25 DIY Quarantine Gift Ideas to Show You Care
This comprehensive list of DIY quarantine gifts will inspire you to create the perfect gift for someone coping with loneliness, battling an illness, caring for sick family members, or recovering from an extended hospital stay.
These 25 get well soon and thinking of you gift ideas will jump-start your creativity and brighten someone’s day as a result, especially during quarantine.
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Continue reading for all the details or jump to what interests you most using the table of contents below…
- When to give a quarantine gift
- What do you get a friend (or support person) during quarantine, after surgery or during treatment?
- 1 | A Little Bag (or Box) of Sunshine
- 2 | Dessert Delivery
- 3| Hot Toddy Gift Basket
- 4 | “Stir-crazy” Themed Gift
- 5 | Joy Jar
- 6 | “Shot in the Dark” Themed Gifts
- 7 | “Chex-ing” in on You Themed Gift
- 8 | Personalized Tumblers
- 9 | Popcorn Themed Gift
- 10 | A Donut Drop
- 11 | “Mom”osas
- 12 | Relaxation Gift Basket
- 13 | Gardening Gift Basket
- 14 | Thankfulness Chalkboard
- 15 | CAFFEINE
- 16 | When in doubt…WINE
- What do you get a friend with kids during quarantine, after surgery or during treatment?
- What can I give instead of “stuff”?
- NEED ADDITIONAL GIFT INSPIRATION?
- AS ALWAYS – IF YOU NEED HELP BRAINSTORMING OR CREATING A CUSTOM GIFT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME! I’D LOVE TO HELP!
- MORE DIY GIFTS YOU’LL LOVE
When to give a quarantine gift
Don’t wait for someone to reach out and ask for help before you give a quarantine or get well soon gift. It’s always a good time, especially…
1 | during quarantine, isolation or while social distancing
2 | when someone is struggling with an illness and you don’t know what to say or do
3 | when a support person is showing signs of stress and/or fatigue while caring for sick family members (especially all those moms out there)
4 | when someone is bedridden with illness
5 | before, during or after treatment sessions
6 | post surgery
7 | when isolated due to an illness during the holidays or birthdays
What do you get a friend (or support person) during quarantine, after surgery or during treatment?
1 | A Little Bag (or Box) of Sunshine
This little gift is as easy to put together as it is cheerful. Simply assemble an assortment of yellow items (think comfort items like teas, lotions, socks, candles, chocolates, etc) for a totally customizable and thoughtful gift to help anyone through a tough time.
2 | Dessert Delivery
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! That totally counts if it’s apple pie, apple cider donuts, apple fritters or apple turnovers, right? Snag my free quarantine gift tag download and my favorite apple pie recipe here to make dessert delivery a breeze!
3| Hot Toddy Gift Basket
Of course this gift idea is not appropriate when the recipient is sick, taking medication or recovering from a surgery. BUT this is a thoughtful DIY gift in the case of a minor sore throat or precautionary quarantine. And don’t forget to think of the support person(s) caring for a sick individual. I’m willing to bet they’ve earn a nip or two…
4 | “Stir-crazy” Themed Gift
As with a hot toddy gift basket, this stir crazy cabin fever gift isn’t appropriate for all get well soon occasions, but it definitely works to lift someone’s spirits during quarantine (when the recipient isn’t the one who is sick). This stir stick gift and free gift tag download makes a quick a quarantine gift for a support person too!
5 | Joy Jar
Help someone who is ill or suffering from a lack of social interaction to focus on the positive with this easy Joy Jar gift – which includes a free printable gift tag to attach to your jar. A thoughtful last-minute DIY gift could not be easier!
6 | “Shot in the Dark” Themed Gifts
Being stuck in quarantine, recovering from surgery or caring for an ill loved one is tough. I’m taking a shot in the dark that a bottle of wine (when appropriate), 70%+ cocoa or rich dark roast coffee beans may cheer things up a bit.
Grab my free “shot in the dark” printable gift tag to make any bottle of red wine, candy bar or bag of coffee into a polished themed gift.
7 | “Chex-ing” in on You Themed Gift
Let quarantined family and friends know you are thinking of them by leaving this “Chex-ing in on you” Chex Mix gift on their doorstep.
This thoughtful gift takes mere minutes to make but leaves a lasting impression. Take the easy way out and use a bag of your favorite Chex-brand snack mix or go for broke and whip-up a homemade batch using your favorite recipe.
I love leaving this gift on someone’s doorstep, just so they know I’m thinking about them. This is a family-pleasing porch present!
8 | Personalized Tumblers
I started giving these Fight Like a Girl tumblers as gifts to friends and family members going through breast cancer treatment a while back. Unfortunately, like so many, I’ve known my fair share of women warriors.
But don’t think these tumblers are limited to breast cancer patients. I’ve given them for all sorts of occasions when strong females need an extra pat on the back (care givers, nurses and support people included).
9 | Popcorn Themed Gift
I may or may not be munching my way through a Costco-sized bag of Skinny Pop as we speak. It’s my go-to snack of choice these days. But I’ve been giving these popcorn themed gifts for as long as I can remember. Bonus points for finding local popcorn shops to support by attaching my free Popping By gift tag printable.
10 | A Donut Drop
Donuts make everything better, right? If you’re stuck at home during quarantine, are confined to bed after a knee replacement or are busy caring for a sick loved one and can’t get out to pick-up your favorite sweet treat… a donut drop will be most appreciated!
DIY quarantine gifts are as easy as grabbing some boxes of fresh baked donuts from your local bakery and tying on my free “donut drop printable gift tag. Easy peasy!
11 | “Mom”osas
What mom doesn’t deserve a mimosa on a daily basis? Whether the mom in question is cooped-up with her family during quarantine, homeschooling through a pandemic or caring for a sick kid, you better believe you owe it to her to make these “mom”osa kits. My free mimosa gift tags make it insanely quick and easy.
Trust me, she’ll be so thankful for your thoughtfulness, she may just shed a tear or two.
12 | Relaxation Gift Basket
When you’re a mom under quarantine and potentially caring for a sick child (and especially if you yourself are sick!), you deserve a whole basket of relaxation. Check out all of my favorite items to include in this DIY gift basket for moms to make assembly easy.
13 | Gardening Gift Basket
If you are assembling a gift for a caregiver / support person during quarantine, you need to take a look at this gardening gift basket. There’s nothing more soothing than digging in the dirt while breathing in some fresh air. For any outdoor lover, this is the gift!
14 | Thankfulness Chalkboard
When someone is in need of a quick pick-me-up, try giving this Thankfulness chalkboard. It’s easy to pull together with the help of a Cricut (otherwise, Etsy has some cute options too).
This Thankfulness Chalkboard is a great quarantine gift because it helps the recipient focus on the positive when they feel like the walls are closing in.
15 | CAFFEINE
There is a reason why coffee is such a crowd-pleasing gift. Giving this DIY iced coffee mason jar (using store-bought instant iced coffee) as a quarantine gift is a great way brighten someone’s day from the start.
16 | When in doubt…WINE
Need I say more?
What do you get a friend with kids during quarantine, after surgery or during treatment?
19 | Kid-specific OTC Cold Remedy Care Package
There may be no worse feeling than waking up in the middle of the night to care for a sick child only to discover you’re out of Children’s Tylenol or Motrin. Help stock a parent’s reserves during quarantine and deliver an extra bottle of their preferred OTC medicine. Check out my Baby’s First Cold Care Package for tons of suggestions for what to include!
20 | Home Activity Treat Bags
When kids are cooped up during quarantine, it’s a great idea to give fun activities to keep them busy and help to pass the time. My cheerful watercolor sets are as easy to assemble as they are cute. Grab my free gift tag printable to finish the gift!
21 | Personalized Comfy Shirts or Pajamas
When you have a sick kiddo, you just want them to be as comfortable as possible, right? Consider giving a personalized shirt or pajama set for lounging. The comfier the better!
22 | Subscription Boxes for Kids
The internet is full of activity subscription boxes for kids, so find out what excites or interests the child (and their ability level) who is recovering from a surgery, undergoing treatment or waiting through quarantine.
You can make your own kit or order pre-made kits from companies like We Craft Boxes (crafting), BitsBox (coding), KiwiCo (STEM & Sciences), Little Passports (culture, geography & STEM), Amazon Book Boxes (literacy & reading) or Raddish (cooking for kids).
What can I give instead of “stuff”?
You can give experiential gifts instead of “stuff” if you prefer! My favorite experiential gifts include:
23 | DIY Coupon Books
Make a homemade coupon book using a printable template or pre-printed cards. For neighbors, family members or friends in town, you could include coupons good for dinner; babysitting; Target runs; snow shoveling, raking or car washes (depending on the season). The possibilities are endless!
24 | Subscription to Skill Share or Creative Bug
If someone is facing a long recovery from surgery, bed rest or quarantine, considering giving a subscription to Skill Share or Creative Bug. That way, they can use their time to learn and master a new creative skill like animation, photography or even candle making!
25 | A Meal
Last but not least, meals are always appreciated when someone is under the weather, cooped up during quarantine or recovering from surgery. Make your own, build a meal kit or grab a gift certificate to your favorite local eatery.
NEED ADDITIONAL GIFT INSPIRATION?
Head over to my Pinterest and Instagram accounts and follow me for gift ideas shared daily!
AS ALWAYS – IF YOU NEED HELP BRAINSTORMING OR CREATING A CUSTOM GIFT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME! I’D LOVE TO HELP!
More later! The craft room is calling, and I must go…
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