Homemade Christmas gifts made easy!
Kira Zabe
December 11, 2021
Herbal oil, bath bomb, keychain, soap, scrub, candles, bookmark, calendar, syrup or baking mixes. These are the most commonly suggested ideas when searching for "Christmas gifts DIY". Homemade Christmas gifts are the most sustainable way to give. They can include a personal touch when it comes to making family and friends happy. After all, the gifts that come from the heart are the most beautiful gifts! Moreover, it allows more time to enjoy the Christmas season in a relaxed and contemplative manner.
Christmas Presents Idea
Pinterest, Chefkoch, Utopia, Lecker.de, and Handmadedecor are sites that can be used when searching for the perfect Christmas gift. However, with the abundance of inspiration, I often feel overwhelmed and struggle to decide what the best gift is. We want to support you in this and have listed a selection of ideas here that can all be implemented last minute. Have fun getting inspired.
Cooking box
Gift baskets are indeed the most well-known way to give presents. However, it has lost some of its appeal. Since the advent of organic boxes or HelloFresh, cooking boxes have become popular everyday aids. Why not take advantage of this? Put together your own cooking box in a great crate. Maybe even of the favorite dish?
Chai Syrup
Chai flavor is an indispensable addition often added to coffee or hot milk. With just a few ingredients, you can prepare the syrup yourself. Labeling the bottle with your own label and decorating it nicely really makes it visually appealing.
Ingredients:
300 gr. Sugar
450 ml Water
1 tsp Cloves
1 tsp Cardamom
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 cm Fresh Ginger
Exfoliation for the senses
Freshly brewed coffee makes the senses soar. Using this for a relaxed wellness session adds an extra dose of relaxation. Therefore, do not dispose of the coffee grounds in the organic waste, but create a great scrub. 5 tbsp coffee grounds 2 tbsp olive oil Mix everything and fill the mixture into a screw jar. This can also be enhanced with a nice label.
Source: lybstes.de
Leporello
The term Leporello suggests something special, which in my opinion it truly is. After all, there's nothing more beautiful than capturing special moments in a photograph. Having these with you at all times or displayed as decoration brings a smile to your face whenever you look at them.
Instructions:
- Cardboard (elongated strip)
- Greyboard (2 mm thick)
- Decorative paper
- Bookbinder's glue or another strong adhesive
- Elastic
Fold the cardboard in a zigzag pattern. (Make sure a photo can fit in one folded section). Cut the greyboard to a size that covers the outer folded edges. Cut the decorative paper so that you can fold the edges to the back. Glue the decorative paper onto the greyboard and then adhere it to the outer sides of the folded cardboard. Before doing so, glue the elastic on one side. Now you can stick your photos in. Your personal accordion fold book is complete.
Make your own chocolate bark
Chocolate bark
Do you enjoy giving gifts that delight the senses? How about some bark chocolate? You can refine it individually with toppings. 600 g of chocolate (mixed types if desired)Toppings (nuts, dried fruits, colorful sprinkles, herbs, cookie crumbs, or whatever your heart desires)Break the chocolate and spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the oven at 50 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Once the chocolate has melted, you can draw patterns with a fork and then garnish with the toppings. Finally, put the sheet in the refrigerator to cool. When the chocolate has hardened again, you can break it into pieces and fill it into jars.
Christmas decorations in a jar
Would you prefer to give something that can be enjoyed for a long time? Then decoration in a storage jar (e.g., a pickle jar) might be an idea. This way, you can create a little snowscape that can be enjoyed for years to come.
Joint excursion
Giving the gift of time is perhaps the most precious gift one can give. Thus, a trip to the zoo, climbing forest, museum, and more can be a special idea.
Give the gift of animal sponsorship
Give the gift of animal sponsorship
Does the person you're gifting to absolutely love animals? How about sponsoring an animal? You can reach out to a local animal shelter.
Subscription as a gift!
Want to support friends and family in appreciating food? How about gifting a subscription for the pantry? You'll get a 15% discount on every plan. Just enter the code "ORANGE15" when booking to take advantage of this benefit. The code is valid until 12/31/2021.
Are you now one step further and know what you can give as a gift? We're glad to hear that. Feel free to write to us at info@speisekammer.app and let us know what your personal benefit from this post was? We look forward to your message!
New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!
Get the most out of your Smantry App: Activate these premium features!
🖼️ Private photos for your articles
Make your inventory management visual! With the feature "Upload Your Own Images" you can add a photo to each item – for example, of the packaging, the jar, or the portion in the freezer. This is especially helpful if you share with others in a community or if you want to visually remember your supplies better.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → "Activate Personal Pictures"
🔍 Target nutritional information
The app automatically displays calorie and nutritional information – super convenient when you're shopping or eating mindfully. Don't need this info right now or want a cleaner view? You can also simply hide the display!
Control:Profile → Account Settings → Enable “Hide Nutritional Information”, to hide it.
💶 Prices & Expenses at a Glance
If you want to know how much you spend on which item or how much money is lying dormant in your pantry, the Price Entry feature can help you. With it, you can plan your shopping even better and even track your budget.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → “Enable price input”
💡 Prepper Mode: Even More Control
The Prepper Mode has been introduced for those who really want to keep track of everything – including minimum quantities, emergency supplies, and individual notes for serious situations. It's also useful if you just want to make sure you never run out of anything important.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → “Show Prepper Information”
Here's how you can find your account settings
In the mobile app you can find the settings easily in the last tab on the far right (Account). In the web app click on Account → "Settings".
All mentioned features are part of the Premium-Version. If you don't have a premium license yet, feel free to check in the app or on app.speisekammer.app/upgrade – there's also a family license available!
✨ Conclusion: You have more options than you think. Activate the hidden premium features now and get the most out of your Smantry app. Because smart inventory management starts with the right tools.
If you have any questions about activation, feel free to contact support or check out our Help Center. And if you have feature requests – we always welcome your feedback!
Never forget leftovers again: Soon you'll be able to mark opened products 🧃✨
💡 The new feature: Mark products as "opened"
With the upcoming update, you will soon be able to specify in the Pantry App when a product was opened. This way, you always keep track:
- What is already open
- Since when it has been open
This is particularly useful for fresh or perishable food items, but also for sauces, canned goods, spreads, or snacks.
🔔 Reminders included
Of course, if you wish, you will also be automatically reminded, when an opened product should soon be consumed – all in keeping with the motto: Use rather than waste.
🎯 Why this is important
Food waste often doesn't occur while shopping – but at home, in everyday life. If we know better what is open and should be consumed, it becomes easier to make the right decisions. And that's exactly what the Pantry App wants to support you with even better with the new feature.
🛠 When will it be time?
We are currently working hard on the implementation – the feature is expected to be rolled out in the next update. So you will be able to test it very soon yourself.
If you want to participate in the testing or have feedback, feel free to write to us in support. We look forward to your ideas!
With the Pantry App, stockpiling becomes not only more sustainable, but also easier – step by step.
Stay tuned – it's getting exciting! 💚
🌍 Small ideas – big impact: These companies help you save food in everyday life
🍏 Foodsi (Poland)
This mobile app connects users with restaurants, bakeries and cafés offering surplus food at reduced prices—especially valuable in Polish cities like Warsaw or Kraków.
🛍️ OLIO – Share Surplus Food with Neighbors
OLIO connects neighbors and local businesses to share surplus food instead of throwing it away. Users can offer or request free food via the app — reducing waste and building community.
🍌 Imperfect Foods – Selling "Ugly" but Edible Food
This U.S.-based grocery delivery service rescues "imperfect" produce and surplus goods that major supermarkets reject due to appearance or overstocking — and delivers them directly to your door.
🔗 https://www.imperfectfoods.com
📦 Dispatch Goods – Reusable Packaging for Takeout
Dispatch Goods partners with restaurants to replace single-use containers with reusable packaging. This reduces packaging waste — and their system tracks and collects the containers for reuse.
🔗 https://www.dispatchgoods.com
🥬 Fresh.Land – Farm-to-Consumer to Prevent Waste (DK)
Fresh.Land shortens the supply chain by connecting consumers directly with farmers. This means fresher produce, longer shelf life, and fewer losses due to long storage or transport.
🧊 ColdHubs – Solar-Powered Cold Storage in Nigeria
ColdHubs installs solar-powered cold rooms for small farmers and markets to store perishable foods. This innovation significantly extends shelf life and reduces spoilage in hot climates.
🧃 Winnow – AI to Track Food Waste in Commercial Kitchens
Winnow’s smart scales and AI help restaurants and hotels measure and reduce food waste. By showing how much food is wasted and why, kitchens can adapt their behavior.
🔗 https://www.winnowsolutions.com
Why this matters for you
When you use the Smantry app, you can track and manage rescued food items in your pantry – whether they came from Foodsi, Karma, or another initiative. We’re building integrations to log these products, set reminders, and reduce waste in your household.
Know any other businesses doing this well?
We’d love to hear about them! Email your favourites to kira@mantry.com or write us in the chat or social media. Your tip might inspire others and be featured next. 🌿