Simple Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

by Melissa on December 20, 2008

This may not be an original homemade Christmas gift idea, but it’s a good one. Especially because it’s tasty and no one can resist a delicious, homemade baked good!

I decided to write this post because in addition to making money and finding that perfect deal, we’re all about saving money here at mymochamoney.com! And one of my favorite ways to save money when a gift is needed, is to make it yourself.

Today, my kids and I baked one of my all-time favorite breads, banana chocolate chip bread, to give as a homemade Christmas gift to their teachers. In addition to baking the bread and wrapping it up with a pretty ribbon, I included a laminated recipe card that I tied to the ribbon. Again, this by no means is a new idea, but it’s always a good one. Unlike cookies, banana chocolate chip bread can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack or as a desert. It also goes well with a gift card if you want to give that special teacher a little something extra!

Here’s the recipe for my banana chocolate chip bread (actually, it’s my friend’s recipe) if you want to make this yourself:

Homemade banana chocolate chip bread

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix butter and sugar and eggs and beat
Sift dry ingredients and combine with wet ingredients
Blend all together
Add bananas, sour cream, vanilla and stir
Add chips and stir
Butter pan
Bake 1 hour at 350

A SPECIAL HOMEMADE GIFT YOUR CHILDREN CAN MAKE

Homemade bookmarks

Bookmarks are another great gift idea that can be made by your child. I love this gift because everyone can use a bookmark, and it’s so darn cute when a child makes it.

My five-year old daughter has nine cousins and she wanted to give each one of them a gift. Booksmarks to the rescue! She traced a “real” bookmark on white paper, made her own design, colored it, and wrote each cousin’s name on the back of their bookmark. She then cut them all out. I placed all nine bookmarks between “cold” lamination sheets I bought at Staples. My daughter cut them out, and then punched a hole at the top of each bookmark with a single hole puncher. I then helped her tie a ribbon through the hole. These also make really cute teacher gifts from your child at Christmas!