By Kara Adkins
Online Copy Editor
These days the $7.25 minimum wage isn’t cutting it, especially around Christmas time. Teenagers are crunching numbers and trying to find family and friends great Christmas gifts, but the budget is tight.
If your job as a bag boy at Market Street or an ice cream scooper isn’t providing you with the income you need during the time of year where the average American spends nearly $700 on gifts, then it’s time to get creative.
It is true that the best gifts come from the heart, and CHS students who have a tight budget are using their skills to come up with some great gifts this holiday season. 
“The job I work at doesn’t pay very much and I want to give family members something that actually matters,” senior Rachel Willms said. “I knit them hats, scarves and legwarmers because it is more meaningful then buying them something they won’t use.”
CHS students should not underestimate their own talents. There are so many great gifts that can be made from supplies around your own home. CDs, scrapbooks, picture frames and hair accessories can all be easy to make no matter how crafty somebody is.
There are endless options when it comes to making a gift and it is always nice to be the recipient of a present you know was hand made especially for you.
“One idea is to make cute Christmas cookies and make a card to go along with it. You can use tags as well to write cute holiday messages; they are cheap and come in packages of millions” senior Kirsten Hansen said.
In a time where the economy is doing poorly and many families have to cut back when it comes to Holiday spending, it is resourceful and practical to create homemade gifts. According to The New York Times, in 2010, “56 percent of respondents said the economy inspired them to rethink how they give gifts.” One of these ways is to create personalized keepsakes.
“You can get a cute picture and decorate a frame. I know Michaels sells frames for super cheap and you can paint them or glue glass tiles to it,” Hansen said.
In the same study done by The New York Times, they found that 28 percent of the people in the survey said they would be spending much less this Christmas than the last and 23 percent said they would be spending at least a little bit less than the previous year.
If you are simply just not able to create anything with your own hands then you can always give a loved one an experience. The holidays are an opportunity to spread joy and volunteering with somebody you love can do just that. It not only helps out the community that surrounds you, but also puts a smile on your face to see others being helped.
To name just a few, volunteer opportunities in the Dallas area include the Dallas Food Bank, Crossroads Community Services, Habitat for Humanity and the Animal Rescue League. No matter what the recipient has a passion for, there is guaranteed to be a great organization out there with the same purpose in mind.
Regardless what the latest gizmo is or the most popular brand of clothing, gifts that come from the heart can put just as big of a smile on your recipients face this Christmas.
