The holidays are a lot of fun and a great time to hang with family and friends, yet it still seems to be a very stressful time of year. Whether you are planning a family vacation or you are just stressed out with the amount of Christmas gifts you have to buy for everyone in your life, this all can add up up the bigger your family gets.

So, with the help of Wallethub and some friends around the office, I got some ideas for cheap/free gift ideas that won't break the bank this holiday season.

1. Create Something: We all have talents that can be used as gifts. I have a friend here at work who asked me how I would feel if she drew me a photo of one of my favorite characters from either a Marvel movie/TV show. I told her I thought that would be a great idea! It's personal and it shows that she took the time to create something from scratch with me in mind.

2. Re-Gift: Re-gifting a gift from an early office party. Although this one seems a little impersonal it does work especially if you had no use for said gift. Or it might just be a gag gift. Either way, it works out.

3. Help Out: If you're really in a tight spot during the holidays you can always do something to lighten the load for your loved ones. Do some house chores the day before or the weeks leading up to Christmas. It may not seem like much but I promise that it will mean a lot to someone who hasn't had the time to do those dishes in the sink or that laundry in the corner.

4. Adopt A Pet For The Family:  A cheaper option is to get the entire family a gift. A Christmas puppy ought to do the trick. Although you'll have to pay for the adoption fee, it's probably a whole lot cheaper than buying a gift for everyone in the family.

5. Just Be There: This is my last one on the list because I feel it's getting a little lengthy. Just be with your friends and loved ones. Gifts, in my opinion, are overrated. Being with the people you love during the holidays is one of the best feelings in the world. And memories last a lifetime, gifts fade away and can get misplaced.

Happy holidays. Now go hug the people you love.

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