Even when we're not in a recession, the holidays can break the bank. And let's be honest:  often, we spend hundreds on hundreds of dollars at the mall or with e-tailers, only for the gifts to gather dust in a closet no sooner than they're opened.  Unfortunately, a lot of us have a stigma when it comes to making homemade gifts, fearing we'll be perceived as cheap.

Yes, DIY creations save money, but the time put into making them shows much more thought than pressing the “buy” button on Amazon.

Here are ten great ways to spread holiday cheer personally and frugally.

1. Wine Cork Wreath



2. Instagram Coasters

A cheap and easy way to immortalize the fleeting moments captured from the lives of your friends and loved ones! On top of 4” by 4” ceramic tiles of any color, use Mod Podge to glue down Instagram prints you've either ordered online or processed at a drugstore. Coat the front with a thick layer of waterproof sealant, attach four circular felt stickers to the back, and you're done.

3. Chalkboard Paint Tray

Chalkboard paint is a decided zeitgeist in the DIY community, as it can give any number of discarded items a funky second life. For a fun and useful holiday offering, just generously coat an old cookie tray with chalkboard paint, toss in a full palette of colored chalk, and voila!

4. Studded iPhone Case

Imagine any possible design for an iPhone case, and you can bet it exists at a designer boutique (or even a gas station!) near you. However, the markup of these little trinkets can be ridiculous, so here's a snazzy, frugal alternative. Using a ruler as a guide, simply Krazy Glue Tetris-like patterns of flat-backed iron-on studs onto an iPhone cover of your choice. You can find unadorned cases on eBay for next to nothing, and often save even more you buy in sets.

5. Catnip Toy



6. Mason Jar Terrarium

A great gift for plant-lovers living in tiny spaces, all this one consists of is a jar of decorative stones, planting soil, and activated  charcoal. All the recipient will need to do is tuck a few small plants into the soil and sprinkle with water.

7. Personally Inscribed Plates


8. Fabric Covered Books

Here's a great idea if you want to give an old but non-collectible hardcover and not look cheap! Using a less porous fabric with a pattern fitting the mood or theme of the book, just wrap the book as you would a book jacket, sewing it in place.

9. Hand Painted Mousepad

If you're handy with a paintbrush, you can pick up round cloth mousepads for about a dollar on which you can play with tribal patterns, cartoons, or even a significant blurb or single word. Although it's cheating on the pure DIY front, you can also make a similar gift by selecting an electronically saved image of your choice and screen-printing it on a blank pad at Fed Ex Office or the like

10. Envelope-Style Laptop Case

Even personalized laptop cases often seem cold and synthetic, but this simple recipe uses just cloth, ribbon, felt, and a buckle to create a warmer feel with the pattern of your choice.

These are just a start, so keep your eye open now for other great ideas floating in the blogosphere. To take the DIY feel one step further, wrap it up using homemade paper: start with an inside-out brown paper bag, then decorate with stenciled patterns or glued-on clippings from magazines. The best thing about DIY gifts is that they can be as much fun for you as for the recipient.

Author bio
Uma Campbell is a freelance writer from Southern California. When she's not writing she enjoys spending time with her pets and practicing yoga. She currently writes for Soothing Company.