Handmade Christmas Gifts Under £20 — My Festive Gift Guide

Every year I say I will start my Christmas shopping in October, and every year I find myself in mid-December buying gift sets at the petrol station. This year, I thought I would make it easy for both of us: everything in my shop that makes a lovely Christmas gift costs £20 or less, is made by hand here in Devon, and can be posted out to you or straight to the lucky recipient. Here is my pick of the shop, gift by gift.

For the person who has everything: a crochet freestanding snowman ornament. He sits happily on a mantelpiece, windowsill or shelf with no tree required — 100% cotton, a proper little character, and at £10 he proves that the best Christmas gifts do not have to cost the earth. If they do have a tree, the crochet snowman tree ornament hangs on a ribbon and has been a firm favourite for years.

For the tree itself: my folded ribbon Christmas baubles, pinned fold by fold over a foam ball until the whole surface catches the fairy lights. The green and green tartan one is very traditional; the reindeer ribbon bauble is the one everybody picks up first at craft fairs. At £8 to £9 they are an affordable treat that looks anything but.

For the stocking: little ribbon Christmas pudding decorations at £7.50, or the fabric Santa face decoration which can hang on the tree or stand up on the mantel. Handmade stocking fillers are hard to find on the high street, and these are the sort of thing that gets kept and brought out every year — a far better legacy than a chocolate coin.

And for the person who says they cannot keep plants alive: a cream poinsettia or red poinsettia crochet plant at £12 each. All of the cheer of the Christmas flower, none of the watering, and it will still be bright next December. I promise it is the only houseplant they cannot kill.

Every order is wrapped with care and posted from my craft room, and order by 10th December for guaranteed Christmas delivery. If you would like a gift in a particular colour, do get in touch — a custom colour bauble or a favourite-shade flower costs no more than the standard ones, just a little more thinking time at my table.

Thank you for reading, and happy Christmas shopping — the handmade way.