Gift-giving season may seem daunting in light of inflation, tariffs and the changing economy, but it doesn’t have to be.

Several Pioneer Press reporters have compiled a list to ensure you get the most out of your holiday frills, without fearing next month’s bills.

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Whether you’re headed to Ax-man Surplus, an eclectic thrift shop on University Avenue, St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in the West Seventh neighborhood or MyThrift store in St. Paul’s North End, you’re sure to pick up items that can be elevated to gift status for a fraction of the price.

Roll up your sleeves, break out the glue stick and put the kettle on, folks. It’s time to craft.

Homemade cookie tins

Planning to make cookies for the holidays? With a few extra steps and dollars, your cookies can be elevated to a thoughtful, inexpensive gift for friends, co-workers or even your mail carrier.

Vintage cookie tins are easy to find at thrift stores this time of year and usually cost only a few dollars. With some soap and elbow grease, you can transform a neglected piece of history into a treasured carrying case full of sweets.

Add some colorful tissue paper, a ribbon and a handwritten note, and you’ve got yourself a sophisticated display for a fraction of the price.

DIY beverage kit

Instead of spending upwards of $50 for a pre-made beverage kit, you can craft one yourself if you know what to look for.

Do you want to make a cocktail kit? If so, scour the thrift stores for a pair of highball, martini or wine glasses, which are usually priced around $5 each. The glasses can be polar opposites, complement each other, or come from the same set – go with whatever you think your recipient will like the most.

Add in some spices, dehydrated orange slices and a modest bottle of liquor and your basket is done.

Do you want to make a hot cocoa kit? If so, head straight to the mug aisle and start poking around. Whether you’re looking for a colorful cup suitable for a child or a discounted Starbucks mug for the tween in your life, chances are you’ll find at least one option that fits the bill while only costing a few.

Add in some chocolates, marshmallows or fresh roasted coffee and you’re good to go.

Lastly, don’t forget to peruse the aisles for any accessories to add to your kit like a cocktail shaker, fancy stirring spoon, mug tree, drink markers or bottle stand.

Keepsake boxes

If you’re looking for a gift for that person who has everything, consider a keepsake box for them to put everything in.

This will require one or more special photos plus optional mementoes and crafty supplies such as glue, scrapbook paper and stickers.

The first step is to wander the thrift store aisles; you are looking for a simple wooden box that fits your project idea.

Back at home, gather favorite photos of the person (and perhaps of their family, friends and pets) and make photocopies of these pictures that you will glue to the box. For this collage on a box, you can also include meaningful items such as handwritten notes, newspaper clippings and more.

This keepsake box can also be as simple as one meaningful family photo, as shown here of Molly Guthrey’s late Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Tillman, with a photocopy of Carolyn’s handwritten caption, given as a Christmas keepsake box for their daughter.

Once the box is painted (or not) and items are cut and glued down, seal this delicate masterpiece lightly with Mod Podge (matte). Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, that’s part of the charm of a thrifty, papery keepsake box. It can be created for any occasion!

Book lovers gift

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Books are easy to find at the thrift, so if you’re thinking about gifting a book this year, consider thrifting one, or many.

You can easily create a themed book bundle, for example: art books, history, romance, etc. Throw them in a cute thrifted basket, wrap them in newspaper with a bow and you’re good to go.

If you want to go the extra mile, consider annotating a thrifted book, adding a homemade bookmark with a quote from their favorite author, or a collage you made with magazine and paper scraps or throw in some thrifted mugs and hot cocoa.

Personalized picture frames

Gifting a family member or a friend a framed photo might seem old hat, but it doesn’t need to be.

Picture frames are a dime a dozen at most thrift stores. Wooden frames, metal frames, ornate frames, gaudy frames — you can find it all and in a variety of sizes. For this project, focus on the no-frills picture frames so you have more space to add your own.

Once you’ve selected the photo and frame, it’s time to get creative. If you want to paint the frame, you can add a funky border, cute pattern, details of the photo like where and when it was taken, or you can paint the frame to match the photo.

If you’re not confident with a paintbrush, you can also use stamps, collage or hot glue relevant items to the frame. For example, if it’s a photo from the beach? Add seashells. A photo with the kids? Add crayons. A photo from a night out? Add concert tickets, wristbands or anything that will help preserve the memory.

With very little planning and a quick trip to your local thrift store, you could have the picture-perfect gift.

Perfume lovers gift

For the person who loves fragrance, but doesn’t need you buying them a new bottle because they already own 1,000, or they’re simply picky, here’s an idea.

Vintage stores have glass perfume bottles galore: beautiful glass dabbers and those funky mister-style ones (you know, with the ball of air that you squeeze on the end). Give these to a fragrance lover, and they can put any scent they’d like inside, or simply use them as a décor piece. Bonus if you throw small samples of fragrances they’ve never tried, or a discovery set from a brand they’ve had their eye on for a while.

Not sure where to start? Talia McWright recommends the Antique Mall of St. Paul, located at the intersection of Fairview and Selby avenues, and the nearby Missouri Mouse Antiques.

Handmade ornaments

Not a seamstress? Don’t worry. Fabric ornaments made from felt are easy to do and sewing isn’t required, so long as you have fabric glue.

Simply pick a design (heart, frog, anything your heart desires), cut out the shape twice, then glue or sew them together. Be sure to leave a gap to stuff the ornament with fabric scraps or poly-fil, then glue or sew a piece of ribbon, twine or string to the top so it can be hung on a tree.

Ornaments can also be made using clay (air-dry clay is really easy to work with), or beads and string. Get creative, and have fun! It’ll be a one-of-a-kind gift that people can keep for years to come.

Music lovers gift

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Thrift a vinyl or a CD of someone’s favorite artist or genre for those old-school folks in your life. You could throw in a music-themed book as well (bonus points if it’s thrifted) or maybe a magazine featuring said artist or genre.

If you’re crafty and have the time, consider making a music-themed zine for them. It could include their favorite artist and fun facts about them, or the history of their favorite genres and how they’ve changed over time or it could simply be a list of music they should listen to, which you can write on a CD, vinyl or mixtape-shaped piece of cardstock.

If you want to go the extra mile, make a mixtape or burn a CD for someone with songs that they’d love or songs that you’ve listened to together; just make sure they have a way to listen to it. And if they don’t? Scour the thrift! Pawn shops are an extra good place for cassette decks and CD players because a lot of their electronics are tested.

Mini simmer pot kit

Add dried oranges, cinnamon sticks and cranberries to a mason jar (all dry ingredients) for friends and family to use as simmer pot ingredients.

All items can be purchased in bulk and then dispersed amongst small mason jars or any thrifted glass vessel. Add a cut piece of fabric to the lid if you want to make it festive!

Kid’s corner

If you’re holiday shopping for a kiddo in your life, start your hunt at the thrift store.

Action figures, dolls, children’s books, puzzles, board games and tricycles, to name a few, can all be found lurking at your nearest Goodwill.

Odds are you won’t find the latest Lego set, but you’ll find just about everything else – and for a bargain.