Home for the Holidays

With the holidays upon us, many are thinking "What do I buy for my sister?" or "What do I buy my parents?" and sometimes this tends to be the start of I need to buy something big and expensive  to show them I care.

So why don't you get creative instead? Sure, it's the end of the year, we're all picking up hours at work to make a little extra cash, we're finishing up with finals, and feel we don't have much time to think about what we want to buy or to be creative or witty enough to choose the right gift. But we really can.

Holiday gift ideas that work best either represent your relationship with someone else or are something they can enjoy on a nearly daily basis. Now as an example, let's choose a gift for a newer friend. Appropriate gifts probably won't cost more than $10 unless you are getting a great deal on the item. Gifts that work well for casual friends are edible treats or simple accessories.

Hot chocolate sticks are only a couple of dollars. Just heat the milk and place the chocolate in the cup until dissolved. Another gift that most people enjoy is simple pens or pins (but not the cheap ones) that are easily found for about five dollars.

Or maybe you're buying a gift for a brother or sister. What do they like most? This doesn't have to be extravagant or expensive, but will take knowledge about the person. Get a picture redone of the two of you from a family vacation, a recent event or a recent holiday. If you keep it simple but sentimental, an 8 x 10 in a basic wooden frame will only run about $15.

When buying gifts for your parents, choose simple holiday-oriented gifts, such as mugs, hot chocolate and cookies or a couple of warm throws and a pair of pajamas, for about $20 for a set. A way to be more inventive is to buy or make something that says thank you. Many parents enjoy a piece handwritten by their child. Accompanied by a retouched old photo or piece of artwork from your childhood makes it count. With inventiveness and creativity in mind, buying your significant other a gift really depends on how long the relationship has been going. If it is fairly new, say two to four months, a group of odd, cute and fun items is the way to go: their favorite candy, something that reminds them of your first date, a handwritten note and a small momento to remind them of you. But if you have been dating for a significant amount of time you need to think about what the relationship means to you and where you want it to go.

Jewelry is always appreciated by both men and women but not everyone has that kind of money. If you are artistic with brushes, pencil or pen, you can make something: a poem, a letter, a painting or a drawing of something that has meaning for both of you. Think about your relationship and what makes it significant. Represent the two of you with gifts that tell them you love  them and care about them. Buy trinkets and items that bring up memories of where you have been together, places you have seen, things from significant dates (6 months, 1 year, 2 years) and present it to them in a package or a bracelet. Symbols and sentiment are what you are looking for.