Looking for a last-minute holiday or christmas gift for an unexpected guest or host/hostess gift? Check out these five handmade gifts you can make with items you likely already have in your pantry.
The remote nature of country living necessitates planning and thinking ahead.
This holds true for everyday items, like pantry goods and cleaning supplies and holiday gifts (because no one likes rushing out last-minute, especially if the nearest mall is over an hour away!).
Yet, even the best planner will eventually be side-lined by the need for a last-minute holiday gift.
In this case, look no further than your already-stocked pantry, which will provide everything you need for at least three out of five of these last-minute handmade Christmas gifts.
Whether you need a host or hostess gift for a last-minute holiday party, a stocking stuffer for an unexpected guest or a quick gift for your child’s friend, these gifts are quick, easy to make and sure to leave an impression.
1. For the Foodie: Gourmet Mason Jar Gift Jars
Mason jars are a staple in most country kitchens. From canning to storage, these sturdy jars serve as a perfect receptacle for gourmet soup, baking, or hot drink mixes.
The idea is to layer in various ingredients the recipient can use to make a quick meal, tasty treat or snack.
If you buy in bulk, chances are you already have everything you need to make several varieties such as:
- Bean soup or chili
- Lentil soups
- Multigrain pancake mix
- Scone mix
- Brownie mix
- Cookie mix
- Hot porridge mix
- Savory herbed rice, quinoa or multigrain mix
- Biscuit mix
- Hot cocoa mix
- Mulled wine mix
- Herbal bath salts
A quick online or Pinterest search will yield a wealth of ideas suitable for every person and pantry.
This article from Azure Standard has an excellent mix of ideas to get you started.
2. Beard Oil: A Creative Stocking Stuffer or Host Gift
DIY skincare products often involve many steps and special ingredients.
Not so with beard oil, which can be made in minutes with just 2-5 ingredients.
The only “special” consideration here is a bottle.
However, a simple tincture bottle with an eye dropper works perfectly and can easily be cleaned with hot, soapy water and a straw brush, disinfected using 3% hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol, dried and reused.
Here’s a basic recipe for beard oil
Yield: Enough for 1 two-ounce dropper bottle
(If using a 1-ounce bottle, cut this recipe in half)
Supplies Needed:
- A 1 or 2-ounce dropper bottle, such as a tincture bottle
- A small bowl or mason jar for mixing
- A label, some ribbon and optional gift wrap decorations like rosemary, holly or pine sprigs
Ingredients:
- A little shy of 2 ounces of carrier oil such as jojoba, olive, avocado, coconut, sweet almond, grapeseed or a combination of 2-3 carrier oils
- 4-5 drops of ultra-moisturizing oil such as castor oil or argan oil (optional but nice)
- 1 capsule vitamin E oil (an optional preservative and moisturizer)
- 1-2 drops of cedarwood, frankincense, pine, bergamot, sandalwood, or cardamom
- You can also skip the essential oils and leave it unscented
How to Make:
- Combine everything together in a small bowl, mason jar or liquid measuring cup.
- Stir or shake to combine.
- Carefully pour into the bottle using the eyedropper or a small funnel.
- Label and decorate with some ribbon and a sprig of pine, holly or rosemary.
3. Simmer Pot Mix: Quick, Easy and Festive!
Simmer pots are the ultimate quick gift that everyone appreciates and can use.
They’re also easy to put together using spices, foraged items (which you can send the kids out to find), dried fruits and/or herbs. Simmer pots also make a healthy alternative to chemically scented candles, potpourri or air fresheners.
A quick search of “DIY Simmer Pots” will yield lots of fun and creative ideas.
Here’s a basic formula you can expand upon based on what’s in your pantry, yard and woods.
Supplies Needed:
- A jar, mesh bags or reusable tea bags in which the ingredients can be simmered
- Note some people put the ingredients into some type of tea bag, mesh bag or strainer, but you can also layer everything in a decorative jar to be dropped into a pot
- Some ribbon and a gift tag
Basic Ingredients
- Something citrusy: Such as sliced dried citrus or fresh citrus peels.
- Something sweet: Like dried apples, dried cranberries, dried elderberries, vanilla extract, vanilla pods (with or without the caviar) or other dried fruits or berries.
- Something woodsy: Like cinnamon sticks, pine, rosemary, spruce, cedar, pine cones or bay leaves.
- Something spicy: Such as cloves, star anise, nutmeg or peppercorns.
- Fragrant herbs and flowers: Rose petals, lavender, chamomile, rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, basil, fennel, etc.
- Whole cranberries: If you happen to have them, these make a nice touch.
- Essential oils: Choose 100% pure essential oils that complement or elevate the natural ingredients, such as citrus, lavender, cinnamon, cardamom, pine, spruce, cedar, etc.
How to Make:
- Layer everything into a jar or place in a mesh bag.
- Tie with a ribbon and print out a tag with ingredients and instructions for use.
So easy!
4. A Holiday Quick Bread: The Easy Baked Good
Sweet holiday quickbreads are the ultimate last-minute homemade gift because they’re no-fuss, less common than cookies, ready to eat or freeze and a breeze to make.
The combinations are endless, and free recipes abound online.
Some seasonal holiday quick bread recipes to try include:
- Pumpkin bread
- Cranberry orange bread
- Gingerbread
- Spice and nut bread
- Lemon loaf or pound cake
- Mint chocolate bread
- Cinnamon coffee cake bread
- Fruit cake bread
- Sticky date loaf
- Spice apple loaf
All you need to do is choose a recipe, check your pantry and make substitutions as needed and give yourself about an hour and change to bake up a loaf or two.
Check out 3 Country Inspired Holiday Quick Breads to Make and Share for some tried and true Holiday quick breads from country farmwife and the author of “The Pantry: Its History and Modern Uses”, Catherine S. Pond.
5. Farm Fresh Eggnog (Traditional, dairy-free and eggless options)
If you have a milk cow and some eggs or pudding mix, you can transform them into a luscious homemade eggnog sure to rival anything store bought.
Homemade eggnog makes the perfect last-minute host or hostess gift as it can be safely delivered on ice and enjoyed immediately at the party, with or without booze.
The classic eggnog recipe calls for only 4-5 ingredients:
- Milk or cream (the more cream you add, the thicker the mixture)
- You can also whip up a batch of dairy-free nut milk using almonds, pecans or cashews, water and vanilla
- A sweetener such as sugar or maple syrup
- Eggs (see notes below regarding safety) or pudding mix
- Nutmeg
A note about egg safety and alternatives
Any time you use raw eggs, as called for in traditional eggnog recipes, there is a risk of salmonella.
You have three options to avoid or lower this risk:
- Use your own farm-fresh eggs and gently heat the egg nog by tempering the egg mixture and adding it back to the pot until it reaches 160 degrees F.
- This may also be a good option if your giftees are squeamish about raw milk.
- Use pasteurized eggs from the grocery store.
- Omit the eggs altogether. Simply search “eggless eggnog” or “vegan eggnog” recipes for tips on how to get that rich creaminess minus the eggs. Variations include adding a pudding mix, thickening with cornstarch or adding thick sweetened condensed milk.
It’s essential to keep homemade eggnog cold. So refrigerate immediately and deliver that day or the next morning.
If it contains raw eggs and/or raw milk, be sure to note that on the label, along with the following storage instructions: “Use within one to two days.”
If you opt for an eggless version, it can be safely stored for 3-5 days.
You may also choose to gift this with a bottle of rum for a spiked eggnog version, or add the rum to the mixture. In this case, that increases the storage life of eggnog with raw eggs to 3 days.
- Get a full traditional eggnog tutorial from Homesteading Family here.
- For an eggless recipe, see this version from Southern Plate.
- And for a vegan recipe, check out this Easy Vegan Eggnog from the Minimalist Baker.
Related reading: Got Farm Eggs? Here are 9 Ways to Use them
Need more last-minute gift ideas?
Discover more inspiration in: The Best Last Minute Gift Ideas for a Country Life Enthusiast.
Happy holidays!
