Need to buy gifts this holiday season but can’t be bothered to go out and shop? Can’t find anything within your budget to order online as gifts for family and friends? Why don’t you print your own gifts instead? And we don’t mean churning something out on a 3D printer.
There are many DIY printable presents that you can produce in minutes. So load up an affordable remanufactured printer ink cartridge on your trusty inkjet unit and get printing!
- Customized calendar
Help your friends or family start the year right by creating a customized calendar. Start by downloading one of the many free templates online, then add your own personal touches. For example, you can add the birthdays and anniversaries of your relatives so that everyone remembers all these occasions. Add pictures of your family on vacation instead of the usual pictures of scenery above or beside the dates or months. Instead of cliché motivational phrases, recall some funny family stories and add those. Once you’re done, simply print them out and give away at your next reunion—we guarantee these will be a hit. - Personalized planner
If you need a gift for someone who wants to get more organized, a planner is the way to go. There are also a good number of planner templates available on the internet, with the dates for the upcoming year already set. All you need to do is to add your own designs, some photos, your recipient’s name, and even special family occasions. Then just print all the pages out and have it bound at a print shop. You can even bind the entire thing yourself by glueing or sewing. - Papercraft Christmas tree decorations
Here’s a gift that would be appreciated for at least a few years—decorations for the season. These include Christmas tree ornaments, door hangers, and banners. Just download a few of the many patterns found on the internet, print them out on vellum board, and then assemble per the instructions. Add some personal touches, such as glitters or the recipient’s name, and you’ll have a gift that people will use. - Real-life photo collage
Don’t keep all your snapshots on Instagram or Facebook, where they’ll just get buried by other posts. Why not put the most memorable family photos up on a real wall? Simply order one of those collage photo frames, print out the best photos from your hard drive, and frame those pics. This will make a great gift for your parents or a friend who moved away earlier this year. - Witty greeting cards
Do you find the Christmas cards available in stores too cheesy or cliché? Try printing out “punny” greeting cards instead. Many designs are available for free online, such as those by com. You can even include gift codes you’ve purchased from online stores with these cards. That way, the gift’s recipient will get more than just a laugh out of it.
These five ideas are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to DIY gifts. What other printable presents can you think of?
Thanks for reading this article. If you're new here, why don't you subscribe for regular updates via RSS feed or via email. You can also subscribe by following @techsling on Twitter or becoming our fan on Facebook. Thanks for visiting!
