Okay, don't panic, but it's finally our time as woodworkers to shine.

Serving platters

I just finished up eight serving platters and one small bowl. They were a lot of fun to make. Because none of them were huge or complex, I gave myself extra design freedom to make pieces that were a bit different. If one didn’t work out as well as I had hoped, no big deal. Not much time, material or energy was invested in any of them.

I added lots of different textures to and used my pyrography pen to create a unique effect on a few of the boards. I also played around with shape and form.

There’s nothing wrong with making simple or complex end grain cutting boards, though I didn’t make any this year. They can take a bit longer to make, so I shied away from them. If you do opt for an end grain board, just be realistic about time. They sometimes require multiple glue-ups, and they usually need to be machined with some tighter tolerances. On top of that, planning the design is an important part of making most end grain boards. All this to say, if it’s December 23, I’d steer away from starting to make an end grain cutting board, unless it’s this very simple version I wrote about a few years ago.

Other simple projects

Starting with a number of options we’ve featured in the past, chopsticks, picture frames, games and small boxes are all great options. Just be careful with the box design you choose, as some boxes can be much more time consuming and complex than they first seem. Here are a few examples of some great Christmas gift projects we’ve included in our pages over the years:

Chopsticks

Build Your Own Picture Frames

Build an angled picture frame

How To Make a Double-Sided Board Game

Build a quarto game

Make a tic-tac-toe board

Make a live edge cribbage board

Make a recipe box

Make a wood wine box

Make a triangle box

Make a simple textured box

Make a fully adjustable tablet stand

Other options

There are many other options out there. Tech is obviously a big thing these days. Some sort of device holder or charging station makes a great gift. A passive speaker for a phone brings beauty and function together. I know some families have a nice box with a small drawer that can hold devices overnight, so nobody is tempted to bring their phones or tablets into their room to ruin their sleep.

A wallet valet, built to store a wallet, some change, a set of keys and a few other small items, is a big hit with adults. It also gives you a chance to use some figured wood and add a small amount of texture to a project.

While some box designs are on the complex side, they can also be made from a single piece of wood. A bandsaw box is one option.

And if you’re looking for a gift for young kids, wooden trains, trucks and cars are always fun. Planes can also provide a great gift for an imaginative child. And any of these gifts would make fantastic donations to local charities that are always looking for gifts to give local kids. Not only will this put a smile on a child’s face, it will surely put a smile on yours.

How about a woodworking lesson?

I sometimes give a lesson to a budding woodworker as a gift. Some one-on-one time will always speed up someone’s learning. It might also be the perfect gift for that person who has everything. This can also be a great gift for someone who doesn’t know anything about woodworking but would enjoy using their hands to make a simple project, like a wooden spoon, a simple box, a cutting board or picture frame. This is also one of those gifts that will bring a smile to your face, as well as the recipient’s.

Share your gift ideas

Comment below about the gift projects you’ve made in the past and how they were received. Bonus points for simple gift projects that go over even better than you thought.

Whatever you make, know you’ll be bringing the joy of a handmade item into someone else’s home, which is a gift not many folks get. It’s one of the things woodworkers have the great fortune to do, so enjoy it.