‘Tis the season of giving, with sales everywhere and people lining up to buy gifts for the holiday season. The gifts juniors Tyler Knapp and Ellen Su and senior Neva Hauser give, however, are not bought with money. They are made with their own hands.

Knapp makes a number of creative gifts, including an original Chex mix and personalized decorated picture frames. “I got these really cheap picture frames from Ikea and used floam—goo that can be shaped like clay—to cover the picture frames and make designs specific to the person the gift is for,” Knapp said.

Aside from making completely original items, Knapp also embellishes already-made items by putting them in gift baskets and stuffing the baskets with candy. “[My mom and I] use three kinds of Chex cereal and mix it with nuts and chocolate kisses, and when we wrap it with cellophane, it becomes a really versatile gift for anyone and any occasion,” Knapp said.

Knapp said that making her own gifts makes them more memorable than store-bought ones. “[Do it yourself] gifts are a really great way of giving; it’s more meaningful than just a shirt or a skirt you buy in a store.,” she said. “You get to put your personality and the personality of whoever you’re giving the gift to into it making it more their ‘style’.”

To vary from modern gifts, Su makes traditional Chinese knots that bless people with good fortune. A Chinese knot is a red string wrapped around a common vortex to create a knot of intricate designs and loops. “I saw them everywhere when I went to China last year,” Su said. “I was really interested and taught myself how to make them [via] the Internet.”

The Chinese knots are not easy to make, and it took Su months to perfect her technique. “You really have to practice, because the designs can get pretty confusing,” Su said.

Su makes Chinese knots not only because they interest her, but also because of their cultural significance. “I’m trying to learn the traditional customs of my heritage and I want to share a part of my culture with my friends here in America,” Su said. “Making them for my friends also show how much I care about them and that I’m willing to spend time and energy on their gift.”

Homemade gifts are not just limited to smaller items-they can even be clothes and outfits too. Tie-dyed shirts, towels and socks are among the creations Hauser makes. “Each piece I make is unique, yet, they are all equal in value so nobody’s feelings get hurt,” Hauser said.

Hauser started making tie-dyed items for her friends when she bought a tie-dye kit in ninth grade. “I think of the colors that represent the friend that I’m giving it to when making the items,” Hauser said.

“Homemade gifts are so much better because when you make something with your own hands to give to someone, it automatically adds another layer of love,” she said.