Homemade Holiday Soap

Making soap is probably the most advanced craft in this line up of homemade Christmas gifts. There are plenty of soap-making kits available that make the process creative and fun.

I find that the easiest way to make soap is the "melt and pour" method where you melt bars of a soap base by heating them, mix in fragrances and color, then pour the liquid into a mold to solidify.

To Make Homemade Soap:

• Search online and in craft stores for kits that contained pre-measured ingredients along with the fragrances and colors that appeal to you. Also pick up some holiday supplies to personalize your soap.
• Read the soap-making manufacturers instructions carefully for best results!
• One way to give your soap a holiday touch is by using seasonal soap molds from the craft store to make small guest soaps.
• For another gift idea, embed a small holiday trinket such as a miniature plastic candy cane in clear glycerin soap.
• Or you can color the soap red and green and layer it in a loaf pan then cut it into festive bars when it solidifies.
• Wrap your soap in a clear plastic or Cellophane and tie decorative ribbon around it. Slip small soaps into a small Christmas stocking to give as a gift.