Anywhere on the planet that celebrates Christmas knows how expensive it can be. From decorations to food, from festive meals out to – of course – the gifts, it's arguably the costliest time of the year for most of us. Fear not. You don't need to spend a fortune on presents for your loved ones and, if you put your mind to it, you can make most of them yourself. DIY crafts are often seen as people's work with too much time on their hands, but this isn't true. Almost everything you see in the shops, certainly non-electrical, can be crafted yourself, from knitted gifts to scented candles that fit perfectly inside Christmas stockings. If these seem like a bit too much, why not try and rustle up some baked goodies to keep your children happy? Cookies are easy to make, as are other types confectionaries like brownies or shortbread. Find a pretty box, tie it up with a colorful ribbon, and it'll make someone's Christmas for sure. 

Naturally, if you want to craft your own Christmas presents by hand, you need to have a good idea of what you’re doing. Handmade gifts are great when done correctly, but there’s a fine line between creative and cheap. Fortunately, there’s plenty of help at hand regarding arts and crafts. Try an app like Creativebug, a platform showcasing hundreds of DIY videos for you to delve into, where you can learn about the sort of thing you’d like to make. If clothing is your thing, but you’re not sure where to start, consider taking a knitting course or, once again, find an online video. Before you know it, you’ll be crafting your gifts for years to come! 

Once you've made a list of the gifts you'd like to make for your loved ones this Christmas, you now need to source the materials and go about crafting them. Craft shops are dotted in most towns and cities, many of which have websites and apps so you can shop from home. They'll be fully stocked with festive products, too. If your DIY project is of the edible variety, consider using a grocery delivery app so that you can order your ingredients directly to your home to save going out. Your family will love the attention to detail and the effort you've gone to. The chances are that they'll prefer the handmade presents given to them over the expensive versions from the shops, and you've had a great time making them.