If you are loathe to avoid the holiday shopping onslaught like me, there is plenty you can do to spread Christmas cheer and avoid the consumerism tidal wave. This year, among the various gifts I will make, sugar and salt scrubs will be part of the gift giving mix. In other words, in the past what we called crafty or handy is now the ubiquitous DIY, and yes, that is my mantra this year--especially since I spent so much on the Fig Garden Project.

There are heaps of recipes and guides on how to make a sugar scrub on the internet. My recommendation is to use 3 cups of organic sugar to 1 cup of oil--and I use olive oil because it is good for the skin. The key is to find an olive oil that is not too fragrant, or tailor your ingredients to the scent of the oil: some are very strong on the citrus scale.

So far, the mix I have used is 3 parts organic sugar to a cup of organic olive oil. I then added about 1/4 cup of kosher salt since it is good for exfoliation. Then, slowly, I added a tablespoon of flax seed oil, organic vanilla extract (alcohol-free), ground cloves, freshly ground nutmeg, cinnamon, pulverized frankincense and a spot of dried ginger.

Pour the mix after you are satisfied with the scent. Test a small amount on you to make sure it is something you would want to receive. Then pour and scoop into a mason jar and decorate accordingly.

The results, dare I say, are awesome.

Organic sugar scrubs make a great Christmas gift

The sugar scrub is ready to go