The hustle and bustle of the holidays can put a damper on the spirit they are supposed to bring. Buying gifts for everyone, Black Friday shopping, and trying to stay within your budget are all things that can drive a person insane (Literally, look at all the parking lot fights on Black Friday). Here are a few cheap, easy, and cute gift ideas for your friends or family!

1. Mason Jar Hot Cocoa

This is a quick, easy, and super cheap idea for anyone! Simply buy a bulk amount of hot chocolate mix (it's usually cheaper that way anyways), mason jars, marshmallows, crushed candy canes, or any other toppings you think your friends might like! You don't have to be super creative for this either, just spoon the hot chocolate mix into the jar and top with marshmallows or whatever else you'd like and close the lid! To make it look even cuter, tie a festive ribbon around the top and hang a tag with their names on it! Also be sure to check out this video by the Domestic Geek on different hot cocoa recipes!

2. DIY Cute Coffee Mug

Everyone can always use another mug. Buy a cheap, white mug from the dollar store and take a sharpie and get creative! This gift idea is especially cool because you can personalize it to your friend's tastes! You can fill the mug with their favorite candy or whatever you'd like. That's the beauty in all of this, everything is 100 percent customizable.

3. Decorate Your Own Picture Board

Buy a cheap picture frame and decorate it however you'd like using sharpies and pictures! Plus if you want to get super fancy, you could even hot glue fake flowers around the edge. Giving your friend or family member a picture of the two of you is nice enough, but just adding that small amount a personal touch makes it that much more sentimental.

4. Make A Cookie Platter

This is my personal favorite (for obvious reasons!). Everyone loves cookies! Make a big batch of homemade cookies and divide them evenly among all of your friends. Wrap them nicely on a cheap, plastic platter and voila!

What is great about all of these gifts is not that they are cheap and easy to make (although that is always a plus), it's about giving someone a gift that you actually made with your own hands. The gift becomes sentimental and more cherished than money or a gift card. There was thought and effort put into these gifts. The holiday season is becoming more and more about the gift giving aspect and less about the family and friends aspect. By making these super easy and affordable gifts, you are letting them know that you are thinking about them as a person and not as just another person you need to buy a gift for.

Have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!