Simple but Personal: Melt-and-Pour Soap and Candles

by Adriana (video-games-for-healthy-living.com)
(St. Louis, Missouri, USA)

Some of the easiest gifts to make which are especially popular around Christmas are scented products like soaps and candles.

Just head to the local craft store, and you're sure to find lots of candle wax beads, glycerin soap blocks, and scent/color additives.

One of the most fun things to do is using household items to customize these great gifts. Chances are, if you're big on holidays, you have some gingerbread man or Christmas tree cookie pans in the cupboard, and probably lots of holiday glitter, beads, toys, and other skin-safe materials.

When it comes to most store-bought melt-and-pour soap and candle bases, all you have to do is put the base in the microwave (candle wax or glycerin soap), mix in your scent and color (apple cinnamon and fir tree are especially popular around the holidays), pour the mixture into a mold, add glitters and other things to be suspended in the soap or candle, add a wick if needed, and let dry!

They're some of my favorite gifts to make, and many whole families can be satisfied with a single gift basket for around ten dollars at your local craft store.