Handcrafted Holidays

It’s holiday time once again! Whether you celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, consider making your celebration more special by making it a DIY holiday. In the Kwanzaa tradition, the exchange of gifts should be an experience without stress, creating appreciation for both giver and receiver. Handcrafting gifts, decorations, and meals for your home and gatherings sends a message of consideration and love. The Library offers a variety of resources for creating a unique and personal experience this holiday season.

COLLECTION

Whatever it is you are looking to create: a knitted gift, a food gift in a jar, decorations, greeting cards, or a gathering with friends and family, we have a book for that! Here are some suggestions in both print and ebook formats.

Gifts

• My Pretty Brown Doll by Yolanda Jordan also available on Hoopla
• Papier-mache : A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating More Than a Dozen Adorable Projects!  by Sarah Hand
• Black Girls Sew: Projects and Patterns to Stitch and Make Your Own by Hekima Hapa (Young Adult) also available on Hoopla
• The Crafty Chica Creates! Latinx-inspired DIY Projects with Spirit and Sparkle by Kathy Cano-Murillo
• Gifts in Jars by Natalie Wise also available on Hoopla
• Warm Knits, Cool Gifts by Sally Melville 
• Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson also available on Libby
• More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson 
• The Creative Kitchen: Food Gifts to Make and Give by Leisure Arts, Inc.
• Simple Farmhouse Life: DIY Projects for the All-Natural, Handmade Home by Lisa Bass
• Make & Give: Simple and Modern Crafts to Brighten Every Day by Steph Hung and Erin Jang
• Animal Friends to Sew by Sanae Ishida
• Edible DIY: Simple Giftable Recipes to Savor and Share by Lucy Baker also available on Libby
• Crafty Gifts by Jane Bull (for Kids)
• Upcycled Gifts and Gadgets by Anastasia Suen also available on Hoopla (for Kids)

Decorations, Gift Wraps, and Greeting Cards

• Furoshiki and the Japanese Art of Gift Wrapping by Tomoko Kakita
• Eco-Christmas Craft Book by Marrianne Miall
• Elegant Handcrafted Wreaths by Stephanie Petrak
• Hand Printing from Nature by Laura Bethmann also available on Libby
• Simply Green Giving: Create Beautiful and Organic Gift Wrapping, Tags, and Gifts From Everyday Materials by Danny Seo also available on Libby and Hoopla
• Holiday Paper Crafts from Japan by Robertta A. Uhl available on Libby and Hoopla
• Quick and Clever Handmade Cards by Julie Hickey 
• Country Living Christmas at Home: Holiday Decorating, Crafts, Recipes also available on Hoopla

Meals and Celebrations

• Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Everyday: A Complete Guide for Making Kwanzaa a Part of Your Life by Maitefa Angaza
• Upcycling Celebrations: A Use-What-You-Have Guide to Decoration, Gift-giving, and Entertaining by Danny Seo also available from Libby
• Complete Autumn and Winter Cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen
• Making Winter by Emma Mitchell
• Delicious Gatherings: Recipes to Celebrate Together by Tara Bench

In addition to our wide selection of books, there are online craft courses available through Universal Class, one of the databases available through the Research & Learning section on HCPL’s website. Plus, find a variety of digital magazines through the Magzter Library app.

PROGRAMS

Get into the handcrafted spirit by attending a program at the Library! In addition to our collection and databases, we offer a variety of crafting programs for all ages. Check out our online calendar to see what we’re up to this holiday season!