Easy Homemade Christmas Gifts for Everyone on Your List

If you're like most people you have more names on your Christmas list than you have money but don't worry - you can give homemade gifts to everyone on your list and save a bundle. Homemade gifts are special because not only are they unique, they're often more appreciated because the recipient knows that you spent extra time on a special gift for them.

Just about everyone has a baby on their list, whether it be a son or daughter, grandson or granddaughter or the child of a friend. One easy gift to make for the baby is a play mat. You can purchase the blanket and make it into a play mat or make a blanket yourself. Purchase a yard of fabric with a baby theme. Fold the material in half, with right sides together, and stitch all but one side closed. If you don't sew, use fabric glue, which is washable and easy to use. After the glue has dried turn the blanket right side out and fold a sheet or use a thin piece of foam to pad the inside of the blanket. Sew or glue the last side closed. Use a needle and thread to take a stitch here and there, from the bottom to the top, to secure the padding. Cut four pieces of ribbon, about ten inches long each. String rattles, pacifier, teething rings, or other toys on to each ribbon. Tack the ends of each ribbon into one corner of the blanket or use fabric glue to secure the ribbons and toys - one in each corner - to the blanket. This is a nice gift for a baby that costs little but looks expensive.

Also for a baby boy or girl: use a pretty ribbon of pink or blue then tie rattles and other toys onto various sections of the ribbon. This gift only takes a few minutes to make and can then tie onto each side of the crib and hang over the top of baby for playtime.