DIY Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas

1. Gift the gift of a massage. What better way to show you love someone than by giving them a warm back, neck or foot massage. You can use massage oils, soothing body lotion, or baby oil. Massages can relieve stress and help blood circulation. They can be used to help relieve aches and pains. Massages can be long or short, sensual or casual. This holiday, giving a coupon to a friend or loved one which says, "One Free Massage" can be an unexpected luxury.

2. If you are a gardener like I am, you might have some harvested veggies sitting in your freezer right now. Canned vegetables from your garden can be a great gift for someone you love. I have also been drying some peppers and herbs for future use. You can easily give a few of these to a friend or loved one. Leftover seeds to be used in the Spring can also be a great gift for the holidays.

3. If you like to knit or crochet, make a blanket or hat for a loved one. Keeping someone warm can be one of the healthiest gifts possible. For a loved one who doesn't know how to knit or crochet, give them some free lessons in making their own craft projects. Exchanging homemade gifts can be a fun holiday activity.

4. I really enjoy yoga and through reading and watching dvds learn all sorts of new yoga poses. Maybe for someone else interested in yoga you can give the gift of teaching them the poses you know. Doing yoga with someone else can be a type of gift in itself. Gifts, even for the holiday, don't have to be formal or staged--just casually spending time doing a healthy activity can be a great way to share your love.

5. Cook a healthy meal, perhaps introducing your loved one to a healthy ingredient they are unaccustomed to or never tasted. For example, introduce tofu to a meat-lover, by adding it to a favorite Chinese stir-fry recipe. Or make a hot chocolate using soy milk instead of regular cow milk. You can even give a favorite recipe or group of recipes to a loved one. Or promise a cooking lesson as a gift for loved ones wanting to learn to cook healthier.