Handmade Holiday Soaps: The Perfect DIY Gift This Season
The holiday season is all about giving, and nothing feels more special than a gift that’s been made by hand. If you’re searching for DIY holiday gift ideas that are affordable, thoughtful, and fun to make, look no further than handmade soaps.
Soaps are practical, customizable, and make the perfect stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, or small presents for friends and family. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced in crafting, this guide will show you how to make holiday soap gifts that your loved ones will truly appreciate.
Why DIY Soaps Are the Perfect Handmade Holiday Gift
When it comes to DIY Christmas gifts or handmade holiday presents, soaps are always a hit. Here’s why:
- Affordable & Budget-Friendly – Making soaps at home is cheaper than buying fancy gift sets.
- Customizable – Choose holiday scents like peppermint, cinnamon, or pine, and use festive molds.
- Beginner-Friendly – Even if you’ve never made soap before, it’s easy to start with simple recipes and tutorials. Free recipe & tutorial links are provided later in this post.
- Eco-Friendly & Personal – Skip mass-produced gifts and give something unique, natural, and made with love.
How to Get Started with Soapmaking
Before you dig into this, I would suggest to read all the Lye safety instructions/precautions for handling lye. Here is a link to Read more about it. All recipes or videos provided in this blogpost include handling lye to make cold process soaps. If you would rather not use lye, you can make giftable soaps using melt & pour soap base.
Ok now let’s get to the fun part!
If you’re new to soapmaking and don’t know where to start, I’ve created a Free Soapmaking Resource Guide 
here. This guide covers everything from basic supplies and tutorial to step-by-step instructions—perfect for beginners who want to create DIY holiday soaps at home.
Soapmaking essentials Amazon link – I would also like to share my favorite soapmaking supplies and tools. You can grab them directly from Amazon (no need to spend hours searching for what you need). (I will get a very small commission if you buy anything using my link. It will be no extra cost to you)
Beginner-Friendly Soapmaking Videos
Prefer to learn by watching? I’ve got you covered! You can check all tutorials on my YouTube channel 
These two are my favorite beginner-friendly tutorials on my YouTube channel:
- Bastille Soap tutorial with free soap recipe – This recipe is easy to follow and need just a few easy to find ingredients like Coconut oil, Olive oil, water & lye. You can then customize this recipe with color and fragrance to your needs.
- 100% Coconut oil soap tutorial with free soap recipe – For this recipe, you must use individual cavity molds because once ready, it will be difficult to cut if you will use a soap loaf mold. Here is the link to an easy to use six cavity silicone mold .
Both videos include complete recipes and easy-to-follow steps—perfect if this is your first time making homemade soap gifts.
Another Simple Beginner Soap Recipe for the Holidays
If you’d like to start with something quick and simple, here’s another beautiful basic recipe you can try at home:
This recipe makes a gentle, moisturizing soap you can customize with essential oils or natural colors for a festive holiday touch.
No Time to DIY?
If you love the idea of giving handmade soaps but don’t have time to make them yourself, you can still share the magic of artisan soaps and candles. Visit my shop Shop link
Everything is handcrafted, ready to wrap, and makes a thoughtful holiday gift.
How to Wrap Handmade Soaps for Holiday Gifting (Budget-Friendly Ideas)
Presentation matters! Luckily, wrapping DIY holiday soaps doesn’t have to cost much. Here are some creative and budget-friendly ideas:
- Kraft Paper & Twine – Rustic and charming, especially with a sprig of pine or cinnamon stick tucked under the bow.
- Clear Cellophane Bags – Perfect for showing off pretty soap designs; tie with red or gold ribbon for a festive look.
- Doilies or Scrapbook Paper – Unique, affordable, and gives your gift a vintage touch.
- Mini Gift Boxes – Great for gift sets, and you can find them at dollar stores.
- Custom Labels & Stickers – Print “Handmade with Love” or holiday-themed labels for a professional finish.
Final Thoughts
Making handmade holiday soaps is one of the most rewarding ways to give during the season. Not only will you save money on gifts, but you’ll also create something thoughtful and personal that your loved ones can actually use.
Whether you follow the beginner recipe, dive into my free guide, or watch the YouTube tutorials, you’ll have everything you need to make this holiday season extra special.
For any questions, send me an email at geeta@thecraft.space
Happy holiday soapmaking! 
Geeta S
Hi, I’m Geeta!
What started as a “just-looking-for-handmade-gifts” moment turned into a full-blown love affair with soap making.
About 7 years ago, I stumbled across a Pinterest post that said “Make Handmade Soaps”—and let’s just say, it sent me down the most amazing rabbit hole! I was instantly hooked. I dived deep into YouTube tutorials, Facebook groups, and blogs, and soon enough, I was whipping up my first batches of cold process soaps.
Let’s be honest—those first few soaps came with a steep (and slightly messy!) learning curve. But once I got the hang of it? I was completely obsessed.????
Over time, I realized something even more exciting than soap itself: I loved sharing this craft with others. Teaching, connecting, laughing over lye mishaps—it lights me up! So now, I run soap making workshops where we get creative, get a little messy, and have a whole lot of fun.
If you’re curious about handmade soap, want to try something new, or just need a fun break from the 9-to-5 grind, come hang out with me. Let’s make some magic (and soap) together!
See you!
Geeta
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