DIY Christmas Hostess Gifts

Here are 11 of my favorite inexpensive, DIY Christmas Hostess Gifts.

Hosting a party is tough! From all of the planning, decorating, and expense it takes to pull it off, it’s quite the endeavor. It’s incredibly thoughtful to bring a gift to the hostess to let them know you appreciate all they did. As someone who hosts all kinds of events and pop-up shops, here are some of my favorite DIY Christmas Hostess Gifts to give and receive!

These also make wonderful DIY gifts for coworkers, teachers, and coaches. Hostesses definitely aren’t the only one who enjoys the appreciation!

1. Hot Chocolate Bombs

These are such a fun and magical treat to gift! It’s more than just hot chocolate because it adds the fun experience of watching them melt away to reveal hidden marshmallows. With the right supplies, these are a cinch to make and can be customized with different colored drizzles and sprinkles. Here’s how to make your own.

2. DIY Rosemary Christmas Wreath

These are perfect to make when you are a home gardener who grows rosemary in abundance! I use fresh rosemary and holly for mine, but rosemary alone still makes a beautiful wreath! These wreaths stay fresh for about a month and are a wonderful Christmassy gift! Never grown rosemary before? It’s easy! Even if you don’t have a yard, it can be grown in a pot. Here’s how to start.

3. A small new plant, taken from a rooted one in your own garden

This type of gift is so meaningful to those who care for you dearly! It also makes a thoughtful gift to a new neighbor or new homeowner and is extremely cost-effective. I once heard it said that the rosemary plant signifies friendship, and I think that’s beautiful! Many plants are easy to root in a sunny window sill. You can’t do this gift last minute, but with a few weeks’ notice, it will be ready to go! Try rosemary, lavender, basil, or green onions. (Mint also works well!)

4. A Mini Charcuterie Box (Grazing Box)

This is a fun gift and one of my daughter’s favorites because it involves cheese! Basically, we take a charcuterie board and make it a mini size. Here’s an easy guide to putting together a charcuterie board. For this miniature box, use two cheeses, one smoked meat (I like styling it into a rose), two seasonal fruit varieties, a few crackers, a couple of olives skewered on a toothpick, and your favorite nut. I’ve used a few types of boxes for my goodies, but these are my absolute favorite! They work well for this mini box, cookies, and hot chocolate bombs. One more tip: be sure to place wax paper in your box first to keep cheese and meat oils from soaking into the box.

5. Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Speaking of cookies, these will rival any thumbprint cookie a bakery has to offer! You will not be disappointed in these cookies, and neither will the hostess. The icing is divine and the cookie is buttery and perfectly crumbly. I have yet to find a shortbread that beats it.

6. Coconut Oil Moisturizer

When I say that I use coconut oil for just about anything, I’m not kidding. I use it for my face “lotion” pre-makeup routine, after shaving moisturizer for my legs, massage oil, eye makeup remover, and even put a little in my bathtub in the warmer months to soften my skin. A little goes a long way. And coconut oil is also great for cooking! You can gift coconut oil by putting it in a pretty jar and adding a small wooden spoon. You can also mix a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil in to make it more specific: Stress Relief Moisturizer (with lavender), Awaken Moisturizer (with peppermint oil), Beachy Moisturizer (with lime oil), Just Breathe Relief (coconut plus eucalyptus oil), etc. There are many possibilities!

7. Coconut Lime Sugar Scrub

Speaking of coconut oil and essential oils here’s another great way to do a DIY gift with them. This coconut lime sugar scrub is simple to make and even comes with downloadable labels to put onto your pretty jar. Win-win!

8. Bath Fizzies

More on the bath subject! These bath fizzies are a great handmade gift. This is a fun take on the bath bomb and works much the same way. If you are familiar with making bath bombs, then you probably already have the supplies on hand for this project.

9. Sweet and Savory Butter

This is such a fun idea: flavored butter to spread on a favorite bread. You could simply gift the butter or bake some of your favorite bread to make a bread gift basket out of it all. What’s more caring and homey than freshly baked bread and butter?

10. Recipe for Easy Fudge

I love a good chocolate fudge and this Recipe for Easy Fudge is the most simple and delicious I have yet to find. I’ve been making it for several years without disappointment. It only uses 3 ingredients and incorporates the microwave as the cooking method. It makes a great gift and also is a wonderful addition to a Christmas party or dinner.

11. Pumpkin Cream for Cold Brew Coffee

This is a gift that needs to be refrigerated, which makes it great for a hostess gift because a fridge is usually available. But it’s also so amazingly wonderful! I came up with this recipe when I wanted to make a copycat for Starbuck’s Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew. Y’all, it’s amazing! I could drink it all by itself. It works great for the Copycat Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and also is delicious simply as a pumpkin spice creamer for coffee. This recipe is best made one day ahead of time so all of the flavors have time to blend. Pour it into a pretty jar, tie a ribbon around it and add a label. It’s a wonderful gift for the coffee lover!