And what better way to share the love? Make your own home made gifts for the holidays! Not only is it practical, it's also quite fun ( esp for the crafty ones - like me!) and that labor of love really gives it a special touch.
I did some research online and did them myself. Thus I chose these really simple and very easy to make Christmas gifts. I hope you'll like them. Here they are:
Room and Linen Spray
Linen sprays are a bit of an indulgence but we all love using them. I use this for rooms, inside closets, in my workspace and even in my car.
Not everyone knows how easy it is to make requiring only very few ingredients. So let's begin....
Simply gather the following:
1 tsp. essential oil of your choice ( for this project best bet are lavender, chamomile, peppermint)
1/4 cup unflavored vodka
3 1/2 cups distilled water
an empty spray bottle
Use an empty spray bottle or rinse out an old bottle with hot water. In a small bowl, mix essential oil and vodka together. The alcohol works as an emulsifier, allowing the oil and water to mix evenly. Pour the lavender-vodka mix into the spray bottle, add the water, and shake. Make sure to shake well before each use. Lastly, put your labels for giveaways.
Some Tips:
- For an alcohol-free mixture omit the vodka, but make sure to shake rigorously before spraying, since the oil and water will separate.
- You can combine 2 essential oils that smell great together like Lavender and Chamomile, or Lavender and Lemmon as long as they are in 50:50 ratio total of 1 tsp.
- There are essential oils not good for pregnant women. Please read here for detailed list.
Rose Water Face Spritz
Rose water has cleansing, hydrating and anti-aging benefits. It was believed Cleopatra would douse her face with rose water to keep a flawless complexion. And the smell is just refreshing especially for our humid hot summer days.
You can use rose water by itself as a toner (astringent) to tighten pores, rejuvenate stressed skin, or to refresh post-workout skin. It is also great as a soothing under eye treatment to get rid of dark eye circles or puffy eyes, and can even be applied on the scalp to reduce inflammation and promote healthy hair growth. Which makes this a perfect Holiday gift as well.
Simply gather the following:
a dozen fresh roses
a perfume atomizer or spray bottle
a large stock pot
distilled water
Cheesecloth or strainer
Start by plucking the petals off all the roses. The more fragrant the roses are the more fragrant the rosewater will be. Wash the petals thoroughly with distilled water. Place rose petals in a large pot. Pour in distilled water, just enough to cover the rose petals. Put the pot over low fire and heat (do not boil) until the rose petals lose their color. You'll notice that rose oil (essential oil) is skimming over the water surface. This process should take about 1 hour. Allow the water to cool completely, then strain and collect your pure rose water. Add 1 tablespoon alcohol such as vodka as preservative and mix well.
Put water in your atomizer or spritzer bottle and put your labels for giveaways.
Some Tips:
- The rose water will keep up to a month with the preservative.
- Store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
- So if this will be given as a gift, you can make them a few days before giving and put a tag with an expiration date and storage instructions. If you choose not to put the preservative, it will last about 10 - 14 days, just make sure to store bottle in ref
- Roses need to be very fresh, in full bloom. Always choose Roses with no pesticides or chemicals .
I hope these ideas will inspire you to start making your own Holiday gifts. Not only do they save you on money, your friends and family will surely appreciate the effort.
Will be posting more DIY Christmas gift ideas after I experiment on some blends. Coming up, All natural Body Butters and All natural Body scrub made of Himalayan Pink salts.
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