The Best Christmas Pottery Ideas: Handmade Gifts & Presents for Potters

It’s the most wonderful (and busiest) time of the year for potters. Between bisque deadlines, glazing marathons, and last-minute market prep, December can feel like a blur of clay and kiln firings. Whether you’re elbow-deep in porcelain or shopping for the potter in your life, this guide rounds up the best Christmas pottery ideas to make this season your most creative one yet.

From handmade gifts you can throw, sculpt, or slab-build yourself, to thoughtful presents for potters and ceramic artists, this is your all-in-one pottery holiday hub. Let’s dive in

Handmade Ceramic Gifts to Make This Christmas

Inspired by our Handmade Ceramic Gifts guide.

If your idea of holiday joy involves wedging clay and loading a kiln, there’s nothing better than making your own Christmas gifts. Handmade pottery is deeply personal—it carries your time, intention, and creativity in every curve.

Here are a few handmade pottery projects to fire up your holiday season:

For the Chef or Baker

• Cake Stand – The show-stopping centerpiece every home baker needs. Throw a plate and a base, attach them, and underglaze their name or festive motifs.
• Lemon Juicer – A cheerful, functional gift that brings color to their kitchen. Glaze it to match their décor and they’ll reach for it all year.
• Spoon Rest – Quick, easy, and perfect for batch-making. Stamp or personalize each one for an extra thoughtful touch.

For the Fashion-Focused

• Jewelry – Create one-of-a-kind earrings or pendants. Think gold luster accents or minimal stoneware simplicity.
• Ring Dish – Whether hand-built or wheel-thrown, it’s a crowd-pleaser. Customize with their initials or a playful glaze combo.

For the Cozy Connoisseur

• Mugs – No handmade gift list is complete without them. Add personality through handles, carving, or underglaze design.
• Candle Vessels – Make a ceramic candle jar, fill it with wax and scent, and you’ve got a two-part gift that’s equal parts cozy and creative.

For the Trinket-Obsessed

• Tiny Pots or Vases – Great stocking stuffers or fridge vases (just add a magnet).
• Mini Sculptures – From penguins to tiny Christmas trees, small sculptures make whimsical keepsakes.

For the Christmas Lover

• Ornaments – Roll out a slab, cut out fun shapes, and decorate them with underglaze or gold details. Great for swaps or markets.

Need full project walkthroughs? Check out the Handmade Ceramic Gifts guide for all the details.

Gifts for Potters

From our Best Gifts for Potters (2025) list.

If you’re not the one making, but rather shopping for a clay enthusiast, this section’s for you. These Christmas pottery ideas for potters strike the perfect balance between practical and personal—the kind of gifts that’ll get daily use and years of appreciation.

Studio Essentials

• Soolla Studio Bag – A must-have for anyone lugging tools to and from the studio. Designed by potters, for potters.
• Make Make Apron – Split-leg, durable, and stylish enough for wheel work or handbuilding marathons.

Creative Tools

• Personalized Clay Stamp – Adds a professional touch (and a personal mark) to every finished piece.
• Designer Liner & Underglaze Pencils – For potters experimenting with surface decoration—an instant creativity boost.
• Ribs & Bats – The behind-the-scenes MVPs of every pottery session. You can never have too many.

Big Gifts for Serious Makers

• Small Ceramics Wheel – Perfect for home practice sessions or travel-friendly throwing.
• Skutt Firebox 8×6 Kiln – Compact, cone-6 firing power for anyone dreaming of a home studio setup.

Shop the full roundup in the Best Gifts for Potters (2025) post.

Gifts for Ceramic Artists

Explore the full list in 7 Holiday Gifts for a Ceramic Artist (2025).

For the ceramic artist who leans more sculptural than functional, your gift list needs a slightly different twist. These tools, materials, and studio upgrades will help them bring their creative visions to life.

• Richeson Clay Modeling Tool Set – 72 tools for every curve, crease, and contour imaginable.
• Kemper Ceramic Tool Set – A sculptor’s dream kit for carving, cutting, and precision texturing.
• Royal Sovereign Clay Shapers – Smooth even the tiniest details with control and finesse.
• Liquid Bright Gold Overglaze – Adds a little luxury and a lot of sparkle to finished pieces.
• Richeson Sculpture Stand – Perfect for larger works—ergonomic and adjustable.
• Bailey Clay Extruder – The “why didn’t I get this sooner” gift that saves time (and wrists).
• Custom Signature Stamp – Because every masterpiece deserves a signature touch.

Find more ideas in 7 Holiday Gifts for a Ceramic Artist (2025).

Extra Christmas Pottery Ideas

If you’ve already checked off the big gifts and the handmade pieces, here are a few creative ways to celebrate all things clay this season:

• Host a Pottery Ornament Swap – Gather your local potter friends and exchange one handmade ornament each.
• Gift a Pottery Class Voucher – Perfect for beginners who’ve been itching to try the wheel.
• Create a DIY Pottery Kit – Bundle a small bag of clay, simple tools, and a how-to card for a fun intro project.
• Bundle Handmade Gifts – Pair your mug with hot cocoa mix, or your candle vessel with matches and ribbon for a complete gift set.

Wrapping Up: A Potter’s Christmas

As the studio fills with the scent of wax, glaze, and pine needles, remember—pottery is more than a craft; it’s a way to share warmth, creativity, and connection. Each handmade gift carries a story, each studio tool inspires a new creation, and each thoughtful present brings your favorite potter one step closer to their next masterpiece.

Whether you’re glazing ornaments, gifting a kiln, or wrapping a wheel in a bow, these Christmas pottery ideas are all about celebrating the clay-covered joy that makes the season so special.