Homemade Nutcracker earrings. Swarovski crystals, pearls, beads and wire from firemountaingems.com. Silk gift bags from Michael's Arts and Crafts Store.

Ann Farnham | Contributor

I want to explore, create, and try to generally re-think the way we give over the holidays - take some of the sting out of the gifting season. Because it is still true that the more we give, the more we get.

The holiday gifting season is all about campaigns. You face multi-tiered, multi-channeled, cross-promoted big-money marketing campaigns from manufactures at holiday time. 

Ever sat through a half-hour of kids programming at this time of year? It is a budget-challenged consumer's version of high-fructose corn-syrup hell. It's just not that good for you but it is sticky-sweet temptation.

Resist it! Go for quality - little things, special things. Go for thoughtfulness - remember to take the time to do things for people instead of just buying meaningless stuff. Go for experience - experiences, rather than things, are at the root of our best memories at any time of year, but especially over the holidays. 

So make some of your own for those your love. From scratch. My kids enjoyed making these Nutcracker earrings from beads, wire, and Swarovski crystals ordered from Fire Mountain Gems. They'll enjoy giving them, too.

Mount your own campaign this season. The mission is to get more meaning from the gifts you give and save a little money for that cold, Michigan New Year waiting just around the corner.