Holidays the Healthy Homemade Way!

Thursday December 3, 2020

Holidays The Healthy Homemade Way – You’ve heard the saying, “it’s the thought that counts.” This year, make your thoughts count and show your loved ones how much you care about their well-being by giving healthy, homemade gifts. Do-it-yourself (DIY) gift making not only allows you to avoid the numerous hidden toxins that lurk in most store-bought products, but it also allows you to save money and help promote healthy habits for your friends and family. As an added bonus, the process of making your own gifts is a fun way to exercise your own creativity and relieve some of the stress-induced by the modern hustle of the holiday season. In the spirit of the season, here are 5 DIY-gift ideas that are sure to boost the health and mood of everyone on your list.

1. Infused Oils. The cooks in your life will devour these infused oils, bottled with love. Place dried herbs of your choice in a sterilized, dry jar and cover with olive oil. Place the jar in a saucepan and fill the pan about a quarter full of water. Let it simmer for about four to six hours. Remove the jar and cool completely before labeling. Get creative with your label and be sure to date the mixture and list the ingredients.

2. Aromatherapy Bath Salts. Mix one cup Epsom salt, a half-cup natural sea salt, 20 to 30 drops of your favorite essential oil, and two to three tablespoons of dried herbs or botanicals in a bowl. Mix well and transfer into a glass jar. Use paint markers to decorate the jar or attach a creative label. Directions for use: add a half-cup of bath salts to warm running bath water, submerge body, and relax!

3. Healthy Homemade Granola in a Jar. For the person who always seems to be on-the-go, give a gift that will keep them energized and running at peak performance no matter where they are. There are tons of homemade granola recipes floating around the internet, and you can pick any one of them. To make it healthy, be sure to use only organic, additive-free ingredients. The great part about this gift is that all it takes is a trip to your local natural grocery store, a mixing bowl, an oven, and a jar to put it in. Suggested mix: Dried cherries, pineapple, and cranberries, almonds and cashews, toasted oats, and cacao nibs.

4. Natural Skin Care Mask. You can help the women in your life beat dull winter skin by giving them the gift of an all-natural skincare mask made of cranberries and yogurt. It’s so simple! Puree a half-cup of cranberries in a food processor, then transfer the puree into a bowl and mix with a half-cup of yogurt and blend by hand until you have a creamy mixture. For a thicker mask, mix in a little green clay or honey, then bottle and add your own creative label with instructions to let the mask sit on the face for 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. High in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, B3, and B5, the cranberries not only lend moisture t the skin, but they’ll also aid in cell turnover and protect from free radicals, giving an anti-aging effect.

5. Herb Garden Markers. Perfect for the gardeners in your life, and even better for the wannabe gardeners, these little stones are super simple and inexpensive to make. Simply collect a variety of smooth riverbed stones, clean thoroughly and hand-paint the names of various garden herbs and vegetables on each rock. Feeling extra-creative? Paint little garden-themed designs on them too!