It’s Christmas Eve. Even the all-night garage has closed early. But there’s still hope for those without presents. Our DIY Gift Guide!
Here’s five presents you can make at home while watching festive telly and still put a smile on your loved one’s face come tomorrow morning.
Origami iPod dock
Things are getting desperate, but here’s a gift that only needs a piece of cardboard, some scissors and a spot of imagination. Not only will it give your beloved’s iPhone a neat place to stand, it’s minimal design and Japanese style will look a darn sight better than most cheap plastic docks. If they look a bit miffed, just tell them it’s from Muji, and they’d sold out of origami speakers.
Make them a website
You’re nobody until you’re online. And setting up that special person their very own website couldn’t be easier, especially with WordPress. Just head over to wordpress.com, sign up and then use the customisable tools to decide the look, feel and functionality. Plus, it’s all scalable, so if they get famous, they can grow the website without having to employ trendy creatives with bizarre hair–dos to do it for them.
Nokia Build prototype
Forget trying to snaffle them an unreleased Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Instead head to www.nokia.com/build and design them a custom phone. All you need to do is print it out and follow the instructions to make it into a prototype model. Then wrap it up, and on Christmas morning say it’s to “check they like it” before you buy the real thing.
Duct tape wallet
Firebox is after £15 for a kit to make one, but you can knock up your own for just a few pence! Just head over to the tutorial at Instructables, where they’ll show you how to fashion one without leaving the sticky side up, allowing festering receipts and coins to gather in the seams.
MP3 mixtape
An 80s classic, the mixtape is sadly a lost art form, but you can at least try to emulate those halycon days with an MP3 version. Make an iMix in iTunes, add up the total, print the playlist and then reel off a printed gift certificate for the exact amount. Stick it all in a cassette box and Robert’s your father’s brother. If you’re really feeling sneaky, buy the songs, nick their iPod while they’re asleep and load them on before the morning. Like a digital father Christmas sneaking down the chimney!
