What better time than a pandemic to hone your homemade holiday gifts, right? Crafting is a family project, a stress buster, an economical solution, a creative outlet ... The list goes on. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

*Creativity Counts

The best homemade gifts are personal and bring joy (sentimental), solve a problem (practical) or create an opportunity (inspired). By that yardstick, the yarn-wrapped soup-can pencil cup measures up just fine -- from your 5-year old. To turn it into a sophisticated present, fill it with beautiful handmade flowers or a new set of calligraphy pencils for a young graphic artist. Or, hammer and tap flat a couple of holes in the sides, and attach a wire for hanging. Set a small jar inside for water, and you have a charming vase.

You get the idea. Have some fun.

You don't have to be Martha Stewart. Thoughtful planning will celebrate your family and friends with heart and style. Think about your recipients' favorite colors, hobbies and foods. Consider their collections, what they like to read and your favorite memories together.

If you do aspire to be Martha Stewart, you can find her handmade gift ideas on her website.

*Off to the Thrift Shop

The thrift shop will likely be your top shopping destination. Start early, and take advantage of sales. Carry your shopping list with you at all times.

Pick out a pair of jeans in a color you like, and turn them into a denim bag, pocket organizer, drink coaster or more by using a few basic materials from the craft store to transform that $5 investment. You can find a video tutorial on the DIY & Crafts website.

Another idea is to select and sanitize a nice basket and a dozen DVDs and add a box of popcorn and a cozy blanket from the dollar store. Just like that, you have movie nights for a month.

*Thoughtful Thank-You's

To give a gift teachers will actually use, visit the blog Ellyn's Place, and follow the instructions for candy sleighs. They'll thank you every time they bite into one of these cute, Christmasy chocolates. Make more for others who bless you throughout the year.

*Clever Cash

Who doesn't appreciate money? The blog Sunny Side Up makes gifting money memorable by making a "money tree." You can find instructions using skewer sticks, green twine and yellow paper on the blog.

*No-Fail Services

Car washes, snow shoveling, window-washing, garden cleanup -- there are dozens of helpful, handy services you can provide as coupons, and they're all free.

*The Grab Box

Years ago, the one remaining grandmother in our family purchased half a dozen small gifts for each family member, wrapped them all and put them in a giant box. The gift grab went around the circle, one person at a time, until all the gifts had been chosen, and then people exchanged at the end. Somehow, the right person wound up with the car wax and the giant Hershey bar, and the person who didn't need another pair of work gloves successfully traded for the vanilla-scented pillar candle. Some groups offer a "steal" option. Others invite all participants to purchase a few presents with a spending limit. It's super fun and not very expensive; everyone wins.

*Share an Experience

This season, we may all be turning back the clock to a simpler time. We'll be shifting from movies out to making pizzas, from headline concerts to family stories, from Florida vacations to puzzles by the fire. With a positive attitude, closures and cancellations create an opportunity for family closeness and a spirit of togetherness.

For something a little different, find a new card game online to try at home. Some will be hits, some misses, but all can be fun finds.

You can also create your own at-home travel experience. Make your adventure as simple as cooking an Italian-themed meal, as Lana Shovlin explains in her piece in the Illinois Times, "Around the World at Home." You can make it more elaborate by starting a few weeks early.

In that case, set a destination and a date for your fictional holiday trip. Want to visit Norway or Peru? Take a ride on the Trans-Siberian Railroad? Visit Door County, Wisconsin? Start packing!

Each family member can select an age-appropriate project, partnering as needed. The projects can include creating a trip postcard, hotel stationery, souvenirs, traditional food of the region, travel itinerary featuring highlight sites and photos, and a slideshow of the sites that features people in the family dressed up "on tour." You may want to start with the slideshow and serve the featured meal halfway through, with regional music playing in the background.

You can also make it fun and festive with an at-home madrigal supper. Guests can be the entertainment. Come prepared to sing, play a musical instrument or read a poem between each traditional food course. (For ours, the hearty onion soup was only lukewarm, but the accordion music made up for it!)

When you put some heart and creativity into doing something special for others, everyone grows closer.