Christmas is a wonderful time to show appreciation to those around us, and what better way to spread holiday cheer than with thoughtful Neighbor Christmas Gifts? For the past decade, creating these tokens of appreciation has been a cherished tradition for me. I love brainstorming fun and unique neighbor gift ideas, and then bringing them to life for all the wonderful people in my neighborhood. Since I make a large batch every year – sometimes exceeding 100! – the key is to keep the gifts both easy to make and budget-friendly. When I say budget-friendly, I’m talking about keeping the cost around $1-2 per gift. Living in my current home for ten Christmas seasons now has given me ample opportunity to refine my neighbor gift game. So, I thought it would be delightful to share my collection of neighbor Christmas gift ideas with you, showcasing what I’ve created year after year.
Assortment of ten easy neighbor gift ideas displayed, featuring soaps, candy bars, and small crafts, perfect for Christmas giving.
Let’s journey back to the beginning and see how these neighbor Christmas gifts have evolved over the years. You might notice more than ten ideas because, in my enthusiasm, some years involved creating different gifts for different neighbor families! For each idea, I’ll include a link to the original detailed post, many of which feature video tutorials and free printables to make recreating these neighbor Christmas gifts a breeze for you.
Let’s dive into the festive fun!
2014: Practical and Festive Christmas Soap Gifts
Starting in 2014, my very first neighbor Christmas gift remains a favorite to this day! I actually loved it so much that I repeated it in a previous neighborhood. Inspired by my mom’s love for practical gifts, these Christmas soaps are just that – useful and festive.
Christmas Soap Tutorial
Handmade Christmas soap neighbor gift idea from 2014, featuring festive packaging and presentation.
That year, I also added a touch of sweetness with a super simple and easy gummy bear gift, complete with a fun printable tag.
Gummy Bear Printable Tag
Sour gummy bears neighbor gift idea with a printable tag, a simple and sweet treat for Christmas.
2015: Cookies for Santa Plate Neighbor Christmas Gifts
In 2015, I got into the Christmas baking spirit and created “Cookies for Santa” plates. To make this neighbor Christmas gift extra special, I included a recipe card and pre-portioned ingredients for neighbors to easily bake their own Christmas cookies.
Cookies for Santa Plate DIY
DIY Cookies for Santa plate neighbor gift idea, complete with cookie ingredients and recipe for a fun family activity.
2016: Snowman Candy Bars and Hot Chocolate Snowman Jars
2016 brought two delightful snowman-themed neighbor Christmas gifts. First, snowman candy bars were incredibly easy to assemble with free printable wrappers – a sweet and simple treat.
Snowman Candy Bar Wrappers
Snowman candy bar neighbor gift idea, featuring free printable wrappers to easily transform candy bars into festive snowmen.
Following the snowman theme, I also crafted hot chocolate mason jars, decorating them to resemble adorable snowmen. These hot chocolate snowmen were a cute and cozy neighbor Christmas gift idea.
Hot Chocolate Snowman Mason Jar
Hot chocolate snowman mason jar neighbor gift idea, creatively decorated jars filled with hot cocoa mix for a warm winter treat.
2017: Farmhouse Christmas Signs and Rudolph Cookie Jars
In 2017, I shifted gears slightly from edible treats to home décor neighbor Christmas gifts. Farmhouse signs were trending in my own home décor, so naturally, mini Christmas farmhouse signs became the neighbor gift of the year. These were fun to make and added a touch of rustic charm.
DIY Christmas Farmhouse Signs
DIY Christmas farmhouse signs neighbor gift idea, small rustic signs adding a touch of homemade holiday decor.
Also in 2017, I revisited the Cookies for Santa plate idea, marking the third time I created this popular neighbor Christmas gift. This time, I paired the plate with a mason jar filled with cookie ingredients, cleverly decorated as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, adding an extra touch of Christmas magic.
Rudolph Cookies in a Jar Gift
Cookies for Santa with Rudolph jar neighbor gift idea, a mason jar decorated as Rudolph filled with cookie mix, paired with a Santa plate.
A Little Backstory…
Crafting is truly therapeutic for me; it’s my way of maintaining mental well-being. My blog originally started as “Crafts Keep Me Sane,” reflecting this passion. So, if you’ve ever wondered about the sheer volume of neighbor Christmas gifts I create, it’s deeply rooted in managing stress and keeping holiday blues at bay. Sharing this helps you understand my enthusiasm for crafting and neighborly giving!
Back to more neighbor Christmas gift inspiration!
2018: Nutella & Pretzel Jars and Embroidery Hoop Ornaments
2018 was a year of abundance, leading to two neighbor Christmas gift ideas! I aimed for super easy gifts to accommodate the larger quantities I was making. The first idea was inspired by tiny Nutella jars I spotted in the store – adorable Nutella & Pretzel jars, complete with a printable tag.
Nutella & Pretzel Neighbor Gift
Nutella and pretzel jar neighbor gift idea with a printable tag, a sweet and savory snack combination perfect for gifting.
The second gift in 2018 was born from my love of crafting – Embroidery Hoop Ornaments. These were fun to personalize, and I created several designs to offer variety in this handmade neighbor Christmas gift.
Embroidery Hoop Ornament DIY
Buffalo plaid embroidery hoop ornament neighbor gift idea, a handmade and decorative Christmas keepsake.
2019: Personalized Christmas Tea Towels and Baby Jesus Ornaments
2019 marked my foray into personalized neighbor Christmas gifts. Christmas tea towels, personalized with names or festive designs, became my absolute favorite neighbor gift to date. They required a bit more time, but the personalized touch made them incredibly special.
DIY Personalized Tea Towels
DIY personalized Christmas tea towel neighbor gift idea, showcasing custom designs on festive kitchen towels.
Adding to the gift-giving spirit in 2019, I also crafted Baby Jesus Ornaments. These sweet and simple ornaments were shared with many, adding a spiritual touch to my neighbor Christmas gifts.
Baby Jesus Walnut Ornaments
Baby Jesus walnut ornament neighbor gift idea, small and meaningful handmade ornaments with a religious theme.
2020: Christmas Soap Returns
Ah, 2020 – a year we all remember. Given the circumstances, revisiting the practical Christmas soap neighbor gift from 2014 felt timely and relevant. Plus, many newer neighbors hadn’t experienced this classic gift yet, making its return a fresh and useful idea.
Christmas Soap Gift Idea
Christmas soap neighbor gift idea from 2020, a practical and appreciated gift during a year focused on hygiene.
2021: Monogram Mugs with Hot Chocolate
In 2021, my neighbor Christmas gift list expanded to include my husband’s coworkers. Personalized gifts felt like the right approach, leading to Monogram Mugs filled with hot chocolate. I found inexpensive mugs and personalized them, creating a thoughtful and warming gift.
Monogram Mug Neighbor Gift
Monogram mug with hot chocolate neighbor gift idea, personalized mugs filled with cocoa mix for a cozy and custom gift.
2022: Personalized Cookies for Santa Plates (Dollar Tree Edition)
2022 saw another iteration of the Cookies for Santa plates, simplified for a larger scale. Making over 75 of these meant streamlining the process. Dollar Tree plates became my secret weapon – affordable and perfect for personalization with vinyl. A little Dollar Tree hopping across four locations ensured I had enough plates!
Dollar Tree Santa Plates
Personalized Cookies for Santa plate neighbor gift idea using Dollar Tree plates, an affordable and customizable option for bulk gifting.
2023: Personalized Wooden Ornaments (Craft Room Edition)
Finally, we arrive at 2023! Starting a full-time job significantly reduced my crafting time, demanding an exceptionally easy neighbor Christmas gift idea. Leveraging supplies already in my craft room became essential. Personalized Wooden Ornaments emerged as the perfect solution. Their simplicity allowed me to create over 100 gifts – my largest batch yet!
Personalized Wooden Ornament DIY
Personalized wooden Christmas ornament neighbor gift idea, handmade ornaments crafted from wood and personalized for each recipient.
Easy personalized wooden Christmas ornament neighbor gift idea, showcasing a variety of ornament designs and personalization options.
Do you also enjoy making neighbor Christmas gifts each year? For me, it’s a heartfelt way to express love and gratitude to the wonderful friends and neighbors who enrich my life.
I’d love to hear – which neighbor Christmas gift idea is your favorite?
