Norm Abram Woodworking Gifts: 16 Classic Christmas Projects Inspired by TV’s Favorite Carpenter

Norm Abram woodworking has a special place in the hearts of millions of people who grew up watching a calm man in a plaid shirt turn a stack of boards into something beautiful. For years, Norm showed America on This Old House and The New Yankee Workshop that good work comes from patience, careful measuring and a little respect for the wood. There is no better time to borrow that spirit than Christmas, when a handmade gift means more than anything from a store. Below are 16 classic projects in the style Norm made famous, from a sturdy Shaker step stool to a little wooden toy car for the grandkids. Each one uses simple cuts, common boards and an honest afternoon or two in the garage. Pick one, measure twice, and give someone a present they will keep for the rest of their life..

Norm Abram Woodworking Gifts on One Workbench

Norm Abram woodworking started long before television. Norm is an American carpenter, writer and TV host born in 1949, and his father, a carpenter himself, taught him many practical skills as a boy. In 1979 he built a barn workshop for producer Russell Morash, and that job became the very first This Old House project, as his Wikipedia biography explains. Fans loved how he made every step look doable. This workbench full of gifts shows the idea of this whole list: plain wood, a red ribbon and real care. Which one will you build first..

You will need: A workbench, a tape measure, a pencil, a square, a hand saw or miter saw, sandpaper, wood glue, clamps and red ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Choose two or three projects from this list. 2. Buy all the boards in one trip and cut the parts on one day. 3. Sand, glue and finish in batches, then tie each gift with ribbon.

Shaker Style Step Stool for the Kitchen

A step stool is the kind of honest, useful piece Norm Abram woodworking fans love, because it gets used every single day. The Shaker style keeps it simple: two sides, two steps, a small rail and a hand hole cut in the top so it is easy to carry. Paint it barn red for a farmhouse kitchen or leave it natural pine with a clear finish. Picture a grandparent reaching the top shelf safely for years to come. Who in your family is always asking for a boost?

You will need: 1×12 pine board, wood glue, 1 1/4 inch screws, wood plugs, a jigsaw, a drill, sandpaper, paint or clear finish.

How to make it: 1. Cut two sides, two steps and a back rail, then cut a hand hole in the top step with the jigsaw (adult job). 2. Glue and screw the steps into the sides and plug the holes. 3. Sand all edges round, paint, and let it cure for two days before use.

Norm Abram Woodworking Jewelry Box in Cherry

A jewelry box is the gift that ends up on a dresser for fifty years. Cherry is a classic choice because it darkens to a rich red brown as it ages, so the box looks better every Christmas. Keep the joinery simple with glued square joints and a lid on small brass hinges, then add a lift out tray lined with velvet. Mom, a sister or a daughter will think of you every morning. Would you add her initials under the lid?

You will need: 1/2 inch cherry boards, 1/4 inch plywood for the bottom, small brass hinges, wood glue, velvet fabric, felt pads, sandpaper and oil finish.

How to make it: 1. Cut four sides and glue them in a square with clamps, then glue in the plywood bottom. 2. Cut the lid off the box on the saw so it fits perfectly, and add the hinges. 3. Line thin plywood dividers with velvet and wipe on two coats of oil.

Norm Abram Woodworking Classic: Striped Cutting Board

Every list of Norm Abram woodworking gifts needs a cutting board, because it is the easiest way to start and the most loved present in any kitchen. Glue up strips of maple and walnut for a striped look, then cut a rounded handle at one end so it doubles as a serving board for cheese and bread. Finish it with food safe mineral oil only. You can make five from the same boards, so who else is on your list?

You will need: Maple and walnut strips about 3/4 inch thick, waterproof wood glue, clamps, a jigsaw, a random orbit sander and food safe mineral oil.

How to make it: 1. Glue the strips side by side, alternating colors, and clamp overnight. 2. Trace a rounded handle, cut it out with the jigsaw, and drill a hanging hole. 3. Sand to 220 grit and rub in mineral oil until it stops soaking in.

Small Wall Spice Rack Shelf

A small spice rack is a quick weekend build that makes any cook smile. It is just a shallow open box with a thin rail across the front so the jars do not slide off. Size it for the jars your family already uses and hang it near the stove. Fill it with a few homemade spice blends in plain jars and the gift is complete. Could this be the one you build with a grandchild?

You will need: 1×4 pine boards, a 1/4 inch wooden dowel, wood glue, brad nails, a keyhole hanger, sandpaper, stain and 8 small glass jars.

How to make it: 1. Cut a back, two sides, a top and a bottom shelf, and glue and nail them into a box. 2. Drill holes in the sides and glue in a dowel as the front rail. 3. Stain, add the hanger and fill it with jars.

Norm Abram Woodworking Keepsake Box

A keepsake box is pure Norm Abram woodworking: a plain shape, neat corners and a lid that slides in a groove. Give it to someone who saves old Christmas cards, baby shoes or love letters, and it becomes the family treasure chest. Dovetails look beautiful, but simple rabbet corners with glue are strong and much easier for a first try. Whose memories would you keep safe inside it?

You will need: 1/2 inch oak boards, a 1/4 inch plywood or oak panel for the lid, wood glue, clamps, a table saw or router for the groove (adult job), sandpaper and wipe on finish.

How to make it: 1. Cut a groove near the top inside edge of each side. 2. Glue the four sides and bottom together, leaving one end low so the lid can slide in. 3. Sand the lid panel to fit, round the edges and finish.

Wooden Toy Car for the Grandkids

Nothing says grandpa made this like a wooden toy car under the tree. Cut the body from a single chunk of pine, glue on a walnut roof for contrast, and add wheels on wooden axle pegs. Round every edge so little hands stay safe, and use a child safe finish like beeswax. These cars survive decades of play and get handed down. How many will you need for all the grandkids?

You will need: A 2×4 pine block, a small walnut scrap, wooden toy wheels and axle pegs, wood glue, a drill, a band saw or coping saw, sandpaper and beeswax.

How to make it: 1. Draw a car shape on the block and cut it out (adult job). 2. Glue on the walnut roof and drill the axle holes straight. 3. Sand all edges round, glue in the wheels and rub in beeswax.

Cedar Bird Feeder With a Little Roof

A cedar bird feeder is a gift that keeps giving all winter long, every time a cardinal stops by. Cedar holds up outside without paint, and the little pitched roof keeps the seed dry. This is a great project for using up offcuts from bigger builds, which is exactly the kind of thrifty habit good woodworkers share. Hang it where someone can see it from the kitchen window. Who on your list loves watching birds?

You will need: Cedar fence pickets, a scrap of clear acrylic or glass alternative, exterior wood glue, galvanized screws, a screw eye, wire and sandpaper.

How to make it: 1. Cut a floor, two gable ends and two roof panels from the pickets. 2. Screw the ends to the floor, set the clear panels in so seed shows, and add the roof. 3. Add a screw eye on top, hang with wire and fill with seed.

Norm Abram Woodworking Peg Rail Coat Rack

The Shaker peg rail is a quiet hero of Norm Abram woodworking style: a board, a row of pegs, and suddenly the entryway is tidy. Use real hardwood pegs for the classic look and space them about 8 inches apart so coats do not bunch up. At Christmas it holds scarves, hats and even a small wreath. Mount it into studs so it never sags. Would this fix the coat pile by your front door?

You will need: A 1×6 poplar or pine board, 5 hardwood Shaker pegs, wood glue, a drill with a spade bit, sandpaper, paint or stain and screws for the wall studs.

How to make it: 1. Mark peg holes evenly along the board and drill them at a slight upward angle. 2. Glue in the pegs and let them dry. 3. Paint or stain, then screw the rail into the wall studs.

Kitchen Cookbook Stand

A cookbook stand keeps the family recipe book open and out of the flour during Christmas baking. It is two pieces joined at an angle plus a small ledge, so it is a perfect first project for someone new to the shop. Use a pretty hardwood like oak or cherry and cut a gentle curve on the base. Tuck a handwritten family recipe inside before you wrap it. Which recipe would you pass down with it?

You will need: 3/4 inch oak or cherry board, a 1/2 inch strip for the ledge, wood glue, a small hinge or a fixed angle block, a jigsaw, sandpaper and oil finish.

How to make it: 1. Cut a back panel and a base with a curved front. 2. Glue a ledge across the bottom of the back panel and join it to the base at a 70 degree lean. 3. Sand smooth and wipe on oil.

Walnut Serving Tray With Handles

Fans of Norm Abram woodworking know a good tray is all about clean lines. A walnut serving tray turns cocoa on the couch into a little event. Short sides with cutout handles make it easy to carry, and a dark walnut bottom looks rich under white mugs and cookies. It is the kind of piece that comes out every holiday and stays on the coffee table all winter. Would you make one for yourself too?

You will need: 1/2 inch walnut for the sides, 1/4 inch walnut plywood for the bottom, wood glue, brad nails, a drill and jigsaw for the handles, sandpaper and oil finish.

How to make it: 1. Cut four sides and drill two holes in each end piece, then jigsaw between them for the handles. 2. Glue and nail the sides around the bottom panel. 3. Sand the handles smooth and oil the whole tray.

Norm Abram Woodworking Cedar Planter Box

Outdoor projects were a big part of Norm Abram woodworking on TV, and a cedar planter box is the easiest one to make in a day. Fill it with small evergreens, pine cones and red winterberry for Christmas, then switch to flowers in spring. Add a few drainage holes and feet underneath so the bottom stays dry. It makes any front porch look ready for guests. Whose porch needs one this year?

You will need: Cedar fence pickets, 2×2 cedar for corner posts, exterior wood glue, galvanized screws, a drill, sandpaper and plastic liner.

How to make it: 1. Cut pickets for four sides and a bottom, and screw them to the four corner posts. 2. Drill drainage holes in the bottom and staple in a liner. 3. Fill with soil, small evergreens, pine cones and berry branches.

Barn Wood Picture Frame

Norm Abram woodworking often celebrated old New England buildings, and old weathered boards have a story in every nail hole, which is why a barn wood picture frame feels so personal. Ask a farmer friend for a few planks, or look for reclaimed wood at a salvage store. Brush off loose dirt, cut simple square joints and let the gray color stay. Put a favorite family photo or a winter print inside. Which picture would make Grandma cry happy tears?

You will need: Reclaimed barn wood boards, a router or table saw to cut a rabbet (adult job), wood glue, corner clamps, glass, backing board, turn buttons and a sawtooth hanger.

How to make it: 1. Cut a rabbet along one edge of each board to hold the glass. 2. Cut four pieces with square or mitered ends and glue them with corner clamps. 3. Fit the glass, photo and backing, then add the hanger.

Wooden Lantern Box With LED Lights

Here is a Norm Abram woodworking style project with a modern twist. A wooden lantern brings soft light to a porch without any flame at all. Build a tall frame with glass or clear acrylic panes, add a little handle on top, and fill it with battery LED fairy lights on a timer. It glows on the steps every evening and is completely safe around kids and pets. Make a pair for the front door. Where would yours shine?

You will need: 1×2 pine strips, clear acrylic sheets, wood glue, brad nails, a small door hinge and latch, a metal or rope handle, stain and battery LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Build two square frames for top and bottom and join them with four corner posts. 2. Slide acrylic panes into grooves or glue small stops behind them, and hinge one side as a door. 3. Stain, add the handle and place the LED lights inside.

Rocking Doll Cradle for a Little One

A doll cradle is the kind of gift a little girl or boy remembers forever, and then gives to their own kids one day. Curved rockers on the ends give it a gentle sway, and low sides keep it stable. Pair it with a tiny quilt sewn from fabric scraps and a favorite stuffed animal. Every edge should be sanded smooth and round for small hands. Who will tuck their teddy in first?

You will need: 1/2 inch pine or poplar boards, wood glue, small screws, a jigsaw, sandpaper, child safe paint or beeswax, and fabric scraps for a little quilt.

How to make it: 1. Cut two curved end pieces with rockers and two low side panels. 2. Glue and screw the sides between the ends, then add a bottom. 3. Sand everything round, finish with child safe paint and add the quilt.

Classic Wooden Tool Tote Gift Basket

The open tool tote is one of the first projects many woodworkers ever build, and it makes a wonderful gift basket. Angled ends and a round dowel handle make it easy to carry from the garage to the garden. For Christmas, fill it with homemade jam, rolled tea towels and pine sprigs, and tie a red bow on the handle. For more ideas like this, see our DIY wooden Christmas gifts. Who gets the first tote?

You will need: 1×6 pine for the sides and bottom, 1×8 pine for the ends, a 1 inch dowel, wood glue, screws, a drill with a spade bit, sandpaper and stain.

How to make it: 1. Cut two ends with angled sides and drill a hole near the top of each for the dowel. 2. Glue and screw the sides and bottom between the ends, sliding the dowel in place. 3. Sand, stain and fill with gifts.