Christmas Gifts in a Tin: 15 Cheap Homemade Ideas That Look Boutique Bought

Christmas gifts in a tin are the easiest way to make a cheap present look like it came from a fancy gift shop. Pop off the lid and there is a little surprise waiting inside, packed neatly and tied with ribbon. Thrift stores are full of old cookie tins every November, and most cost a dollar or two. Plain craft store tins work just as well. Fill them with cocoa, candy, tea, seeds, sewing supplies or treats for the dog, and you have a gift that people keep long after the goodies are gone. Tins are sturdy, they ship well and they stack beautifully under the tree. We kept every idea simple, budget friendly and safe, with adult help for sewing machines, ovens and hot glue. Make one for every name on your list or build a few for teachers and neighbors. Here are fifteen of our favorites..

Christmas Gifts in a Tin That Look Boutique Bought

Here is a little secret: the container does half the work. A plain tin filled with homemade goodies looks expensive the moment the lid comes off. Group a few together in a basket with kraft paper and gingham ribbon and it looks like a boutique display. If you loved our homemade gifts in a jar, this is the next step. Tins are tougher than glass, cheaper to mail and easy to find. Start your collection now and you will be ready for every name on your list..

You will need: 4 to 6 thrifted or plain metal tins, kraft paper, gingham ribbon, jute twine, blank kraft tags, pine sprigs, a basket

How to make it: 1. Wash the tins in warm soapy water and dry them well. 2. Line each one with a square of kraft or parchment paper. 3. Fill, close, tie with ribbon and tuck a pine sprig under the bow.

Hot Cocoa Kit in a Red Cookie Tin

A cocoa kit is one of the most loved Christmas gifts in a tin, and it costs very little. Pack small bags of homemade cocoa mix, a bag of mini marshmallows and a few peppermint sticks for stirring. Add a wooden spoon and the tin feels complete. Write the mixing steps on a tag so anyone can make a mug in seconds. Need more flavor ideas? Our hot cocoa bar ideas have plenty of toppings that pack neatly into a lid.

You will need: 1 round tin, 2 cups cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, peppermint sticks, small clear treat bags, a wooden spoon, twine

How to make it: 1. Divide the cocoa mix into small bags of about 3 tablespoons each. 2. Bag the marshmallows and tie each bag with twine. 3. Arrange everything in the tin with the spoon on top and add a tag with the directions.

Bath Salts and Soap Spa Tin

Give a tired friend a quiet night with a little spa tin. Paint an old tin a soft mint green, then fill it with a bag of pink bath salts and a few bars of handmade soap. Kraft paper bands around each bar make them look like they came from a pricey shop. A sprig of eucalyptus adds a fresh look. Our easy Christmas soap ideas show how to pour simple bars at home if you want to make your own.

You will need: 1 tin, mint green spray paint, 2 cups Epsom salt, a few drops of pink soap colorant, 3 bars of soap, kraft paper strips, eucalyptus

How to make it: 1. Spray paint the outside of the tin outdoors and let it dry fully. 2. Mix the salt with the colorant in a bag and shake until even. 3. Band each soap with kraft paper and pack it in with the salts and a eucalyptus sprig.

Mending Kit in a Small Round Tin

Everyone needs a sewing kit, and almost nobody has a nice one. That makes it one of the smartest Christmas gifts in a tin. A small round tin is the perfect size. Fill it with colorful thread, a felt needle book, wooden buttons, small scissors and a measuring tape. It fits in a drawer, a suitcase or a dorm room. College kids and new homeowners use it all year. If the person on your list loves to stitch, pair it with one of our easy Christmas sewing projects printed on a card.

You will need: 1 small round tin, 6 to 8 thread spools, felt scrap, 6 needles, safety pins, wooden buttons, small scissors, a tape measure

How to make it: 1. Fold a felt rectangle in half and stitch the fold to make a needle book. 2. Slide the needles and pins into the felt. 3. Arrange the spools around the edge and fill the center with buttons, scissors and tape.

Seed Starter Christmas Gifts in a Tin

Gardeners dream about spring all winter, so give them a head start. Fill a tin with homemade seed envelopes, a few peat pots, twine and a tiny trowel. Save seeds from your own garden or split a big store packet into smaller kraft envelopes. Write the plant name and planting month on each one. Add it to a basket with our junk garden art ideas for a gift that keeps growing.

You will need: 1 rectangular tin, 5 small kraft envelopes, seeds, 4 peat pots, a small trowel, jute twine, a pencil

How to make it: 1. Fill each envelope with a spoonful of seeds and fold the top over. 2. Write the plant name and month on the front. 3. Stack the envelopes and pots in the tin, tie the trowel with twine and close the lid.

Movie Night Christmas Gifts in a Tin

Movie night Christmas gifts in a tin are great for families and couples. Pack a bag of popcorn kernels, a few shakers of homemade seasoning and striped paper cups. Try cinnamon sugar, ranch and a cheese blend. Tuck in a list of your favorite holiday films for extra fun. Set it beside our cozy Christmas movie decor ideas and the entire night is planned. It is cheap to make and easy to fill in big batches.

You will need: 1 large tin, 2 cups popcorn kernels, 3 small plain shakers, seasoning blends, striped paper popcorn cups, a cellophane bag, twine

How to make it: 1. Bag the kernels in cellophane and tie with twine. 2. Fill each shaker with a blend and label the lid. 3. Nest the cups inside each other and pack everything in the tin.

Homemade Candy Tin Lined With Parchment

Nothing says Christmas like a tin of homemade candy, and candy is the classic choice for Christmas gifts in a tin. Line it with parchment, then fill it with squares of fudge, broken pieces of peppermint bark and a few round truffles. The paper keeps everything fresh and looks lovely when it peeks over the edge. Make one big batch and fill a dozen tins in an afternoon. Our Christmas candy crafts have more sweet ideas for the table.

You will need: 1 round tin, parchment paper, a batch of fudge, peppermint bark, 10 truffles, red ribbon, a pine sprig

How to make it: 1. Cut a parchment circle larger than the tin so it rises above the rim. 2. Layer fudge on the bottom, then bark and truffles on top. 3. Close the lid and tie with red ribbon and a pine sprig.

Car Emergency Kit in a Tin

Practical Christmas gifts in a tin are often the ones people thank you for later. A car kit in a slim tin slides right into the glove box. Pack bandages, a small battery flashlight, a folded emergency blanket, hand wipes and a spare charger cable. New drivers and parents love it. Our winter car hacks have more tips worth printing on a card for the lid. It costs about ten dollars and could save a cold evening on the road.

You will need: 1 slim tin, adhesive bandages, a small battery flashlight, an emergency blanket, wipes, a charger cable, a small notepad

How to make it: 1. Fold the blanket into a flat square that fits the base. 2. Lay the flashlight and cable beside it. 3. Fill the gaps with bandages and wipes, then close the tin snugly.

Tea Sampler Christmas Gifts in a Tin

Tea lovers will melt over this one. Fill paper sachets with loose tea and stand them in neat rows inside a square tin. Add cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices and a small honey dipper. It looks like a sampler from a fancy tea room. Learn more about the history of the classic cookie tin and why so many families keep them for years. This gift also pairs well with our handmade gifts for grandma.

You will need: 1 square tin, loose tea, 12 paper tea filters, blank kraft tags, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, a honey dipper

How to make it: 1. Spoon a teaspoon of tea into each filter and fold the top closed. 2. Staple a blank tag to each one and write the tea name. 3. Stand the sachets in rows and tuck in the cinnamon, oranges and dipper.

Sewn Flannel Hand Warmers in a Tin

These little pouches are filled with rice and warm up in the microwave in seconds. They make sweet Christmas gifts in a tin for anyone who feels the cold. Sew them from flannel scraps in plaid and cream, then stack four in a tin. They are perfect for cold mornings at the bus stop or chilly walks. Add a card that says to heat them for 20 seconds with adult help. Find more cozy ideas in our grandma winter tricks for staying warm on a budget.

You will need: 1 tin, flannel scraps, uncooked rice, a sewing machine or needle and thread, pinking shears, a small card

How to make it: 1. Cut two 4 inch squares per pouch and sew three sides. 2. Fill with rice about two thirds full and sew the last side closed. 3. Trim with pinking shears and stack four in the tin with the heating card.

Spice Rub Trio for the Griller

Need a gift for dad, a brother or the neighbor who grills all year? Mix three spice rubs and pack them in small plain jars inside a tin. Try a smoky paprika rub, a garlic herb rub and a brown sugar blend. Add a wooden spoon and a rosemary sprig. Our handmade Christmas gifts for men list has more ideas he will actually use. Each rub costs pennies when you buy spices in bulk.

You will need: 1 tin, 3 small plain glass jars, paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dried herbs, salt, pepper, a wooden spoon

How to make it: 1. Mix each rub in a bowl and taste for balance. 2. Fill the jars and wipe the rims clean. 3. Nest the jars in the tin with the spoon and add a tag with the rub names.

Crayon and Sketchbook Travel Tin

Kids love Christmas gifts in a tin they can open again and again. Grandkids will love a tiny art studio they can carry anywhere. Fill a slim tin with crayons in rainbow order and pair it with a small sketchbook and colored pencils. It keeps little hands busy in the car, at restaurants and on long holiday visits. The tin closes tight, so nothing rolls under the seat. For more fun projects together, see our Christmas crafts with grandkids.

You will need: 1 slim tin, 12 to 16 crayons, a small spiral sketchbook, colored pencils, a rubber band, red twine

How to make it: 1. Peel any broken crayon wrappers and line the crayons up in rainbow order. 2. Slide them into the tin snugly so they do not rattle. 3. Band the tin to the sketchbook and tie with twine.

Family Recipe Card Christmas Gifts in a Tin

Some of the most treasured Christmas gifts in a tin are full of memories. Fill a tin recipe box with handwritten family recipes, one per card. Add kraft dividers for cookies, mains and sides. Ask aunts and cousins to add their favorites before you wrap it. It becomes a keepsake that gets passed down. It would look right at home among our grandma kitchen decor ideas.

You will need: 1 tin recipe box or small loaf tin, red paint, 30 blank recipe cards, kraft cardstock, a fine pen, holly sprig

How to make it: 1. Paint the tin outdoors and let it dry. 2. Cut kraft dividers a little taller than the cards and label them. 3. Write each recipe neatly and file it behind the right divider.

Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit in a Tin

This gift is really a fun afternoon in a box. Bake plain round sugar cookies and pack them in a tin with small bags of red and white icing, sprinkles and a couple of star cutters. Families can decorate together on Christmas Eve. Kids love it, and so do grownups. Our cookie cutter Christmas crafts show even more ways to use those cutters after the cookies are gone.

You will need: 1 large tin, 12 plain sugar cookies, 2 piping bags of royal icing, 3 small jars of sprinkles, 2 star cookie cutters, parchment

How to make it: 1. Bake and cool the cookies completely. 2. Layer them between parchment in the tin. 3. Add the sealed icing bags, sprinkles and cutters on top, then close the lid.

Homemade Dog Treat Christmas Gifts in a Tin

Do not forget the furry friends on your list. Bake simple bone shaped biscuits from flour, oats, egg and pumpkin, then pack them in a round tin. Tie a red bandana around the lid as a bonus gift the pup can wear. Dog owners always smile at this one. Find more ideas in our dog lover Christmas gifts collection. Skip chocolate, raisins and grapes, and check with the owner about allergies.

You will need: 1 round tin, 2 cups flour, 1 cup oats, 1 egg, 1 cup plain pumpkin puree, a bone cookie cutter, a red bandana

How to make it: 1. Mix the dough, roll it out and cut bones with adult help at the oven. 2. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes and cool fully. 3. Fill the tin and tie the bandana around it.