It’s time to break out the music collection. Mix tapes are the go to gift when you really don’t know what else to make, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun, interesting, or well received.

Mix tapes can be a range of different things:
1. A compilation of songs that you have memories with. From road trips to late night dance parties with friends, these are the best when both you and the recipient have a strong connection or memory to.

2. A mix of songs that you think they have never heard, but would enjoy. These are the most difficult to make because it’s hard to know if they will like the song and if they have heard it before.

3. You can tell a story. Place all of the songs in a specific order so that they tell a story. These are fun if they tell the story of how you met or your friendship/relationship. It’s typically easiest to craft a “story” out of the chorus or song titles. Sometimes it’s helpful to include a card with some hints about the idea and what you are trying to say.

No matter what you decide to do, mix tapes can be a fun way to give a gift. Just don’t forget to dress it up a bit. You can make a CD case out of cardboard or some cardstock. You can also decorate the CD itself with markers or a printed out cover.

Although this idea is not ideal for everyone on your list, it is great for the people you really know well or are close to. By investing a little bit of time to take the perfect photo (or find the one you are thinking of on your computer), you can have a great gift that the person will appreciate.

Sometimes it’s nice to give people a photo of you together (I would recommend this for parents/ other family members, best friends, or significant others), but other times it’s really best to keep yourself out of it and should include a favorite place/ scene instead.

Once you have found the right picture you have to decide if you should decide how large you want it printed, what kind of frame you should put it in (definitely keep in mind their current living situation/decor) or if you should print it on canvas (I really love the look of this, but have yet to try it).

Every year my mom and I pull out our favorite recipes and plan out what we are making for family and friends that year. We make an assortment of cookies and pastries to mix and match for each person depending on their personal tastes. We put all of the goodies on platters or plates that can be reused by the person (we try to stay away from holiday themed items so that the recipient can use the dish year round).

We usually make amazing short bread cookies that can be customized in countless ways – my favorite is with jam. We also make at least 2 other kinds of cookies, sometimes cream puffs, and biscotti, but really anything can be made. Just keep in mind how far something might have to travel to get to the recipient and choose accordingly. Happy baking.

One of the easiest gifts to make that people enjoy and appreciate is desserts in a jar. Cookies, cakes, brownies, hot chocolate, and basically anything else that has dry ingredients can be made into a gift. All you need to do is layer the dry ingredients (appropriately measured out according to your recipe) in the jar, attach instructions for finishing the recipe and baking, and decorate it as you please.

Image courtesy of The Creative Junkie

There is room to be creative and not only use the recipe you are famous for, but also customize your choice based on your recipients taste and preferences. Just do not forget to keep in mind any allergies the person might have.

Image courtesy of My Recipes.com

They are also visually interesting and you can put your decorating and designing skills to work. They really remind me of making sand art as a kid with the different layers of colored sand. Plus, once your gift has been made and eaten, your recipient can use the jar you put it in.

I strongly believe that homemade gifts can be better than anything that can be bought in the store, but there are only so many scarves and cookies people need. I have decided to not only research what I will be making my friends and family for the holidays, but also share some ideas.

Today I figured I would start with a project that would take the longest. Knitting/crocheting a scarf or other small object. In the past I have made small coin purses for my friends, scarves, and a truly hideous blanket (that I never actually gave to anyone out of pure shame). For beginners I would recommend really simple patterns as well as felting. When you felt it shrinks what you have made and covers up any mistakes.

Another great thing about knitting a gift for someone is that you can personalize it. And just remember, your mother and your grandmother will appreciate anything you made, no matter how completely ugly or awful it truly is.

I typically find my patterns online or in books from the library. One of the most helpful books for me so far is Stitch ‘N Bitch. I would also highly recommend stopping into any local knitting store (I do not mean big name craft stores, but rather local, specialty knitting shops). They will not only help you pick out the right yarn, but they can help you find a pattern and even provide support later on while you are knitting.

I really like Knitting Help when I am lost or need some advice. To be honest I have tried to learn how to crochet, but it’s still mind boggling to me, so I do not have any advice on where to look for help.

Want to give something homemade but don’t want to actually make it? Check out etsy for incredible hand crafted items.

It amazes me what people will do to save a dollar or two on a toy or some other non-essential item. People stood outside of stores on Thanksgiving night and battled each other for the best deals (one woman even used pepper spray against fellow shoppers in an attempt to secure her bargain). 

But does any of this make us any happier? Researchers have been telling us for years that all of our stuff only increases our unhappiness, despite that quick hit we get from buying it. 

“[Shopping] is like a drug,” says James Roberts, a marketing professor at Baylor University. “Our brains releases chemicals like dopamine and serotonin which actually produce feelings of pleasure, and we can become addicted to those feelings. But money and material possessions will not bring you happiness, and not only that, they can cause more harm than good.” From Good.

 It amazes me the amount of things people believe they need to live. All of the gadgets and other junk we use a few times and then forget about. All of the items we buy to do a single specific thing can usually be done with something you already have. I just don’t understand this constant feeling that we NEED to buy things, that we do not have enough stuff, and that more stuff will make us happier. 


How to avoid the constant cycle of junk:
1. Wait. It seems like as soon as we see an item we kind of like we convince ourselves we cannot live without it. If you can make it 2 weeks without it, you don’t need it. 


2. Dig through what you already have to see if you can make your current possessions work. Also, look online for ideas of how you can make things around your house work for the job you are trying to accomplish.


3. Simple is always better. Why buy a battery powered gadget when the classic, human powered version works just as well? (This is especially true with kitchen equiptment. Why do you need a battery powered wine opener when the world has been drinking wine just fine without it for thousands of years?). 


4. When you are bored, do not go to the mall or online to shop. Read a book, exercise, find a new hobby, or ask a friend to meet you for some fair trade coffee or homemade goodies. 


5. Do not give into peer pressure. Just because the Jones have an item doesn’t mean you need it too. 


Ultimately it takes time to be happy with what you have and avoid all of things you don’t need. But doing so will not only save you money, it will also increase your happiness and contentment with the things you do have. 


So turn off that computer and stay focused on “Cyber Monday.” You do not need any of that stuff anyways, and your family and friends would really enjoy homemade gifts or pure necessities this year. 

Happy Thanksgiving. Today is the day that everyone looks forward to for the food and sometimes the company. Most of America will gorge themselves, and in a single meal eat more calories than they need for 2 days. As a vegetarian, all I really look forward to is pie.