Handmade Christmas Gifts

For as much as I love Christmas, there’s one thing I don’t love about the holiday: shopping. For the 15 or so people I have to buy for every year, I usually have about two good ideas. For the rest, I inevitably become one of those last-minutes shoppers wandering aimlessly, and slightly frantically, around the mall hoping for the perfect gift to jump out at me. And then for another 12 perfect gifts to do the same.

That is where handmade gifts come in. Unless it’s the sweater Grandma knitted with a glittering Christmas tree on the front, usually handmade gifts automatically score extra points. The time and creativity you put in to making something unique is part of the gift, and I’d say it’s generally appreciated.

So this year, I’m making a few Prague-related gifts for family and friends (and maybe for me).

Painted. Rocks. Let me convince you that they’re fabulous.

Given the Czech national pastime of hiking, it’s a lovely way to collect and make use of little stone treasures you find on your treks. I used acrylic paint, and finished them with a coat of clear matte spray paint. In the gray winter days, they’re cheery windowsill jewelry. Line them up against a door for a doorstop. They’re also just pretty in a bowl.

There’s a lot more you can do with painted rocks. An ABC collection would be a great gift for kids, as long as you know they’ve already had the “don’t throw rocks” lesson.

I also love pretty note cards for sending to friends after a fabulous dinner party, or just to let them know I’m thinking of them. And though I can easily find envelopes at papírnictví’s and book stores, I don’t come across pretty notecard sets often in Prague, so I’ve made my own.

I like the idea of highlighting the details in some of the deco and nouveau posters by some of Prague’s famous artists. 

I just cut out small squares, and glued them to thick paper I’d folded in half. Add some to the inside of the envelopes as well to create a set.

My favorite word in Czech is, “Ahoj.” Even if you don’t associate it with pirates, it’s an undeniably fun word to say. Ahoj. Ahoj! AHOJ!

So using the word “Ahoj,” and a map of Prague, you can create a perfectly personalized ornament to pay homage to this fabulous city. Just cut two circles from a map, make a sheet of painter’s tape by layering strips, and cut your design from the painter’s tape. Fix the pattern to the circles then white-wash over it with half paint, half water. I repeated the process with a Christmas tree design on the back circle.

Once it’s dry, glue the two sides together, leaving a gap for stuffing. Fill the middle with crumpled newspaper, then glue the rest together.

Obviously you could do any city and any word, depending on your recipient.

Now that all my gifts are made, I need to make them all over again… I’m keeping these babies.

Happy Holidays and Merry Crafting!