30 of the Best Christmas Gifts That Students Can Make for Parents
‘Tis the season for holiday gift-giving! What makes the best gifts that students can make to give their parents? Handmade gifts, of course! Gifts made with love and with a loved one in mind make both the gift-giver and the gift-receiver feel all hot-chocolaty warm inside. With your help, your students can make wonderful Christmas gifts that will become cherished family holiday decorations for years to come.
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At this point, you might be thinking, But, I can’t think of any gifts that students can make! Help!
Don’t worry, we’ve got you.
Or rather, all your fellow teachers have you.
Christmas Gifts that Students Can Make for Parents
We asked teachers to tell us about their favorite Christmas crafts and keepsake ideas their students can make as Christmas gifts, and you all delivered! In this post, you will find amazing ideas that your students will love to make and parents will love to receive. Here are 29 Christmas gifts for parents from students.
Make Recipe Cards or Create a Class Recipe Book
One of the things that parents always appreciate is a new recipe, especially one that their kids have helped make! Gather up some of your students’ favorite holiday recipes and have them create beautiful (and delicious!) recipe cards to give to their parents. Be sure to include both the ingredients list and cooking instructions so that anyone can make the dish with ease.
Or make the recipe book a whole class activity and have each student’s family submit 1-2 recipes. Place them all together in one document, print it on colored paper, and have students create and decorate covers. Families can share favorite recipes with each other and try out other families’ yummy recipes.
Take it one step further and host a favorite recipe party during the week before the holiday break. Have families bring in one of the submitted recipes to share with everyone. When students give the recipe book to their parents, they will remember all the good food they sampled!
Easy Beaded Candy Canes
Beaded candy canes are easily one of the simplest crafts you can do with your students. The crafts can also become part of your student’s family decorations that they can enjoy for years. You and your students can get creative by following the link below or improving on it with your own new ideas (different colored/shaped beads anyone?).
Natural Wood Slice Ornaments
Let your students get super creative with this fun idea. With slices of natural wood circles, your students can create as many different ornaments as they can imagine. All it takes is some glue, paint, felt, and a little encouragement and you will be amazed at what your kiddos create.
Chalkboard Ornaments
This one is similar to the painted wood slices above, but students use chalkboard paint and draw with paint pens. This makes a fun, school-themed ornament.
Gingerbread Man Ornament
Transform a simple canning jar lid into a delightful gingerbread man with this charming canning lid ornament project! It’s not only a creative way to repurpose unused lids but also a perfect Christmas keepsake or a whimsical addition to any gift. Just imagine the joy it’ll bring tied into a beautiful bow on a present or hanging on a tree!
Simple Felted Reindeer
This one is great for older students who have a bit of dexterity and patience. Students get to create and sew small felted reindeer. This post has step-by-step instructions on how to create them, from drawing the sketches to cutting out the felt pieces to sewing them together in layers. It makes a great activity for following directions, too!
Gnome Toilet Paper Ornaments
This charming gnome ornament is the perfect addition to any home decor! Handcrafted with love, it features a toilet paper roll and yarn. The soft colors of the yarn combined with the classic curves of the roll create a unique look that is sure to grab attention. This ornament makes a perfect Christmas gift for any parent and is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Add a bit of whimsy and fun by bringing this gnome into your home today!
Personalized Candle
This is a simple gift, a candle with a hand-drawn picture on it. While the samples here aren’t complicated, students can do this craft with any colors or designs. Consider printing some images for students to trace, color, and transfer. Or have them write a note to their families on the candle. The possibilities are endless.
Santa Salt Dough Handprint Ornament
Salt-dough ornaments are a classic Christmas gift that kids give parents. This one is in the shape of a santa and made with upside down hand prints. Use some reflective or glitter paint to make the Santas twinkle in the Christmas lights!
Salt Dough Orgnament Recipe
Here is another variation of the salt dough ornament with handprints. These are fun keepsakes that parents will take out year after year. I still the ones my kids made that we unpack every December!
Thumbprint Ornaments
Here is another salt dough ornament, but with a twist. Students create a wreath with their thumb and insert a school photo.
Pinecone Christmas Tree
This pine cone Christmas tree is a delightful and hassle-free holiday craft that your kids will absolutely adore making! These adorable Christmas trees, beautifully crafted with pine cones, can be personalized to match your unique style and festive decor.
BLock Snowman Craft
There are many ideas out there for 2×4 crafts or even 6×6 blocks, but none of them are easier or more fun than this idea given in our FaceBook group. For this, you will need:
- 2×4 block – 6 inches (sanded smooth)
- White acrylic paint
- Orange felt (for the noses – you can pre-cut these for your students if needed)
- Black acrylic paint
- Other scrap fabric (or old gloves/scarves)
- Glue
Directions for 2×4 Snowman
- Have your students paint the blocks white and let them dry.
- If you do not have the nose precut, have your students cut out their snowman’s nose.
- Have your students glue the nose to the block.
- Have your students paint eyes and a mouth on their snowmen.
- Decorate the snowmen with scrap fabric to make hats/scarves, etc.
These are very basic instructions, but there isn’t too much to this one. Be creative and have fun.
Pipecleaner Snowflakes
This is another classic Christmas gift that students can make for their parents. Made with a few simple materials it also makes a great embellishment to your wrapped gifts.
Painted Rocks are Easy Gifts that Students can Make
Painted rocks make for a unique and thoughtful Christmas gift. All you need to make painted rocks is some rocks, paint, and sealant. You can paint the rocks with Christmas designs, quotes, or anything else you like. Once the paint is dry, seal the rocks with a clear sealant to protect the design.
Santa Wishlist Ornament
A fun twist on the stuffed ornaments is the Santa Wishlist Ornament. Students can write what they want for Christmas on a small piece of paper and display it in the ornament. It’s fun to look back on previous years’ lists and see how their wants and desires have changed.
Beeswax Taper Candles
These beautiful beeswax candles make wonderful gifts for parents. Using all-natural ingredients, these homemade candles bring a warm touch to any home and are sure to be cherished by loved ones. The process of making them is fun and engaging, as students can learn about various candle-making techniques while creating something special for their families.
Christmas Votive Candle
Create DIY Christmas votive holders in just a few simple steps. Transform ordinary mason jars into festive luminaries by adding battery-operated candles. Get creative with your designs by choosing from various Christmas shapes like trees or snowflakes. Illuminate Christmas mantel or shelf and infuse the holiday season with an enchanting glow.
DYI Hand scrub
DIY hand scrub makes the perfect Christmas gift for parents from students! It’s easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients. Plus, it’s a thoughtful gesture that will show student’s parents how much they care. Not to mention, it will nourish their hands and keep them soft and smooth during the cold winter months.
Clay Tealight Candle
This fun Christmas craft is made with clay, cookie cutters, paint, and glitter. It’s a simple craft that makes a great table centerpiece. These clay tealight candles can be used year-round as a festive reminder of the season. All you need is some air-dry clay, an old candle holder, and a few other common crafting materials. With just a bit of time and effort, you can make beautiful decorations with personalized touches that will warm your parents’ hearts all winter long. This easy DIY project is sure to bring joy to everyone this Christmas!
Snowman Candles
Turning white candles into snowmen have been around for a long time and for good reason. It’s easy, and fun, and who doesn’t love adorable snowmen? While the following link calls for white candles in glass, you can easily use them without glass (to make it safer for your students).
It’s as easy to paint on the candles as it is on the glass. Also, there are many alternative places to find white candles that are more affordable than what is called for in the link. (And don’t let us limit you to white candles and snowmen. Be creative and go for other holiday ideas with other colors, too!)
5 x 7 Canvas Art Gift Idea for Parents
Canvas, tile, or a plastic ornament – all of these will work for this holiday gift idea. Simply let your students pick a word they want to write for the gift in a loopy script to mimic a string of lights (words like love, joy, peace, Noel, etc.).
Or, they can make a loopy string for the lights and not have a word. It’s up to them. Then, let them use paint in different colors to create fingerprint light bulbs. It’s a wonderful gift idea that parents will treasure.
3-D Christmas Cards
Take your Christmas card-making skills up a level with these three-dimensional Christmas cards. Use colorful paper and the linked template to easily create a dynamic card your students’ parents will love!
3-D Popup Christmas Cards
This card doesn’t need templates! Just rectangular pieces of paper. It’s the perfect way to send your holiday message. No special materials are needed – use plain white paper for a snowy landscape or colored paper for the Christmas season. The perfect pop-up Christmas cards!
Marble-Painted Ornament
If you were wondering where you had lost your marbles, you were saving them for this craft!
Calendars
Who doesn’t love a beautiful calendar of the coming year hanging in their home? Your students will love creating these calendars for their families and showing off their artistic side.
With kindergarten students, make it into a math activity by having students write the numbers for each date. Work on 3-4 sets of dates each month during the fall and you’ll have a completed calendar by the holiday break!
Creative Coupons Gift Idea for Parents
If you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving, try having your students create coupons for their parents. These can be things like “Good for one night of no homework,” “Good for one family movie night,” or even “Good for one big hug!”
Have your class brainstorm a list of ideas that students can include on their coupons.
Whatever you choose, these coupons will surely bring a smile to any parent’s face – and they may even get redeemed more than once!
Snowglobe
One of the most popular Christmas crafts is creating a snow globe. All you need is a jar, glue, water, and glitter or snowflakes. Start by gluing decorations such as trees, Santas or reindeers onto the lid of the jar. Then fill it with water and add your desired amount of glitter or snowflakes inside. Seal it off with the lid and give it a shake – voila! You’ve just made your own custom snow globe!
Sugar Scrub
Sugar scrub is another great Christmas gift that is both unique and practical. All you need to make a sugar scrub is sugar, oil, and essential oil. Mix together equal parts sugar and oil, then add enough essential oil to give the scrub a nice scent. Store the scrub in an airtight container and use it as needed.
Mason Jar Candle Gift Idea for Parents
Mason jar candles are another easy and inexpensive gift that students can make for their parents. All you need is a mason jar, some candle wax, and a wick. Simply melt the wax in a pot on the stove, pour it into the mason jar, and then add the wick. Let the wax cool and harden, and then your candle is ready to give!
Your Classroom Christmas Gift Ideas
Let us know with a comment below what gifts for parents you made with your students and how they worked for you. Also, we’d love to hear about any craftiness you did that isn’t on the list above.
Christmas is just around the corner which means it’s time to start thinking about gifts! If you’re searching for something special that won’t break the bank, look no further than your own classroom! With a little bit of creativity (and some help from their kids!), these ideas for gifts that students can make are sure to please any parent this holiday season.
More Christmas and Winter Holiday Teaching Ideas
Check out these holiday science experiments for some more holiday fun! If you’re looking for a fun Christmas craft for students, check out the Christmas Tree Craftivity!
Jessica BOschen
Jessica is a teacher, homeschool parent, and entrepreneur. She shares her passion for teaching and education on What I Have Learned. Jessica has 16 years of experience teaching elementary school and currently homeschools her two middle and high school boys. She enjoys scaffolding learning for students, focusing on helping our most challenging learners achieve success in all academic areas.