Homemade doesn't mean cheap!

With the economy still having problems, a lot of people are skimping on holiday gifts this year. That's totally okay, but some people still want to give little tokens of appreciation to those they care about. That's why there's always the option to go homemade. From simple and "mass produced" to painstaking, there's a craft out there that everyone can do. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

• Candle Making - Making your own candles is easy. All you'll need are some wicks, candle wax, scents (you can buy scented wax or use essential oils like cinnamon and peppermint), and of course jars to hold the candles (you can pick these up at the dollar store or use wax cups that can be peeled away). Another candle making site that offers a lot of different ideas.
  
• Edible Gifts - take a look at this post about holiday snacks. These are easy and relatively inexpensive. Your friends, family, coworkers, etc. will be touched that you thought of them.
• Sewing Projects - Nothing fancy here. Pillows, blankets, and quillows are always easy to sew.
• Non-Sewing Projects - No-sew pillows and blankets are easy, fun, and warm!
  
• Photos - Everybody loves memories, so why not give a framed photograph. You can take in your camera's memory card and print directly from most stores. Some stores even offer a place online to submit photos and then you can pick them up later. A nice frame or small scrapbook/memory book dress up the photos.
  
• In a Jar Projects - These are innovative and inexpensive. All you need are quart jars, lids, and a few good ideas. You could make a journal in a jar, cookies in a jar, brownies in a jar, chili in a jar, etc. The possibilities are endless. Just make sure you type up any instructions and place them on the outside of the jar. You could even spruce up the outside of the jar a little bit.