Christmas Gifts for Men: 14 Handmade Ideas Dad and Husband Will Actually Use

Christmas gifts for men are famously hard to choose. Ask most dads or husbands what they want and you get a shrug, followed by a pack of socks under the tree again. This year, try something better. Handmade gifts that are useful every single day tend to win men over, because they end up on the dresser, in the truck or at the grill instead of in a drawer. Think leather, wood, canvas and coffee. None of these projects need a full workshop, and most cost less than a store bought gift card. Here are 14 ideas that feel thoughtful, look rugged and will actually get used long after the wrapping paper is gone..

Christmas Gifts for Men That Get Used Every Day

The best Christmas gifts for men have one thing in common: he reaches for them without thinking. A tray for his keys, a mug for his morning coffee, an apron for weekend projects. Lay a few of these out together and you can see how a small pile of handmade pieces feels more personal than any big box gift. Pick one big project and a couple of small ones, then wrap them in kraft paper with pine sprigs. Which of these would the man in your life use first..

You will need: Kraft paper, twine, pine sprigs, and the supplies for one to three projects below.

How to make it: 1. Choose one main gift and two small ones. 2. Make them a week early so glue and finishes fully cure. 3. Wrap in kraft paper and tie with twine and a sprig of pine.

Wood Valet Tray, One of the Best Christmas Gifts for Men

How many mornings start with a hunt for keys? A wood valet tray is one of those Christmas gifts for men that solves it for good. Buy a ready made wooden tray blank from a craft store, sand it smooth and rub in a rich walnut stain. Glue a piece of soft faux leather in the bottom so coins and watches do not scratch. Set it on his dresser or by the door and it becomes his landing spot. It is one of those gifts that quietly makes every day easier. Where does he drop his keys now?

You will need: Unfinished wooden tray blank, fine sandpaper, walnut stain, clear finish, faux leather sheet, scissors, craft glue.

How to make it: 1. Sand the tray and wipe off the dust. 2. Stain it, let it dry, then add a clear coat. 3. Cut faux leather to fit the bottom and glue it in place.

Leather Keychain With Stamped Pattern

A leather keychain is small, but it goes everywhere he goes. Cut a strip of vegetable tanned leather, fold it over a brass ring and fix it with a rivet. Stamp a simple chevron, his initials or a little diamond pattern with metal stamps and a mallet. Leather darkens and softens with use, so it only gets better with age. Make one for dad, one for your husband and one for your brother in an afternoon. Would you stamp initials or a pattern?

You will need: Leather strip about 1 inch wide, brass key rings, rivets and setter, leather stamps, a mallet, leather hole punch.

How to make it: 1. Cut the strip to about 8 inches and punch a hole near each end. 2. Stamp your design on the outside face. 3. Fold it over the key ring and set the rivet with the mallet.

Hand Painted Coffee Mug

If he starts every day with coffee, few Christmas gifts for men beat this one: a hand painted mug he will use 365 days a year. Porcelain paint pens make it easy, even if you cannot draw. Try a simple mountain range and pine trees, or tape off stripes for a plaid pattern. Bake it in the home oven following the pen directions so it holds up to washing. Keep the design below the rim where lips touch. Mountains or plaid, which would suit him better?

You will need: Plain ceramic mug, porcelain paint pens, painters tape, rubbing alcohol, cotton pad.

How to make it: 1. Wipe the mug with alcohol so the paint sticks. 2. Draw your design, keeping it away from the rim. 3. Let it dry for a day, then bake it as the pen package says.

Grill Tool Caddy, Christmas Gifts for Men Who Love to Grill

For the man who lives at the grill all summer, a grill caddy keeps everything within reach. Start with a small wooden crate from the craft store, add a dowel handle and a divider, then stain it a warm brown. Fill it with tongs, a spatula, a brush, paper towels and his favorite seasonings. It is a gift he can use right away at the next family cookout. Is he the family grill master?

You will need: Small wooden crate, wooden dowel for a handle, a thin board for a divider, wood glue, small nails, stain, grill tools to fill it.

How to make it: 1. Glue and nail the divider inside the crate. 2. Drill holes for the dowel handle with adult help and glue it in. 3. Stain, let it dry and fill it with tools and seasonings.

Christmas Gifts for Men Who Love a Good Beard

Bearded guys appreciate a little grooming kit, and it is easy to put together yourself. Fill small amber dropper bottles with a simple mix of plain carrier oil and a drop of a woodsy scent, and add a tin of homemade balm, a wooden comb and a soft brush. Pack it all in a wooden box with shredded paper. It looks like something from a fancy barber shop, at a fraction of the price. Does the man in your life have a beard he is proud of?

You will need: Small wooden box, shredded paper, amber dropper bottles, carrier oil such as jojoba, a woodsy scent oil, a small tin, a wooden comb, a soft brush.

How to make it: 1. Fill each bottle with carrier oil and add a drop or two of scent. 2. Fill the tin with a simple balm or store bought base. 3. Nestle everything in shredded paper in the box and tie it with twine.

Wall Mounted Bottle Opener With Cap Catcher

This one is a crowd favorite for garages and game rooms. Screw a cast iron bottle opener to a reclaimed wood plank and build a tiny box underneath to catch the caps. No more caps rolling under the fridge. It is perfect for soda bottles at the next game night, and it looks like a rustic piece you would find in a fancy shop. Use old fence boards for free wood with great character. Where would he hang his?

You will need: Reclaimed wood plank, cast iron wall bottle opener with screws, thin boards for the box, wood glue, small nails, sandpaper, picture hanging hardware.

How to make it: 1. Sand the plank and screw the opener near the top. 2. Glue and nail a small open box at the bottom. 3. Add hanging hardware on the back and mount it on a wall stud.

Personalized Cutting Board

A cutting board with a personal touch is one of those Christmas gifts for men who love to cook. Start with a plain hardwood board, then use a wood burning tool to add a pine tree border, his initials or the family name on one corner. Rub in food safe board oil until it glows. Every time he slices bread or veggies, he will think of you. Add a little jar of homemade board butter to finish the gift. Would you burn in a design or his initials?

You will need: Plain hardwood cutting board, pencil, wood burning tool, food safe mineral oil, beeswax for board butter, soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. Sketch your border or initials lightly in pencil. 2. Trace the lines with the wood burning tool, with adult care because the tip gets hot. 3. Rub in mineral oil, let it soak overnight and buff with a cloth.

Canvas Tool Apron for the Weekend Fixer

For the weekend fixer, a canvas tool apron keeps pencils, tape measures and screws right where he needs them. Heavy canvas from the fabric store is easy to sew in straight lines, and leather straps make it look like a pricey workshop brand. Rub in fabric wax for that rugged, water resistant finish. It is one of the most useful Christmas gifts for men who are always fixing something. Does he have a garage or a workbench full of projects?

You will need: Heavy canvas fabric, leather or webbing straps, rivets, heavy duty thread, sewing machine, fabric wax bar, hair dryer.

How to make it: 1. Cut the apron shape and a pocket panel from canvas. 2. Stitch the pocket panel on, dividing it into slots, and hem the edges. 3. Rivet on the straps, rub in the wax and warm it with a hair dryer.

Cord and Cable Organizer Roll

If his bag is a tangle of charging cables, this roll is one of the smartest Christmas gifts for men you can sew. Cut a rectangle of felt, back it with faux leather and sew in elastic loops and a couple of pockets. Roll it up and tie it with a leather strap. It works for travel, work bags and the car glove box. It is a quick project for a beginner with a sewing machine, and it feels very grown up. How many cables does he carry around every day?

You will need: Thick felt, faux leather, wide elastic, leather cord for the tie, sewing machine, fabric clips.

How to make it: 1. Layer the felt on the faux leather and clip the edges. 2. Sew elastic across in loops and add one stitched pocket. 3. Sew around the edge and attach a leather cord at one end to tie it closed.

Concrete Desk Organizer

Concrete has a cool, modern look that many men love on their desks. Mix a small batch of quick setting craft concrete and pour it into milk cartons with a smaller cup pressed in the middle. Once it sets, peel away the carton and you have a heavy pen holder or a pot for a little succulent. Make three in different sizes for a set. It feels industrial and expensive, yet costs only a few dollars. Would he use it for pens or a plant?

You will need: Craft concrete mix, water, empty milk or juice cartons, plastic cups, cooking spray, gloves, sandpaper.

How to make it: 1. Spray the carton and cup with cooking spray. 2. Pour mixed concrete into the carton and press the cup into the center, weighing it down. 3. Let it cure for two days, peel away the molds and sand the edges.

Coffee Lover Kit in a Mug

Pair a big mug with everything a coffee fan loves. Fill it with a bag of locally roasted beans, a few homemade cinnamon sugar stir sticks and a handwritten card with his favorite brew method. Wrap the whole thing in cellophane with a ribbon and it looks like a gift basket from a cafe. It is one of the easiest Christmas gifts for men to put together the night before. For more gift ideas aimed at him, see our DIY gifts for dad. Is he a dark roast or a light roast guy?

You will need: A large mug, a bag of whole coffee beans, wooden stir sticks, melted white chocolate, cinnamon sugar, cellophane bag, ribbon, a card.

How to make it: 1. Dip stir sticks in melted chocolate and roll them in cinnamon sugar, then let them set. 2. Tuck the coffee bag and sticks into the mug. 3. Slide it all into a cellophane bag and tie it with ribbon and the card.

Cozy Flannel Scarf

Flannel shows up on every list of Christmas gifts for men for a reason: it is soft, warm and never goes out of style. A flannel scarf is about the easiest sewing project there is. Cut a long strip of plaid flannel, pull threads at the ends to make a fringe and sew a simple line of stitches to stop it unraveling. No sewing machine? Use fabric glue along the edges. Roll it in a box with a beanie for a cozy winter set. Red plaid or gray plaid for him?

You will need: 1 yard of soft plaid flannel, fabric scissors, a ruler, needle and thread or a sewing machine, fabric glue for no sew edges.

How to make it: 1. Cut a strip about 12 inches wide and 70 inches long. 2. Pull out cross threads at each end to make a 3 inch fringe. 3. Stitch a straight line above the fringe and fold or hem the long edges.

Christmas Gifts for Men Who Collect Golf Balls or Fishing Lures

Every hobby guy has a collection hiding in a drawer. Give it a place on the wall with a simple display frame. A deep shadow box from the craft store, a fabric background and a few small pegs or clear glue dots are all you need. Golf balls from memorable rounds, fishing lures from favorite trips, or even old ticket stubs all work. You can watch more DIY gifts for guys for extra ideas. What does he collect?

You will need: Deep shadow box frame, fabric or felt for the background, spray adhesive, small wooden pegs or clear glue dots, his collection.

How to make it: 1. Cover the back panel with fabric using spray adhesive. 2. Lay out the items in a neat grid before fixing anything. 3. Attach each piece with pegs or glue dots, close the frame and hang it.