Garden-Inspired Presents
Expandyour gift-giving game with some fun, garden-inspired personal selections! Homemade, heartfelt gifts, especially those inspired by your own garden, are the best types of presents you can give. Here are a few ideas that’ll have your loved ones grinning from ear to ear.
I've been creating garden-inspired gifts for years, and this year, in particular, homemade gifts mean more than ever. In this piece, we'll explore why homemade gifts rock, dive into various garden-inspired gift ideas, and even provide some crafty DIY gift projects that anyone can pull off.
Why Homemade Garden Gifts?
There are three primary reasons I choose to craft my own gifts:
- Personal touch: It's impossible to replicate the personal touch that a handmade gift carries, compared to something purchased in a store.
- Frugality: Making gifts can be incredibly cost-effective. math shows that making your own gifts, such as jams, lip balms, spices, etc., is much cheaper (and often free) when grown from your own garden.
- Fun and memory-making: Crafting gifts is an enjoyable experience that can be done by people of all talents and skills. It's a fantastic way to use your holiday season as an opportunity to get creative, include your kids, and make lasting memories beyond the holiday season.
Without further ado, let's dig into some fun garden gift ideas!
Time to Gift Some Goodness
Home Canned Goods
Obviously, the first choice when considering garden gifts is home-canned goods! People love these gifts for their uniqueness and rarity. You can whip up sensational and one-of-a-kind combinations that your loved ones will surely appreciate.
Jams and Jellies
First up on the list: jams and jellies! While yummy fruit jams are popular, don't be afraid to think beyond the usual. Red pepper jelly or jalapeno jelly is a super simple treat and is ideal for extended family or teachers. Add some green food coloring to your jalapeno jelly and gift both red pepper jelly and jalapeno jelly at Christmas time for a festive homemade combo.
The secret to these garden gifts? Use what you have! So, while I tend to have tons of strawberries and make strawberry jam, there may be a year where I have an abundance of cantaloupe, so I gifted cantaloupe jam to a family member who loves melons. The next year, I might have more blackberries than I know what to do with, so we gifted blackberry jalapeno jam.
Relish
This is the most requested canned item I make. I use the Ball Blue Book recipe (like this one) and promise you that sweet pickle relish doesn't taste like any store-bought version. For people who don't garden or those who do but don't grow their own cucumbers, this is the perfect gift.
Elderberry Syrup
While I don't typically can my elderberry syrup, it's fantastic for gifting, particularly for teachers and those working with children. If you don't can it, just make sure to add an expiration date on the syrup (this will depend on the recipe's honey content, but most elderberry syrups stored in the fridge will keep for a couple of months).
Spice It Up!
If your garden is overflowing with herbs, spices, and specialty peppers, making your own spice blends is such a blast! Friends and family love to receive these because they’re not full of the preservatives and fillers found in store-bought blends. From rubs to fajita/taco seasoning, homemade ranch seasoning, and all that’s in between, there are endless possibilities.
Use small jars from a craft store and decorate them with cute tags. Like the other gifts, make it unique by using what you have on hand.
Tip: Let the recipient know what it is the spice blend is intended for. If you’re gifting a rub, give examples of meats that work well with it or include a recipe.
Special Recipe with Excess Harvest
Gift excess garden harvest with a special recipe as yet another unique garden gift. We’re fortunate to live in an area where we can grow an abundance of sweet potatoes. One of our favorite recipes at home is Sweet Potato Nachos. We eat them constantly! One way to gift this harvest is in a little basket with the serving of sweet potatoes needed and the special seasoning blend that we use. Add a cute printable tag with the recipe, and they have the two main ingredients ready for a meal!
Oils and Vinegars
A simple and great gift is a loaf of crusty bread and homemade garlic-infused olive oil. Who doesn't love bread? You can even make the bread yourself, include a favorite recipe on a printable tag, or simply throw a loaf from your farmer's market in the mix.
You could also make homemade herbal vinegar in an elegant bottle, using herbs from your own garden. Gift the herbal vinegar with a favorite recipe or instructions on how to use it.
Herbal Tea Blends
Herbal tea is not for everyone, but for those who appreciate them, nothing beats a homegrown herbal tea blend! Herbs we grow at home are much stronger and more flavorful than store-bought teas.
One of my favorite herbal tea blends to gift is this collection of cold care blends.
I also recommend giving instructions on your herbal tea blend, as this extra special touch is especially needed for tea drinkers. Include the ingredients, dosage, and uses for the tea.
Herbal Tinctures
Herbal tinctures are a powerful extract of healing herbs. They're easy to make and store, making them perfect for gifts. Popular tinctures include mint, elderberry, echinacea, and lavender.
Note: Be sure to research the plant and its safety before making any herbal tinctures.
Body Care
This may be my favorite category on the list. People love receiving body care products! So often, market products are made with questionable ingredients. Making our own eliminates the worry and provides a special touch.
Keep in mind that the shelf life on these items will be shorter than store-bought products because we don't add unnatural preservatives to our homemade gifts. Additionally, list the ingredients on the label to avoid unexpected allergic reactions (some people have skin allergies to even natural ingredients).
Lip Balm
While I've tried many lip balm recipes, my absolute favorite is this Eucalyptus Lip Balm. This is the most nourishing lip balm I've ever tried, and it's our favorite gift to give. It’s incredibly easy to make and is great for gifting. (This eucalyptus essential oil from Plant Therapy is what makes this recipe shine.)
Lotion Bars
It's actually much easier to make lotion bars than most think. If you use herbs and flowers from your own garden, the possibilities are endless! You can add essential oils to make it customizable for the recipient.
Body Butters
Tip: While this has a steeper learning curve than lotion bars, if you can find a recipe that works for you, body butter can be worthwhile as it's both fun and luxurious.
Melt and Pour Soaps
I like to take soap molds from the local craft store, melt soap of choice (you can get this at your local craft store), add a colorant, and scent them with essential oils.
Sugar Scrubs and Bath Salts
This gift is one of those that we don't make ourselves but love to receive when we do! There are thousands of recipes online for sugar scrubs and bath salts, and when you add your garden flowers, herbs, and oils, this makes an excellent and frugal gift!
A fun way to jazz up your bath salts is to add them to those clear ball ornaments that your kids can decorate. This is a fantastic gift for the grandparents, aunts, sisters in your life! (Teachers, too.)
Bath Bombs
Good bath bombs are expensive! While there is a learning curve to making your own, once you get this down, it's so worth it, as it's both fun and cost-effective!
Specialty Body Creams and Rubs
I had an abundance of cayenne pepper last year. With those peppers, I made my own cayenne infused oil, which I turned into a cream and gifted to family members who had arthritic issues. It's so warming and works well for minor aches and pains (recipe from Rosemary Gladstar's book: Medicinal Herbs). I also made an eczema cream one year that has become a staple in our home (recipe from Colleen Codekas's book: Healing Herbal Infusions). Specialty creams are a fantastic gift!
Essential Oil Roll-Ons
Essential oils are very popular right now. You can make your own custom blend for the perfect holiday gift. Add the oils (properly diluted) to a roll-on bottle, and it’s the cutest gift around! Ideas include headache blends, calming blends, bug bite blends, etc. So many possibilities.
My favorite essential oil company is Plant Therapy. I've been using them for many years, and if you're just getting started, the fragrances I use the most are lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, and Germ Fighter. (Get free shipping on your order here).
Home Care Gifts
There are lots of options when it comes to gifts for the home, and making your own doesn't have to be hard or expensive. A few of my favorites to gift are hand-poured candles, essential oil diffuser blends (with that cute custom label, of course), and even something simple like a drawer sachet. These are perfect little stocking stuffers or a neat addition to a gift with the tag.
As with all of the ideas shared here, use what you have on hand. Start there first before you run out to the store, and see what inventive and creative ideas you can come up with. Then, plan ahead for your garden next year and any potential future gifts. For example, if you love homemade ranch seasoning like I do and want to make more of it for gifts, be sure to plant the herbs next year so you'll have plenty. This is just one example of how to use your garden for fun and unique, personal, and frugal gift-giving.
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- For a unique take on the fashion-and-beauty category, consider making homemade garden-inspired skincare products like lip balms, lotion bars, or body butter using herbs, flowers, and essential oils from your garden.
- If you're interested in exploring the home-and-garden category beyond garden printables, consider creating hand-poured candles or essential oil diffuser blends using ingredients from your garden for a personal and cost-effective home care gift.
- To expand your gift-giving options beyond gardening, consider focusing on food-and-drink gifts made from your garden harvest, such as canning pickles, jams, or syrups, or even creating herbal infused oils, teas, or tinctures for a health-conscious loved one.
