DIY Holigay

A Monogrammed Handkerchief

For the ex who still comes to your holiday gatherings

Starting off strong and leaning into the sapphic* nature of your ex coming to a family gathering, I have gone with something practical, yet sweet. Get a small handkerchief, napkin, or cloth bandana from the thrift store and lightly draw their initials on the edge with pencil on one corner. Using a straight stitch or running stitch, embroider with a complementary color of thread over the pencil lines. This will take fifteen to twenty minutes and is a great intro to quick mending that will give you confidence to approach another project in the future. Low-risk, high-reward.

*The idea of an ex that still comes to your family gatherings feels rather sapphic and yearning to me, but my sister did this several times with multiple ex-boyfriends (sorry, Kylie), so perhaps my data is flawed.

You needA small handkerchief, napkin or cloth bandana; a pencil; embroidery thread in a complementary color; a needleTimeFifteen to twenty minutes

A Junk Journal Kit

For the unsupportive family member whose name you drew for the gift exchange

There’s no judgment from me if you’re still communicating with a family member who treats you less than ideally. But now you’ve drawn their name for the gift exchange (I assume this is not a unique experience). My gift idea does not negate the difficult feelings you may have, and it is not your job to make someone feel better about your identity; this is my suggestion on how to think the least amount possible while gifting gracefully. Notebooks are easy and relatively affordable to come by, as is collage material. Collect a smattering of textures, images, and items to put into said junk journal. Junk journaling can be an excellent way to decompress and have time to think about your life and actions while creating art. Additional items to include are pens and other art supplies. Feel free to write prompts in a note on the first page. Might I suggest: “Self-Image” or “A New Chapter” are two of my favorite prompts.

You needA notebook; collage material (textures, images, small items); pens and other art supplies

A Personalized Favorite Drink

For your queer bestie

Getting queer friends gifts is one of my favorite life experiences because you truly can highlight all of their favorite things in one gift. This is meant as more of an “add-on” as I assume that we all spend a lot of money on our friends each holiday season. Start by getting sealed glass bottle of their favorite drink (can be NA) and soak the label in dish soap overnight. Once the label is peeled off, collage photos and other materials onto the bottle using a mixture of white glue and water (Mod Podge). Let it dry for twenty-four hours and now you have a very personal gift for your friend.

You needA sealed glass bottle of their favorite drink (NA is fine); dish soap; photos and collage materials; white glue and water, or Mod PodgeTimeOvernight soak, then twenty-four hours to dry

Individualized Stationery

For the members of your polycule

I’ve heard from several friends that having multiple partners can make gift giving fun yet expensive, as well as exhausting. I’ve got you. Albeit not the hottest gift you could make—it’s all perspective and positioning. Using Styrofoam (think take-out container) you can create a handmade stamp by carving into the Styrofoam, pressing it into an ink pad, and transferring this to paper. You can reclaim entire notepads, notebooks, and sticky pads with company branding doomed to be thrown out with this method by cutting off logos and adding the new stamps. This makes scheduling, sending love notes, and setting reminders cuter and less stressful.

You needStyrofoam (a take-out container works); an ink pad; notepads, notebooks or sticky pads to reclaim