As the holiday season has come upon us, one of the major sources of stress is gift buying. With so many important people in our lives, it's hard to get everyone something special and not spend a fortune. Here are some gift alternatives that might give you a new perspective on gift-giving, and, as an added plus, not break the bank.

1. DIY gift

Everyone loves a good DIY (do it yourself) gift. It's thoughtful, sentimental, and personal. Pinterest has thousands of ideas to choose from. If you're like me and you tend to DIY a lot, you might get tired of the same old 'been there, done that' crafts. In this case, use Pinterest simply as a starting point to gather inspiration from — choose something to use as a good base for your project, then add your own personal twist on it. To make it more special, make the gift specific to the person you are giving it to by adding something personal such as their name, favorite team, favorite color, favorite quote, etc.

2. Share an experience

Instead of sticking with the traditional present wrapped in a box, take gift-giving to the next level by giving your loved ones the gift of sharing an experience together. Sometimes simply taking the time to do something special together can be the best gift you can give. Perhaps get concert tickets for a local band, plan a weekend getaway to a town nearby, give a gift certificate for a spa day, buy tickets for an event going on in your city, or even just plan a day to take them to lunch. Rather than giving them a pair of socks they might lose in 6 months, this is a gift that they can look forward to and a memory that you will now share and cherish forever.

3. Write a letter

The whole point of gift-giving is to let the people in our lives know just how much they mean to us. What could tell them just that more than a hand-written letter? A simple, cheap and easy gift like this could mean more to a person than almost any gift you could buy them. Get some nice stationary and frame your letter so that they can hang it up and feel loved every time they look at it.

4. Plan a get-together

When you have a big circle of friends, it can get a bit pricey trying to buy each of them a gift. Ditch the physical gifts and instead host a get-together among friends. Pick a date that works for everyone, send out invites, have everyone bring food or drinks to share, crank up your holiday playlist, and you're set. Plan a fun theme such as an Ugly Sweater contest or a contest for the best food dish to kick things up a notch. Giving your friends a night to enjoy each other's company and warm memories to look back on is a great gift that has little to no cost.

5. Homemade goodies

Nothing says holiday spirit better than homemade goodies. Pick a night to dedicate to baking, wrap them in cute goodie bags, and go out and personally deliver them to people. This will be a pleasant surprise that will give you an excuse to chat and visit with your loved ones. It's a cheap, thoughtful, and delicious way to make their night and bring them holiday cheer.

6. Subscription

A monthly subscription service is truly the gift that keeps on giving. There are a wide number of subscriptions that your loved ones might enjoy that cost as low as $10/month or less. Netflix and Hulu are always great options for those who binge-watch shows as much as I do. Ipsy is great for any makeup lovers in the family. There's always Hello Fresh or Daily Fresh for any foodies in the family. Plus, who doesn't like getting a surprise package every month? With a gift like this, you can't go wrong.