This winter will be a holiday season that’s going to look a little different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Along with calendars filled with Zoom and FaceTime calls, and separate-but-together group workouts on balconies, gift giving can help bridge some of the physical and emotional distance people are experiencing.
Whether you live near your family or not, it’s still possible to celebrate the holidays in meaningful ways in 2020!
Here are some homemade gift ideas you can make for your family and friends this year:
Home Bath Salts
Bath salts are surprisingly simple to make, and can be appreciated by anybody on your holiday gift list. The Epsom salts in this mix will do wonders for tired muscles, and we’ve come up with some variations that are less flowery than your traditional bath salts. But hey, if flowery is your thing, go for it!
Check out how to make them here.
Our favourite is to add Rosehip to our bath mixes as Vitamin C is amazing for the skin. Rosehip Powder can also be added to facial mask recipes.
Homemade Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoos have been all the rage, and we can understand why! A beauty product that makes your hair look clean when it hasn’t been washed in the past three days that day is a tremendous help. Plus during 2020, it can be a nice gift to our friends to help them feel pretty at home.
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder (or Organic Tapioca Flour, for dark hair use 2 Tbsp arrowroot and 2 Tbsp Organic Cocoa Powder)
• 5 drops essential oil (optional – we love lavender!)
Instructions
1. Place the Arrowroot Powder, or Tapioca Flour and Organic Cocoa Powder, into a small jar.
2. Add the essential oil and mix to combine.
3. Apply with an old make-up brush to the roots or oily parts of your hair. Applying with the brush is optional, but it removes the need to comb through as much and is better for styled hair. If you don’t use the brush, comb the powder through your hair and style as usual.
Homemade Whipped Body Butter Recipe
The winter months have a big impact on our skin, so a perfect gift is to care for your loved ones skin!
Why is our Cocoa Butter so wonderful for your skin? For one, it’s easily absorbed, and the antioxidants within the butter repair bodily tissues and protect skin, your body’s largest organ, against free radicals, which can wreak havoc on your cells. Quite literally, Cocoa Butter improves the condition of your skin from the inside out.
The combination of shea and cocoa butter with two nourishing oils makes a highly moisturizing combination, but whipping the mix helps it go on smoothly without being oily.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup shea butter
• 1/2 cup Cocoa Butter
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup light oil (like almond, jojoba, or olive)
• Optional: 10-30 drops of essential oils of choice (optional – we love lavender!)
Instructions
1. In a pot, combine all ingredients except essential oils.
2. Bring to medium heat and stir constantly until all ingredients are melted.
3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add essential oils if using.
4. Move to the fridge and let cool another hour or until starting to harden around the edges but still somewhat soft.
5. Use a hand mixer to whip for 10 minutes until fluffy.
6. Return to the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
7. Store in a glass jar with a lid and use as you would regular lotion or body butter. If your home stays above 75 degrees, it may soften and need to be kept in the fridge, but it will stay whipped at a temperature lower than that.
8. Keep some for yourself, and then give the rest! Enjoy!
In Conclusion!
Ultimately, this year we just have to get a bit more inventive with celebrating the holidays. It can be as simple as a Zoom call, or as elaborate as a bouquet of flowers and a digital gift card to someone’s favourite restaurant (Important to support local this year!).
Do what makes the most sense for your given circumstances and your loved ones preferences! Share with us what you plan on making this holiday season!
Connect With Us!
Do share your suggestions and gift giving ideas with us for this winter season on any of our social media handles like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!