I know, I know, I KNOW. There’s a special kind of frustration and pressure that mounts when you walk into a store in October (probably still wearing short sleeves!) only to see Christmas decorations up already.

Goodness, let me have my fall, people! I’m not even getting to wear my boots yet!

But what I do appreciate are all the great ideas for holiday gifts that are creeping into my Pinterest feed, and the fun craft ideas that float across Facebook. And given that I have almost already filled my entire schedule for the next 12 weeks, I am glad to be reminded that if I want to make a few thoughtful gifts, it might be time to plan on it now.

So while we’re not ready to turn on the Christmas tunes at Beeyoutiful headquarters and throw any tinsel just yet, we are going to give you a head start with our list of seven Christmas gifts you might want to make or purchase before the holiday rush this year.

1. Cinnamon Ornaments

They’re not edible, but these cookie imposters smell divine and are great as teacher gifts or for Grandma.

1 cup Applesauce
1 1/2 cup Ground Cinnamon
*You can also add small amounts of glitter to your dough to add extra glitz to your ornaments!

Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Place dough on a sheet of cinnamon-dusted waxed paper; place a second sheet on top of the dough. Roll to 1/4 inch thickness, and then peel off the top paper. Use your favorite cookie or biscuit cutters to cut dough into shapes.

Using a thin spatula, place dough shapes on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Using a ice pick or skewer, poke a hole on the top part of each ornament to later insert the ribbon.  Bake in a preheated oven at 200* until solid (up to 2 hours).

Once cooled, insert ribbon or decorative string and tie in a hanging loop. Hang on your Christmas tree or anywhere you’d like to spread the scent of Cinnamon.

2. Herbal Sugar Scrub

This is a great gift for those on your list who enjoy a bit of pampering.
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Sweet Almond Oil
1/8 cup Raw Honey
1/8 cup crushed Hibiscus petals
30 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (Or substitute another favorite oil)

Mix together until thoroughly incorporated and then store in a tightly capped glass jar. Place in tins or decorative glass jars for a beautiful gift. Use a chalk board tag and a liquid chalk pen for an added cute touch on the label.

3. Herb and Spice Blends

Buy your herbs and spices in bulk and create some of your own blends, then give them as gifts to your favorite cooks! Several popular spice blends are Cajun, Italian, Herbs de Provence, Ranch, and Cinnamon Sugar. Here’s a salt blend to get you started.

Kickin’ Popcorn Salt

1 cup Sea Salt
1/2 cup Chili Powder
1 Tbs Cayenne Powder
1/4 cup Paprika
1/4 cup Garlic Granules
1 Tbs Oregano
1 Tbs Thyme

Mix together and store in a tightly capped glass container. Pop your popcorn, then melt butter and add 1-2 teaspoons of this salt to taste. (I also like to add the juice of a lime.) Drizzle over freshly popped popcorn and toss to distribute evenly.

4. Herbal Tea Blends

Use bulk herbs and teas to create custom blends for your next tea time. (Learn the simple steps to blending herbs here!)

5. Essential Oil Rollerball

Create your own unique aromatherapy blends using your favorite essential oils, jojoba oil, and an empty rollerball bottle. The Complete Book of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils has some great recipes and tips on making safe and fragrant blends!

6. Spiced Vanilla Granola

Get our delicious recipe here! Make it ahead in big batches, then portion it into pretty containers to gift later.

7. Books

Choosing a favorite wellness book for a friend is a great way to share information and education, and boost their long-term health too. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!