Last year I managed to successfully propose to my siblings that we keep our gifts at "student budget" level even though we are now employed with real salaries. It mostly worked out so that was pretty good. This year, I would like to do a little more homemade stuff too. I've done quite a bit of knitting in the past (socks, shawls, hats, scarves, fancy lace tree ornaments for my mom), I'm trying to think of something different and not-knitted this year because knitting too many gifts stresses me out! For my brothers, I keep meaning to put together albums of old family photos from both sides of the family that I have scanned in. I made one of my mom's side a few years ago for my half-sister and she really liked it. Prints are cheap at Costco, so buying the album is the biggest cost. Still, should be <$30 each (so no more than I would spend on a "real" gift), and will hopefully be something they can enjoy looking at and perhaps sharing with their (still hypothetical) kids sometime in the future.
I'm not sure what to do for my parents, my brothers and I often just pool resources and get them a fancy-ass restaurant gift certificate, so we may do that again and maybe I'll make some small goodies to go with the envelope, like hot chocolates on a stick. They always seem to save the GC for V-day to take themselves out on a date, and again, the cost to me is usually not very high since I combine resources with my brothers.
Co-workers are where I am having some quandaries. Last year was my first year at this job and it didn't seem like the sort of place where people did much for gifts, so I just baked a plate of cookies and brought them in to share. However, one of the other guys I work with gave me a $20 gift certificate to a kitchen supply store (very thoughtful since I like to cook), and I think gave similar levels of gift to everyone else. He is a super nice guy and has helped me out a ton with learning the ropes, so I'm wondering if I should get him an actual gift this year, but I don't feel like getting gifts for everyone in my group. I like my co-workers and all, but I don't really feel like dropping $200 on them, especially when I actually don't like one or two of them that much.
I did use the gift certificate to get some silicone muffin cups (this one recipe I have *always* sticks to the pan, so they are great for that!), I was thinking I might just make him some muffins sometime this fall and be all "here's a serious thank-you for the gift certificate last Christmas", or is that just likely to be seen as fishing for a gift again this year? I don't think he really expects to get anything back (nobody else gives gifts), but I feel weird getting and not gifting back. Any thoughts?