The consumer countdown to Christmas (initiated many weeks ago by clever marketing action) ticks away. Many folks have at least a few gifts left to cross off their lists. Perhaps you're one of them.

Perhaps you've been procrastinating because you have absolutely no idea where to start. Perhaps the people on your list have such unique tastes that it's hard to simply pull something off of any old shelf and expect it to satisfy. Perhaps you've considered doing something creative and personal, but you could never pull off the so-called simple ideas featured on Do-It-Yourself television shows.

Me neither, but over the years I've stumbled upon a few creative ideas that have worked well for me. Here are four tried-and-tested ideas to set you along the path to making homemade gifts that don't require advanced skills in macramé or calligraphy. You don't even have to be able to cut in a straight line. I've used them all in the past, or am in the process of using them this year. (I had to warn my mother not to look at this article until after Christmas.)

Custom Bath Products
I came up with this idea because my mother is allergic to many (most, if not all, actually) of the additives used in commercially-prepared bath potions. I'm not just talking about the petroleum by-products and cloying artificial fragrances sprinkled liberally throughout drugstore beauty aisles. Ah, no. For a bathing experience free of allergic reaction, even essential oils are out of the question (the all-natural variations from health-food stores don't cut it).

I got the idea to make a pretty gift basket full of really simple bath goodies. I put grapeseed oil in an ornate glass bottle for use as a body moisturizer. I made a hand scrub from sugar and oil, and another one using oil and salt. I put shea butter, which Mom already used to moisturize her hands, into a pretty jar to make it seem more like a luxurious beauty treatment and less like a boring base ingredient. Epsom salts, a superb muscle soak, available at drugstores in unattractive packaging, found a new home in an antique glass canister. I picked out a pretty basket and arranged the deceptively simple toiletries inside. Voila! No recipes required.

The most complicated step is figuring out the ratio of oil to salt or sugar that will give you the best consistency (hint: there is a very wide margin of error). If you want to add fragrance, just don't overdo it. Ambitious types might want to try out some of the recipes for fizzy bath bombs. If you want to get really fancy, look into aromatherapy for scent combination ideas.

Framed Images
Anyone with wall space or a desk will appreciate something funny or inspiring to place on it. Make it something unique. Like the bath basket concept, this one can be as simple or as complicated as you prefer. The bare-bones version is that you find a print, such as a postcard, greeting card, or photograph, you think the recipient will love. Then find a nice frame to put it in and you're on your merry way.