It’s that time of year again! Christmas shopping is in full swing and everyone is rushing around, trying to find gifts for all of the people on their list. What if this year, instead of buying a gift for mom, dad, your sister, brother, or friends you made a gift? Most people have received store bought gifts in the past; however, not everyone has been given something homemade. Homemade gifts are creative, heartfelt, and sentimental.

“I always make my mom a homemade card, parents love that stuff,” says Maria DeSisto, a sophomore at Pentucket. “Most of my other gift ideas come from Pinterest,” says Maria. Pinterest is a social media site filled with creative “do it yourself” crafts and gift ideas.

Beebe Jackson, a sophomore at Pentucket, loves to give homemade gifts during the holidays. “Last year I made coasters and koozies for my cousins, also my family all picks names out of a hat and we buy a gift and make a gift for the person that we get,” says Beebe.

Caroline McDonough, a junior at Pentucket, typically gives homemade gifts for Christmas. “I am making my cousins and grandparents homemade snow globes for Christmas,” says Caroline.

Other homemade gift ideas include recipe books, homemade food (truffles and peppermint bark are nice and seasonal), themed gift baskets, make-from-scratch cookie kits, personalized calendars, memory jars, cards, Christmas ornaments, hot chocolate kits, candles, picture frames, and photo books.

Homemade gifts are more sentimental and when asked, most students say they would prefer a homemade gift over a store bought one.

“I would prefer a homemade gift, they have more meaning to them and it comes from the heart. You can tell people put time into them,” say Jen Lovett, a Pentucket sophomore.

So this year instead of rushing to the mall to purchase gifts, try making something homemade, personalized, and all your own.