National Make a Gift Day is Today!
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HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL MAKE A GIFT DAY STEP-BY-STEP
- Learn how to make homemade gifts.
- Make amazing and personal collages.
- Choose from these Pioneer Woman 120 Gifts.
- Watch the video, “20 DIY Gifts People Actually Want.”
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FEATURED ITEM ON NATIONAL MAKE A GIFT DAY
National Make a Gift Day, celebrated annually on December 3rd, encourages people to embrace the joy of crafting personalized gifts. It’s a day to showcase creativity and thoughtfulness, shifting focus from store-bought presents to meaningful, handmade treasures. Whether it’s knitting a scarf, baking cookies, or crafting a heartfelt card, this day highlights the value of giving something made with love. Perfect for any skill level, it inspires individuals to explore their artistic side and connect more personally with recipients. National Make a Gift Day is an opportunity to spread kindness, celebrate creativity, and make gift-giving a deeply personal experience.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF EXCHANGING GIFTS
The tradition of exchanging gifts is as old as human civilization itself, symbolizing goodwill, appreciation, and connection. Gift-giving dates back to prehistoric times when early humans exchanged objects like tools, stones, or food as a sign of alliance or gratitude. As societies evolved, so did the meaning and form of gift-giving, adapting to cultural, religious, and social contexts.
In ancient civilizations, such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, gifts were often presented to deities as offerings, symbolizing reverence and seeking blessings. The Roman festival of Saturnalia, a precursor to modern holiday traditions, involved exchanging small gifts to celebrate the season and foster goodwill among citizens.
Religious practices also shaped gift-giving. In Christianity, the Three Wise Men offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus, inspiring Christmas gift traditions. Similarly, Hindu festivals like Diwali involve the exchange of sweets and gifts to strengthen bonds.
During the Middle Ages, gift-giving became more personal, used to express loyalty, love, or respect. Over time, it transitioned into a broader cultural practice, encompassing holidays, birthdays, and milestones. Today, exchanging gifts transcends cultural boundaries, continuing as a universal act of connection and gratitude, rooted in centuries of history and human connection.
100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL MAKE A GIFT DAY
- Host a gift-making party: Invite friends over to create handmade gifts together while sharing ideas and supplies.
- Organize a craft workshop: Partner with a local artist to teach a class on making personalized gifts.
- Visit a pottery studio: Create custom pottery pieces like mugs or bowls as thoughtful presents.
- Plan a sewing session: Make fabric-based gifts such as tote bags, aprons, or scarves.
- Arrange a DIY candle-making event: Learn how to make scented candles in unique containers.
- Set up a baking day: Prepare cookies, cakes, or bread to package as edible gifts.
- Start a scrapbook circle: Create memory books with photos and mementos for loved ones.
- Organize a card-making evening: Design and craft personalized greeting cards for upcoming occasions.
- Hold a jewelry-making session: Create necklaces, bracelets, or earrings using beads and wire.
- Launch a paint-and-gift night: Paint canvases or wooden items as artistic presents.
- Plan a knitting circle: Work on handmade scarves, hats, or blankets together.
- Design a gardening gift activity: Assemble plant kits, terrariums, or potted succulents.
- Arrange a soap-making workshop: Make custom-scented and decorative soaps for gifting.
- Create personalized photo frames: Decorate frames and include meaningful photos.
- Host a wood crafting meetup: Build and decorate items like birdhouses, shelves, or coasters.
- Prepare homemade beauty products: Make items such as lip balm, bath salts, or lotion bars.
- Set up a DIY gift wrapping station: Teach creative wrapping techniques for finished gifts.
- Plan a quilting bee: Collaborate on a quilt to gift to someone special.
- Organize a puzzle creation night: Make custom photo puzzles or design one-of-a-kind games.
- Create embroidered items: Work on hand-stitched handkerchiefs, bookmarks, or patches.
- Hold a custom recipe jar session: Layer ingredients for cookies or soups in jars with instructions.
- Paint pottery figurines: Decorate ready-to-paint ceramics to gift to children or collectors.
- Create handwritten poetry gifts: Write, frame, or bind poems for loved ones.
- Assemble care packages: Fill boxes with thoughtful items for someone in need or far away.
- Start a bookbinding workshop: Make handmade journals or sketchbooks for others.
- Gift Wrap Relay: Teams race to wrap gifts as quickly and neatly as possible.
- Guess the Gift: Wrap random objects and have players guess what’s inside based on shape and size.
- Craft Charades: Act out crafting tools or gift-making activities for others to guess.
- DIY Puzzle Challenge: Teams create and solve custom jigsaw puzzles made from cardboard.
- Gift Tag Hunt: Hide personalized gift tags around the area and have players find them.
- Ribbon Untangling Race: Compete to untangle a messy ball of ribbon the fastest.
- Name That Craft: Show part of a handmade item and have players guess what it is.
- Decorate the Gift Game: Each team decorates a plain box creatively within a time limit.
- Craft Trivia: Test players’ knowledge about crafting techniques and tools.
- Upcycled Treasure Hunt: Find objects to repurpose into creative gifts within a set time.
- Wrapping Paper Art Contest: Use leftover wrapping paper to create an artistic masterpiece.
- Gift Exchange Dice Game: Roll dice to determine how players pass around gifts in a circle.
- Mystery Gift Creation: Blindfolded players create a gift item from random materials.
- Guess the Craft Supply: Blindfolded participants feel and identify different craft supplies.
- Timed DIY Challenge: Players make a small handmade item in under 10 minutes.
- Gift Idea Pictionary: Draw gift ideas for teammates to guess in a limited time.
- Craft Supply Limbo: Use rolls of ribbon as a limbo stick in this lighthearted game.
- Scavenger Hunt for Materials: Search for specific craft materials to complete a gift project.
- Gift Wrapping Musical Chairs: Pass a gift box and wrap it when music stops, adding layers.
- Creative Packaging Contest: Players design unique packaging for imaginary or real gifts.
- Craft Swap Game: Players exchange materials and must create something with what they receive.
- Handmade Ornament Contest: Compete to make the best holiday ornament within a set time.
- Guess the Ribbon Length: Players estimate the length of a ribbon without measuring it.
- Decorate the Bag Challenge: Create unique designs on plain gift bags for judging.
- Craft Story Chain: Each player adds to a collaborative story about making the perfect gift.
- Hand-painted flower pots: Decorate clay pots with paints and designs for plant lovers.
- Customized tote bags: Use fabric paint or stencils to create personalized designs on canvas totes.
- Homemade photo magnets: Attach favorite photos to magnets for a functional keepsake.
- Macrame keychains: Knot colorful cords into small keychains with beads for a trendy gift.
- Personalized coasters: Decorate ceramic tiles with paint or decoupage designs.
- Framed pressed flowers: Arrange and frame dried flowers for a natural, elegant gift.
- DIY fabric bookmarks: Sew or glue fabric scraps onto sturdy cardstock for creative bookmarks.
- Upcycled jar lanterns: Turn glass jars into lanterns with paint, lace, or fairy lights.
- Hand-stamped tea towels: Use fabric ink and stamps to create unique kitchen towels.
- Decorative cork trivets: Paint or arrange cork pieces into patterns for heat-resistant trivets.
- Personalized photo calendars: Design and assemble a custom calendar featuring special photos.
- Bottle cap magnets: Decorate bottle caps with small images and turn them into magnets.
- DIY chalkboard signs: Paint wood or metal with chalkboard paint for reusable messages.
- Custom spice blends: Mix spices and package them in small jars with handwritten labels.
- Felt ornaments: Sew or glue felt shapes into ornaments for a festive gift.
- Painted rock paperweights: Decorate smooth rocks with acrylic paint for a functional desk item.
- Hand-drawn mugs: Use porcelain markers to design unique coffee mugs.
- Beaded wind chimes: Assemble beads and metal pieces to create soothing chimes.
- Decorative wooden spoons: Paint or wood-burn designs onto wooden kitchen utensils.
- Personalized luggage tags: Create custom tags using leather or sturdy cardstock.
- Handmade bath bombs: Combine citric acid, baking soda, and essential oils for a relaxing treat.
- DIY embroidered patches: Stitch small designs onto fabric to give as personalized accessories.
- Scrap wood photo holders: Attach clips or nails to small wooden blocks for displaying photos.
- Customized recipe books: Assemble handwritten or printed favorite recipes in a bound book.
- Hand-painted glassware: Decorate wine glasses or tumblers with glass paints.
- Decorative sugar cookies: Bake and decorate cookies in fun shapes with colorful icing.
- Homemade truffles: Make rich chocolate truffles rolled in cocoa, nuts, or sprinkles.
- Layered cookie mix jars: Layer dry ingredients for cookies in jars with instructions attached.
- Infused olive oil: Add herbs, garlic, or chili to olive oil bottles for gourmet gifting.
- Flavored popcorn bags: Prepare popcorn in sweet or savory flavors like caramel or cheddar.
- Custom hot chocolate kits: Include cocoa mix, marshmallows, and candy canes in decorative jars.
- Gourmet caramel apples: Dip apples in caramel and coat with nuts, chocolate, or sprinkles.
- Homemade jam: Cook and jar seasonal fruits into spreads like strawberry or blueberry.
- DIY spice blends: Mix unique spice combinations like taco seasoning or chai spice.
- Hand-dipped pretzels: Coat pretzels in chocolate and sprinkle with festive toppings.
- Bottled cocktail mixers: Create mixes for drinks like margaritas or mojitos with fresh ingredients.
- Holiday bark candy: Layer chocolate with nuts, dried fruit, or crushed candy canes.
- Mini loaf cakes: Bake small loaves of banana bread or pound cake and wrap them festively.
- Homemade granola: Combine oats, nuts, and dried fruit for a healthy, crunchy snack.
- Flavored butter: Mix butter with honey, herbs, or spices and package it in small jars.
- Decorative gingerbread houses: Assemble and decorate mini gingerbread houses as gifts.
- Fruit-infused vinegar: Combine fresh fruit or herbs with vinegar in decorative bottles.
- Personalized cupcakes: Decorate cupcakes with customized designs or messages.
- Candied nuts: Roast nuts with sugar and spices for a sweet, crunchy treat.
- Homemade fudge: Make creamy fudge in various flavors like chocolate, peanut butter, or mint.
- DIY trail mix: Combine nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate bits for a customized snack.
- Flavored syrups: Prepare syrups for coffee or pancakes with flavors like vanilla or maple.
- Decorated rice crispy treats: Shape and decorate rice crispy treats into festive forms.
- Savory cheese crackers: Bake crackers with cheese and spices for a homemade snack.
- Infused honey: Add cinnamon, vanilla, or lavender to honey and package in small jars.
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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate National Make a Gift Day? Please share them!
