No Money? No Problem.

As soon as Halloween passes, orange and black is replaced with green and red. From downtown Albert Lea streets to grocery stores, there is a hint of the holiday season. No matter what holiday you celebrate, there is an impulse to buy and to give. But when you open your wallet, emptiness stares back at you.

      Teenagers know the struggle of wanting to get loved ones gifts, but the absence of cash is an issue. But luckily, tech savviness is one of our fortes.

      Pinterest is a much-used social media site not only by mothers but by crafty teens. You can get an endless supply of inspiration to use for the holidays, not only to gift give, but to make more of your holiday season.

      “I feel like people should appreciate homemade gifts more, because a lot of work goes into them,” said junior Maddie Willey. “The people I’ve made them for know I put a lot of time into it, and created it special for them.”

      Willey said most of her craft ideas came from the Internet.

      “Sometimes recipes on the Internet can be a bit iffy, but that’s part of the fun. If you mess up, you had fun even if you made a mistake,” Willey said.

      Willey said one of her favorite crafts was a crayon melt. It was time consuming, but lots of fun.

      “Depending on what you’re looking for, you’re going to spend money no matter what,” Willey said. “But usually on the Internet you can find some shortcuts.”

      Even if you don’t celebrate any holidays in the winter, you can still find awesome ideas on the Internet you have a craving to try. Be creative, don’t let the snow and the cold bury you.

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