand prints. It’s a wonderful family activity and Christmas craft around the holidays for beautiful, handmade ornaments that will last for decades!
DIY Rollable Signs
This DIY rollable sign is easy to make and comes with free templates for the verbiage on the sign too. Make your signs say whatever fits the recipient best for a customized gift they can use all year or for certain holidays depending on what you choose to write.
DIY Glitter Christmas Candles
Glitter can be wonderful and horrible all that the same time when crafting. But if there is one time of year that glitter should make a strong appearance it’s Christmas! Between flickering candles and the glow of Christmas lights, glittery decor sparkles and makes everything look magical. Make your friends and family these adorable glitter Christmas candles for the holiday this year.
We “Whisk” You a Merry “Kiss-Mas” Gift + Printable Tags
This is a perfect DIY gift idea for neighbors or coworkers, just a cute little pun with something sweet to let people know that you’re thinking of them for the holidays. I think I might try making some this year instead of making a ton of Christmas cookies and chocolate bark to gift away!
DIY Heated Neck Wrap with Buckwheat & Lavender
Learn how to make a DIY Heated Neck Wrap filled with buckwheat and lavender. Not only is this neck wrap microwaveable, but it can also be kept in the freezer for a cold neck or shoulder wrap as necessary. The addition of lavender makes this DIY heat pack extra relaxing.
Flax Seed Heating Bag
This is very similar to the gift above but it is filled with something different. I’ve had different heating bags with things in them like rice and corn and let me tell you, they are not all alike!
Some stay hot longer, some get hotter initially, etc. It’s not that one type is good or bad, but it can be nice to have multiple options on hand for different types of pain. So consider trying a flax seed heating pack as well!
Next, Family Christmas Gifts to Buy
I’ll start with really affordable but perfect Christmas gifts for a whole family and then work my way up to the big ticket items!
- A board game. This one is so simple and brings so many hours and years of fun! I really think the classic games are the best and the ones that span a lot of ages. Things like Monopoly, Charades, Candyland for the real littles, Clue, Guess Who, etc.
- A book to read together. Some families enjoy reading mid-level stories together each night. Books like Holes, A Wrinkle in Time, Matilda, Charly and the Chocolate Factory, and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe can entertain a huge range of ages! Holiday books can be fun too.
- A puzzle. Some people love doing puzzles for hours, others hate them altogether. If you know a puzzle-loving family, this can be a fun gift they can enjoy by the fire.
- An ice cream maker. There are traditional ones and the newest version I’ve seen amazing recipes made with online is the Ninja Creami. The whole family will love this one!
- A craft kit. If the family loves creating things together why not try something like a soap making kit or candle making kit?
- A movie night popcorn set. You can find these in stores and on Amazon too. Make the popcorn kit extra special by including a movie or two with it as well.
- A gaming system. Sometimes gaming can be bonding for families, not isolating. If it’s very cold or rainy in winter where the family lives, consider something like a Nintendo Switch, Playstation, or XBox. Bonus points if it has active games that get you moving together!
- An annual subscription. Maybe something extra the family would enjoy but doesn’t quite fit in their budget. Think Netflix or Amazon Prime for a year.
- An annual membership. Sometimes kids’ museums, Nature Centers, and more have really affordable annual memberships. Maybe even something like a Costco membership.
- Tickets to somewhere fun. If an annual membership or subscription is too much, why not just tickets to the same fun places? Tickets to a Children’s Museum, a Zoo, or even an Amusement Park.
- A family trip. This is a big ticket item… but maybe for your own family, try this one instead of getting tons of toys no one needs.
Lastly, Christmas Gift Basket Ideas For a Family
Gift baskets have really come far in the past few years. Sure there are the traditional scented body care sets at your local stores, but I’m thinking of something really special. You can build your own gift baskets pretty easily to make perfect gifts for a family.
For each of these first buy a cute basket, box, crate, bin, etc. and fill with the suggested items. It’s ok if you don’t include everything on the list or even want to add more… these are just ideas to get you going!
1. Family Movie Night Basket
- DVDs or a gift card to a movie streaming service
- Microwave or stovetop popcorn (or both)
- Candies and snacks
- Bowls for popcorn
- Bonus: a blanket to snuggle up under together
2. Baking Basket
- Cookie mix, recipes in jars, or various baking ingredients
- Cookie cutters
- Sprinkles
- Icing
- Spatula
- Whisk
3. Warm and Cozy Basket
- Mugs
- Teas, coffee, cocoa
- Toppings like mini marshmallows, candy canes, and sweetener
- Fuzzy socks
- Beanie and glove sets
- Maybe a blanket
4. Boredom Buster Basket
- Playing cards
- Maybe some other card games
- Markers and coloring books
- A puzzle
- A book of brain teasers or crosswords, etc.
- Mad libs
5. Crafting Basket
- A craft kit or two
- Markers, colored pencils, and crayons
- Different types of glue, maybe even a hot glue gun
- Scissors and construction paper
- Mini canvases
- Other goodies like pipe cleaners, pom poms, etc.
6. Christmas Morning Breakfast Basket
- Pancake mix
- Maple syrup
- Jam or jelly
- Coffee and hot cocoa
- Muffin mix
- A skillet or mini waffle maker
7. Snack Attack Gift Basket
- This one is pretty easy… just load it up with lots of treats and snacks! You can put in some homemade Christmas desserts and treats and also store-bought
- Candies
- Cookies
- Granola Bars
- Chips
- Dried fruits
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Etc!
Wrapping Up Creative Family Gift Ideas for Christmas
Whether you are looking for a memorable gift basket to give to your best friends or awesome neighbors, or want to give your siblings’ family something simple they can all enjoy together, I’m sure this list has sparked the perfect idea in your mind.
I hope your holiday shopping goes smoothly and you have a Merry Christmas!