Last-Minute Gift Ideas - Easy DIY Gifts for Christmas and Birthdays

Do you have all the gifts you need for Christmas or a birthday or other occasions? If there is no time to run out and buy one or shop online, you might already have supplies at home to make one of these following last-minute gift ideas!

Also, if you still need a few gifts and don’t want to brave the malls or spend a lot of money, why not make handmade gifts?

Last-Minute Gift Ideas – Easy DIY Gifts They’ll Love

These kinds ofhandmade gifts are usually much more appreciated anyway.

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Here are Last-Minute Gift ideas that

will only take a few minutes
don’t require a lot of materials
don’t require much skill or talent
some are so easy that kids can make them

DIY LEGO Soap Dispenser

This is a no-brainer gift for kids. We want them to wash their hand all the time — this makes it fun for them!

All you need to make this is a mason jar with a lid, and a pump. I usually repurpose the pumps that come with hand soap or similar products, but you can find them on Amazon as well.

Follow the link to my easy tutorial to make this LEGO soap dispenser of how to get the pump into the top of the mason jar lid. Then just add soap and LEGOs!

If you want to make it even more simple for yourself, then buy these clear soap dispensers that come with pumps and pretty stickers.

The disadvantage is that since the opening is smaller, you’ll only be able to add very small LEGO pieces into the soap dispenser.

DIY Container Magnets

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Upcycle a can into a pen holder for your fridge! I made one by upcycling a tomato paste can:

All you need for this gift is a small can and magnet strips that have strong adhesive on one side.

DIY Ice Cream Kit

This is pretty self-explanatory, right? Recycle a box and fill it with yummy goodies like waffle cones and toppings — the recipient just has to add ice cream!

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Here are those cute little mason jars for the sprinkles, etc.

DIY Shadow Box Bank

Is someone you know saving up for something expensive? Then this is the perfect gift!

Just find a picture of that desired item and put it inside the shadow box with the first deposit. Voila — instant gift.

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If you don’t have a shadow box, I guess you could also just frame a dollar note and write something like “Open in case of emergency” or something similarly clever on the glass.

DIY Dreamcatcher With an Embroidery Hoop

If you have an embroidery hoop and some fabric or a doily, you can make this DIY dreamcatcher!

And here is another last-minute DIY gift you can personalize for the person who receives it:

Embroidery Hoop Wall Decor

DIY Bowl Out of Air-Drying Clay

Press a doily or something else with a patters into air-drying clay to make a pretty bowl!

This is such an easy DIY gift that your kids can make their own bowls. Let the clay dry for one day, and then you can paint the bowl. Click on the source for my full tutorial.

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DIY Ornaments or Gift Tags Out of Cornstarch Clay

Don’t want to run to the craft store for air drying clay?

Then make your own out of 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda, and 3/4 cup water. Bake at 175. It’s supposed to be better than salt dough.

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I remember making dough with salt and flour and water as a kid and making ornament with it for my parents. It was a lot of fun, and I might just do this this weekend with Landon.

Soda Bottle Painting

What a genius idea, similar to this ingenious celery stalk rose! Repurposed a soda bottle to make this easy artwork on inexpensive canvases.

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Don’t have a canvas? I guess you could also print on paper and can then frame it later for a pretty handmade gift.

Enjoy making one or more of these last-minute DIY gift ideas — obviously they would make great gifts all year for all kinds of occasion, not just Christmas or Hanukkah.

If you want many more gift ideas, you’d like these gift guide posts!

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If you have a little more time, you might want to make your DIY candles as gifts – or for yourself!

Candle Making for Beginners