As you look over the list of gifts you need this holiday season, you also may be wondering how to pay for them all. Gift-giving is meant to be a time for sharing how much you appreciate others, but rising prices and tight budgets can take many of the feel-good vibes out of gift-giving traditions.

This year, take the "money-stress" out of the holidays by turning to homemade gifts. Homemade gifts are a great way to show you appreciate someone while also adding a personal touch. Gifts don’t need to be expensive to be special. Get the family involved in the fun, and you will be creating memories while making unique gifts for those who mean the most in your life.

Two fabulous homemade gift ideas were shared on Wildwood-Eureka Facebook from Lisa Borrini Heitz:  "I have a huge family, and I always make homemade strawberry jelly, and 12 different flavors of fudge. I also jar up my fresh herbs, basil, dill, sage, cilantro, chives and put them in herb jars for everyone to use during the winter months."

Following are some additioanl categories of homemade gifts for inspiration: 

Healthy options: Pack energy in a jar with healthy snacks, such as energy bars, dark chocolate and tea. Make homemade gourmet granola, homemade vanilla extract or a homemade chicken noodle soup mix. The team at 212 Degrees of Wellness in Wildwood offer free recipes for all sorts of health-oriented chocolate snacks, trail mixes and meals, made with ingredients not always considered.

Ornaments: Paint your own Christmas bulbs. Turn old light bulbs into ornaments with glitter. Simple white candles get pizzazz with a ring of cinnamon sticks and ribbon. Thumbprint ornaments are adorable. The ideas are endless.

Lip-smacking gifts: Apple pie, banana bread, cookies, dark chocolate truffles... Need any more be said?

Inspiring photo gifts: Collage picture frames, letter photo art, personalized photo jars, photo wreaths, photo bookmarks. Pinterest and the Internet are loaded with ideas, but some of the best artistic and scrapbook pieces can be found in Eureka at the last Ben Franklin Crafts store in the area.

Drink mixes: Create hot chocolate and vanilla chai mixes, coffee mixes and candy-flavored vodka. The possibilities are endless.

Artwork: Turn your kids’ artwork into tea towels. All you need is a flour sack towel and permanent marker. Or cut your children’s artwork into shapes, glue to blank cards and create unique stationary sets. With only a scanner, photo-editing software, heavy white cardstock and magnets, you can create a slew of refrigerator magnets featuring your family’s artwork.

Youth gifts: Homemade shaped crayons, headbands, finger paint, dream pillow, boo boo bag, build-a-fort kit, homemade soap, marble run made from plastic bottles and colorful duct tape, coffee can stilts, personalized I-Spy bottles. The Walmart Supercenter in Euerka carries several of items to jumpstart these concepts.

Spa packages with homemade ingredients: Create a spa package by making your own bath bombs, salts and fizzies. Many Internet sites feature step-by-step tutorials.