The Today Show is correct – the holiday season is right around the corner, and many of us have started thinking about how to budget for the gift giving season. I know it’s fun to think about a playhouse built out of gingerbread. But when it comes down to the dollars and cents, I think most of our Queercents regulars probably fantasize about a frugal holiday shopping list instead.

Here are my Top 10 Gift for Under $10 each. These gifts are great for coworkers, neighbors, friends, AND family. And since many of them are DIY types of gifts, you’ll be giving people a thoughtful, homemade present, which always seems nice, despite the inexpensive nature of the gift.

1. Coffee beans in a cute coffee mug
I’m a big coffee drinker. I am always excited when someone gives me a Starbucks gift card, or a mug full of coffee beans as a gift. Stock up on cute coffee mugs at the dollar store, or in the dollar bins at Michael’s. You can get a large bag of coffee beans in the bulk section of many grocery stores. If you get some cellophane gift bags at the craft store, you could divide up the coffee amongst several mugs, making this a cheap and easy gift to make in bulk. Tie off the bag with some ribbon, place it in the mug, and presto . . . you’re done!

2. Cocoa mix in a jar or mug
This is another one of those gifts where you can stock up on the supplies in bulk, and then assembly line it out for a slew of holiday gifts. You can make the cocoa mix from scratch, or you can buy a big container of hot cocoa at the store. Divvy this out into cellophane bags, put it in a mug, and you’re done. If you have mason jars at home, another option is to divide the mix into jars, and then use fabric scraps to cover the lid. You can often get scraps of fabric at the craft or fabric store, or you can recycle fabric scraps that you have at home.

3. Homemade bread
Who doesn’t love homemade bread? You could make mini-loaves of banana bread, or larger loaves of whole wheat bread. Look for seasonal dish towels at the dollar store. Wrap your bread in plastic wrap, then use the dish towel as gift wrap. Tie it all together with ribbon or some raffia. Super cute, and super tasty!

4. Cookies
Cookie exchanges are becoming all the rage. They are a fun way to mingle with friends, and they are a great way to get all of your holiday baking done . . . with a little help from your friends. The basic idea with the cookie exchange is that each guest brings several dozen of the same type of cookie to the party – one dozen for each guest, plus an extra dozen for tasting. Everybody swaps, and then you go home with several different types of cookies.

Here are some cookie recipes to get you started. Put the finished cookies on a paper plate, wrap it up with plastic wrap, then tie it all off with a bow. You could even include the cookie recipe on a cute recipe card – Michael’s usually has several different styles in their dollar bin.

Cookie kits are a great variation on the traditional plate of cookies. Instead of baking up your cookies, mix up all of the dry ingredients, put them in a mason jar, and include the recipe so that your gift recipient can bake them themselves. Make a gift set by including a seasonal hot pad, and maybe a cookie cutter or two. Easy peasy, and you didn’t have to heat up the kitchen pulling this all together.

5. Gardening Kit
How many of us have avid gardeners in our lives? Why not give them some gardening gloves and a packet of seeds? Or, you could make a handy gardening apron that has deep pockets – perfect for gathering tomatoes out of the garden, or for storing pruning sheers, gloves, etc.

6. DIY magnets, dog tags, or key rings made from bottle caps
Bottle cap crafts are another trend that is all the rage right now. There are so many options for turning recycled bottle caps into a hip gift. If you’re not a big drinker, ask your friends to save their bottle caps for you. I did, and now I’ve got bottle caps coming out the wazoo! Check out this article about DIY craft supplies for patterns and ideas.

7. Picture frames with a fun family photo
Family photos are a popular holiday gift, but they can seem kind of trite without a personalized frame to go with them. Michael’s has plain, wooden frames for under $2. You can paint them up, and decorate the frames in a number of ways. Cut out letters from magazines and decoupage them onto the frame. You can utilize bottle caps on the frames as well. Or give the picture frame a little razzle dazzle with some sequins, glitter, or rhinestones.

8. Christmas ornaments
Making an ornament every year for someone could be a very fun holiday tradition, and it’s a gift that people will get to enjoy for years to come. There are plenty of patterns available on the web for homemade ornaments. And if you start scouting the craft store, you can usually find the supplies on the cheap.

9. Homemade fudge
Fudge is a holiday tradition where I come from. My friend Leigh and I have kicked that fudge up a notch by using alcohol in the recipes. You can make several batches of fudge, each one with its own flavor profile. Get some cheap gift boxes at the dollar store, mix and match the fudge, and you’re done.

10. Coupon book
Coupon books make great stocking stuffers. Make your partner a coupon for a back rub, or breakfast in bed. If you know some parents who could use a babysitter, give them a coupon book for free babysitting. There really is no limit to the type of coupons you can create. All you need is some cute paper, a marker, and a few minutes of time to come up with a very personalized gift for a loved one.

In the weeks to come, I’ll be sharing more ideas for DIY and inexpensive gifts. If you’ve got suggestions for DIY or low-cost Christmas presents, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.