5 Cool DIY Projects to Make for Holiday Presents

There is something undeniably special about homemade gifts. Getting any gift from a friend or loved one is a joy, but getting one that the giver made with their own hands conveys a special degree of thoughtfulness and caring. There are hundreds (and hundreds) of DIY gift ideas here on Make:. You can start off by searching through our Projects area.

Here are five relatively easy but high-impact projects that I’ve run across recently that I think would make especially wonderful handmade gifts.

Wooden Candy Dispenser

In this video on Pneumatic Addict, Elisha creates a very simple but handsome wooden candy dispenser. This is a great project for a beginning woodworker and one that can easily be scaled up to crank out multiples.

D&D Dice Box and Storage Tome

D&D and other RPG games are all the rage these days. If you have gaming geeks on your holiday list, consider making some of these dice and component storage boxes which are basically just a re-skinned faux book storage box. You can get these boxes at any craft store or online retailer. Re-cover the outside and assemble some simple compartments inside, and voila!, a very cool gaming aid that your recipient with treasure like a plundered dragon hoard.

Midori-Style Notebooks

For the last two years, I have told myself I am going to make some of these gorgeous leather notebooks to give out to several writer and artist friends. Then, time slips away and I don’t get around to it. One of these years, I will. I would cherish getting such a gift and will definitely make one of these for myself.

Flowering Night Light

If you have a 3D printer and want to try your hand at making some gifts with it, consider making one of these flowering night lights. This is the most involved project here, but the result is something very lovely, unique, and oh so 21st century.

Easy LED Earrings

All you need to create some of these simple but effective LED earrings are some LEDs, coin cell batteries, and earring hooks. A little soldering and you’ve got a pair of earrings that may not look like much in the daylight, but they are sure to make a big splash at a party or outdoor nighttime event.

What are some of your favorite DIY gift ideas? We’d love to hear about some of your handmade gift-making experiences in the comments below.