Put your hands to work and delight family and friends with these budget-friendly Christmas ideas to ease your festive season financial stress.
1. Tin planters
Plants are always a wonderful gift, but black plastic bags and cracked pots can be an eyesore. So dress up your gift in a colourful tin container which doubles as a drip tray for indoor plants.
You will need:
- Large recycled tins — coffee tins from home or office are ideal
- Printed fabric of your choice — you will just need enough to wrap around the tin, but you can also get more creative with off-cuts
- Gel medium — available from craft shops
- A sponge, for applying the gel medium
- Any plant in a plastic bag or pot that fits inside your tin
Method:
Cut the fabric to size. Using the sponge, apply a layer of gel medium to the outside of the tin. Cover the tin with fabric, ensuring there are no air bubbles. Leave to dry for 24 hours. Lastly, apply a layer of gel medium over the fabric to waterproof the planter.
Tip: If you can’t find any big tins, you can also plant herbs directly into small household tins for an attractive windowsill herb garden.
2. Foot soak powder
You want to treat her, but buying a spa voucher for your mother-in-law can be expensive. Rather mix your own foot soak powder and give it to her in a personalised container.
You will need:
- 1 cup sea salt
- 1 cup epsom salt
- 2 cups bicarbonate of soda
- 12-15 drops of essential oils (try lavender for relaxation, tea tree for anti-fungal and lime for invigoration)
- A suitable glass or plastic jar/canister
Method:
Combine all of the dry ingredients first. Add the essential oil gradually, stirring between every few drops. Place in the container. For a nice touch, print a cute Christmas label to stick onto the jar using contact.
3. SnapnSave
Before you go out and buy what you need to get Christmas pressie DIY-ing, remember that by using SnapnSave (South Africa’s No.1 Cashback shopping app) you’ll get loads of cash back on your Christmas shopping. It’s totally free to download and use!
Get onto the app to see all of their digital coupons available and then book them. Once you’ve been shopping, all you have to do is show you bought the items by taking a photo of your till slip… SO easy! The cash will be deposited straight into your SnapnSave wallet where you can use it to get cash off your next shop!
4. Paint dipped salad servers
Salad servers are always a hit — especially for your health-conscious friends and family. Give boring wooden pairs a modern upgrade by dipping the handles in paint.
You will need:
- Wooden pair of salad servers
- Paint or spray-paint in your choice of colour
- Clear sealant spray
- Insulation tape (optional)
- String
Method:
First, tie string around the servers so they can be hung handle-down to dry. Dip the handles into the paint or spray. For a clean line, use insulation tape around the handle where you want the colour to end. Hang to dry for 24 hours. Spray with clear sealant. Then hang to dry again. Voilà!
5. Homemade barbeque sauce
It’s always a challenge finding crafty gifts to make for the men in your life, but for most of them, you couldn’t do better than a decent jar of braai sauce! Simply use our favourite recipe (homemade — no cheating!) and pour it into a sterilised jar with a funky label.
You will need:
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Pinch of salt
- Glass jar
Method:
In a medium saucepan, simmer the balsamic vinegar until reduced by a third. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then lower the temperature and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until thick. Decant into a sterilised jar immediately, then seal tightly after cooling. If you’re feeling inspired, write some more braai recipes inside the card.
Tip: This sauce is especially lekker for ribs on the braai.
