With the holiday season in full bloom, I am sure plenty of us are scratching our heads and contemplating what special gift we can possibly give each of our loved ones.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to finding a gift, and if you are anything like me, I either find a million things to give one particular person or a million things I want.

Oh sure they make shopping look easy on the commercials, but by the time I walk into the store to find something for a friend or my mom I feel like crawling up in a fetal position and crying because I second guess myself and my budget.

Shopping for gifts is difficult because we want to make sure everyone on our list gets something they will like or can make some use of, all while making sure we have enough money in our pockets for rent and other miscellaneous bills.

And yet, I feel bad when I have to put a price limit on a gift for someone I really care about because I love them so much I want to spoil them for this one holiday. Unfortunately, what I tend to forget is that I am terribly broke and cannot even afford to order takeout on a weekend. Now, I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

Of course, for those who saved big and finished shopping for those on their lists during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, congrats. You are all some of the very few who have the patience for that kind of shopping.

However, the rest of us tend to wait until the last minute because we are too busy jostling our minds to figure out what to get. For Pete’s sake, sometimes it hurts me when I have to decide what to get for dinner let alone my best friend for Christmas, but I digress.

Rambling aside, the point is you do not have to kill your bank account or your brain cells when it comes to finding a gift for the people on your list.

There are plenty of inexpensive gift ideas to give someone, just check out Pinterest. Believe it or not, sometimes some of the best gifts you can ever give are ones that are homemade.

You could make a photo album of some great memories you shared with a good friend, or make your way to Joann Fabrics and get all the supplies you need to make a cute poster for your sister or mom. Think about themes too, like is the person in college or a high school senior? If that is the case then you can create a care package filled with food and maybe a pot to make the food in.

Regardless of whom you are shopping for, take the time this season to think about what gifts you will give and be a little creative with the presents you share. The more thought you put into a gift, the happier you will make that special person in your life.

Analicia Haynes is a junior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or achaynes@eiu.edu.