By Victoria HaynesIn this story:
- For the one with a needle and thread
- For the card-maker and wrapping-paper perfectionist
- For the one who's always wanted a go on the wheel
- For the one who's never without a ball of yarn
- For the one who decks every hall
- For the one who loves a candle (or five)
- For the one who's in it for the food (and drink)
- Christmas gifts under £50, sorted by budget
- Top tips for booking Christmas gifts under £50
- Give them something to make this Christmas
Socks, smellies and a novelty mug: we've all been there. This year, ClassBento's Christmas gift experiences give them something to do instead, from pouring candles to throwing a pot or folding their own wreath, for less than the price of a cashmere jumper.
We've rounded up 29 Christmas gifts under £50 across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh. Every one is beginner-friendly, comes with all the materials and leaves them with something handmade to take home. ClassBento is rated 4.9 stars from 170,000+ reviews, so they're in safe hands.
For the one with a needle and thread
1. DIY plushie sewing class in Holloway, London (£38–48pp) At Luna's Yarn, they'll hand-stitch a little plush kitty, bear or bunny charm, plus a tiny crocheted accessory to go with it. It's rated 5.0 from 176 reviews.
2. Creative beadwork embroidery workshop: beaded bugs at Deptford Market Yard, London (£35pp) Beetles, bees and moths in shimmering beads, stitched into a hoop that's ready to hang. Emily and Jess of Something Good Workshops have 464 five-star reviews.
3. Make a fabric Christmas star workshop in Abbeyhill, Edinburgh (£30pp) A no-sew star made from fabric offcuts, so it's festive and waste-free. It runs at Studio Nine Edinburgh, just off Easter Road.
4. One-to-one sewing workshop in Bolton, Greater Manchester (£28pp) An hour of one-to-one help for the person who got a sewing machine last Christmas and hasn't worked out the bobbin yet. They can bring a friend along for £5.
For the card-maker and wrapping-paper perfectionist
5. Lino cutting and printing workshop: Christmas gnome in Quinton, Birmingham (£18pp) They'll carve a Christmas gnome lino block to print their own cards, tags and wrapping paper for years to come.
6. Christmas calligraphy workshop in the New Town, Edinburgh (£45pp) They'll learn calligraphy in a Georgian mews off Dublin Street, then use it to personalise three glass baubles in gold, silver and black. It's run by The Arienas Collective.
7. Christmas card lino cut workshop in Bollington, Cheshire (£50pp) Ben at Hope Press helps them design, carve and print a set of 10 Christmas cards with envelopes. That's this year's cards sorted. It drops to £45pp for groups of three or more.
For the one who's always wanted a go on the wheel
8. Pottery wheel throwing taster class near London Bridge (£35–40pp) Unlimited clay, BYOB and a teacher with 1,614 reviews. Glazing and firing a piece costs £10 extra, which still keeps it under £50.
9. Pottery mug workshop - making and painting in Nine Elms, London (£36–39pp) House Pottery teaches them to hand-build and paint a mug, vase or bowl, and the class is BYOB. Firing is £6–10 extra if they want it dishwasher-safe.
10. Hand building pottery class: 3D Christmas decorations in Bedminster, Bristol (£32pp) Three glazed ceramic decorations, made to Christmas tunes at Wild Clay Studios. Firing takes four to six weeks, so book a class before 6 December to get them home before Christmas.
11. Porcelain Christmas decorations workshop in Dunham Massey, Greater Manchester (£40pp) They'll press vintage lace into porcelain to make up to 20 delicate decorations, ready to collect a week later. It's run by Lemon Studio at The Hive.
12. Pottery class - throwing on the wheel at Islington Mill, Salford (£50pp) Ceramicist David Partington teaches just one or two people at a time, and they leave with a fired, hand-glazed mug. It's rated 5.0 from 329 reviews.
13. Pints and pottery: clay workshop in central Manchester (£25pp) Unlimited air-dry clay in a brewery taproom, with no kiln to wait for, so they take everything home the same day.
For the one who's never without a ball of yarn
14. Beginner's guide to crochet at Fort Kinnaird, Edinburgh (£29pp) A 90-minute starter class at Hobbycraft. They'll take home the hook, yarn and a stitch guide to keep practising over the holidays.
15. Beginner's guide to crocheting a granny square in Bolton, Greater Manchester (£29pp) For someone who knows the basics and wants to level up. They'll learn colour changes and leave with a pattern for a whole granny square blanket.
16. Christmas wreath felting class in Dunham Massey, Greater Manchester (£45pp) A wool felt wreath in their own colours, made with mulled wine and snacks. Kirsty at The Little Art House is rated 5.0 from 115 reviews.
For the one who decks every hall
17. Rag and ribbon wreath workshop in Deptford, London (£35pp) A colourful wreath made from fabric and ribbon, with a drink from the bar included. They can bring their own scraps to make it personal.
18. Willow winter wreath, garland and crown making workshop in Lesnes Abbey Woods, near Abbey Wood (£40pp) They'll weave locally sourced willow outdoors by a woodland fire, with mulled drinks to keep warm. The wreath lasts well beyond Twelfth Night.
19. Mini wreath making workshop on Kelvin Street, Manchester (£25–35pp) They'll make up to three mini candle wreaths with moss, dried fruit and ribbon. It's run by Fresco Art, rated 5.0 from 110 reviews.
20. Christmas wreath workshop in Mere Green, Birmingham (£25pp) A dried floral wreath that won't drop needles on the carpet, made over an evening at Renato Lounge.
21. Christmas craft class: aluminium bauble on Moseley Road, Birmingham (£48pp) Melanie of Metallix teaches metal embossing at The Old Print Works. They'll finish their bauble with ribbon and beads, and tea and biscuits are included.
22. Pressed flower Christmas decoration workshop in Easton, Bristol (£39pp) Wildflowers set in stained glass with copper foil and solder. Ffion Morgan has 207 five-star reviews.
23. Kokedama plant workshop in Edgbaston, Birmingham (£42pp) Not strictly festive, but a moss ball fern or palm will outlast any poinsettia. A drink at Boston Tea Party is included.
For the one who loves a candle (or five)
24. Bendy boy candle making workshop in Vauxhall or Spitalfields, London (£40pp) They'll twist, bend and paint five wonky dinner candles, ready for the Christmas table. Harri Price runs it on Thursday evenings and Saturdays.
25. Decorated jar soy candle making workshop in Saltford, near Bristol (£38pp) Soy candles poured into jars decorated with pressed flowers, made at Glenavon Farm Foodhall with Mount Cottage Crafts.
26. Reed diffuser making workshop in Spitalfields, London (£49pp) They'll choose from 30+ essential oils and leave with a 100ml diffuser blended to their own taste. Yougi has 932 reviews.
For the one who's in it for the food (and drink)
27. Christmas baking class in Clevedon, near Bristol (£30pp) Gingerbread men and star-shaped Christmas trees, made in a class of five or fewer. They can take them home as edible gifts or tree decorations.
28. Salford gin tasting experience on Viaduct Street, Salford (£25pp) A welcome cocktail, two neat gins, two house cocktails and a G&T in the railway arch at Salford Distillery. It's an hour long, so it's ideal before a night out.
29. Tea blending workshop on Park Street, Bristol (£45pp) At Bird & Blend Tea, they'll create three of their own blends and take them home in a tote with samples. A tea cocktail or mocktail is included.
Christmas gifts under £50, sorted by budget
Working to a tighter budget? Here's every gift on the list by price per person.
| Budget | Gifts |
|---|---|
| Under £30 | Christmas gnome lino (£18), gin tasting (£25), pints and pottery (£25), Mere Green wreath (£25), mini wreaths (from £25), one-to-one sewing (£28), crochet for beginners (£29), granny square crochet (£29) |
| £30–39 | Fabric star (£30), Christmas baking (£30), 3D pottery decorations (£32), beaded bugs (£35), rag and ribbon wreath (£35), wheel throwing taster (from £35), pottery mug (from £36), plushie sewing (from £38), soy candle jars (£38), pressed flower decorations (£39) |
| £40–50 | Porcelain decorations (£40), willow wreath (£40), bendy candles (£40), kokedama (£42), calligraphy baubles (£45), felt wreath (£45), tea blending (£45), aluminium bauble (£48), reed diffuser (£49), wheel throwing in Salford (£50), Christmas card lino (£50) |
Top tips for booking Christmas gifts under £50
- Book early. Festive classes have limited dates, and most run from late November until the week before Christmas.
- Check the firing time. Kiln-fired pottery can take one to six weeks to be ready, so book early in the season if they want it before 25 December. Air-dry clay, wreaths, candles and printed cards go home on the day.
- Look for group prices. Several classes, like the Bollington Christmas cards and the Bristol pressed flower decorations, get cheaper per person when you book for three or more.
- Factor in extras. A few pottery classes charge £6–10 to glaze and fire a piece, so check the class page before you book.
- Still unsure? Send a gift card. A ClassBento gift card is emailed instantly with a printable certificate and is valid for three years, so they can pick a class after the festive rush.
Give them something to make this Christmas
The best Christmas gifts under £50 aren't another thing to unwrap and forget. They're an afternoon of carving lino in Birmingham, weaving willow in woods or throwing a pot by London Bridge, with something handmade to take home at the end. Pick one from the list, or send a ClassBento gift card and let them choose. If they're a plant lover, browse our botanical Christmas gifts for plant lovers too.
