By Amy Crelly

Friend to the last-minute shopper, the noble GIFT CARD is easy, quick and convenient— no wrapping required; always the right size; no added shipping costs; and no risk of standing in a crowded store aisle with that reindeer-in-the-headlights look on your face as you try to pick a present for someone you thought you knew.

On the upside, gift cards require almost no thought at all; of course, that’s also the downside to giving them. Another drawback? There’s no disguising the monetary exchange factor. Like a price tag you can’t scratch off, the dollar value is right there in the open where your giftee can clearly see it. As a hard-core holiday bargain shopper, this bothers me. So, how can you stretch your holiday budget and put the “Awww! How thoughtful!” back in your gift-giving? Try pairing a gift card with something more personal.

You can cut the amount you’d normally spend in half, and more than make up for the difference with something homemade that comes from the heart.

I know, I know… Who has time? But check it out—homemade doesn’t have to mean labor-intensive. In fact, it can be really fun, and when you make things in big batches, whether you’re baking biscotti or burning copies of a mix CD, you can cross a lot of names off your list—fast!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

*Instead of giving a $20 gift card to Starbucks, why not a $10 card and some of your (soon-to-be-famous) homemade almond biscotti?

* Maybe you’re more crafty outside the kitchen. Just slip that coffee card inside a personalized mug, and you’ve got a present that’s priceless! If you’re into ceramics, you’re set! If photo-collage is more your medium, then grab one of those clear coffee tumblers and some good snapshots, and go nuts!

* Pick out one or two used books from a local bookseller (they’re great about offering suggestions for readers with all different tastes), then take the pressure off your picks with a gift card to one of the big chain stores.

* Add an iTunes card to your own Mix CD. It only takes a minute to print the play list, slip it in a CD envelope and slide it all inside a Holiday card. But if you want to get extra creative, you can make your own cover art for a jewel case.

* Grab a high-value (low-cost) bottle for the wine-lover on your list, and round it out with some brie and something fresh from your own oven (herb bread, rolls, your famous dip… anything but fruit cake, please.)

* Layer a gift certificate to your friend’s favorite salon (in a modest amount) on top of some hand-crafted soap or a homemade sea salt scrub. (A lot of decadent spa goodies are really fast, easy and super-affordable to make.)