As Christmas approaches, fond memories of past Christmas's have been flooding my memory. When I was in my early teens, many was the time I gave handmade gifts for friends and family. I had loved all kinds of crafting and had a talent for creating beautiful and unique gifts.
TIme passed and I grew older with high paying jobs. My gifts turned to the more extravagant and commercial. Hey, I could afford the best and I wanted to share my success with the people I loved. For many years, my time was limited so the love and time I had put in my handmade gifts were certainly a thing of the past.
Now that life has slowed down for me, those fond memories returned. I realized that I still LOVED to create handmade gifts. A close blogger friend is having a baby, and I created my first handmade gift in years for that new life. IT FELT AMAZING.
So this year, I have decided to return to an old fashioned Christmas. I plan to make most of my gifts. I sew, knit, crochet and bake, so I have all bases covered. How about you guys? Don't you feel the commercial part of Christmas is getting out of hand? Wouldn't it be fun and show the true meaning of Christmas to give a gift from the heart?
How would you feel to receive such a gift? I know if someone spent so much of their time creating something for me, I would be thrilled. Time is such a precious commodity these days...
If you have some free time, why not try to give something hand made. Believe me it will make you feel so good. Not to mention the wonderful aromas of baked goods wafting through your home.
What are your thoughts? Do you have anything special planned for your loved ones. I'd really love to know...
Have a terrific day everyone!
TIme passed and I grew older with high paying jobs. My gifts turned to the more extravagant and commercial. Hey, I could afford the best and I wanted to share my success with the people I loved. For many years, my time was limited so the love and time I had put in my handmade gifts were certainly a thing of the past.
Now that life has slowed down for me, those fond memories returned. I realized that I still LOVED to create handmade gifts. A close blogger friend is having a baby, and I created my first handmade gift in years for that new life. IT FELT AMAZING.
So this year, I have decided to return to an old fashioned Christmas. I plan to make most of my gifts. I sew, knit, crochet and bake, so I have all bases covered. How about you guys? Don't you feel the commercial part of Christmas is getting out of hand? Wouldn't it be fun and show the true meaning of Christmas to give a gift from the heart?
How would you feel to receive such a gift? I know if someone spent so much of their time creating something for me, I would be thrilled. Time is such a precious commodity these days...
If you have some free time, why not try to give something hand made. Believe me it will make you feel so good. Not to mention the wonderful aromas of baked goods wafting through your home.
What are your thoughts? Do you have anything special planned for your loved ones. I'd really love to know...
Have a terrific day everyone!
25 comments:
I like baked gifts. Told one of my nephews who is on a budget that cookies would be fine - don't spend money on me.
Micheal, this post really resonated with me. My husband and I always tried to steer our children away from the material excesses of the season by encouraging them to make gifts for each other. They grew to love the giving part of Christmas more than the receiving, because it's so fun to watch someone you love open the gift you made just for them. As they grew older, this was replaced with simply the joy they felt in being together, and some years we even "gave away" Christmas to a needy family, limiting our own purchases to one handmade gift per person.
We've had some financial reverses in our family over the past year and so I was feeling kind of low about Christmas. Your post reminded me of what's important.
I'm not talented enough to make a homemade gift that would be any good. You sew, knit, and crochet on top of all your other stuff that you do. The mind boggles at how much knowledge you have, Michael.
My kids have basically been asking me the same question that you address for a month. Why is it ok for us to give handmade stuff but you buy everyone gifts? I haven't had a good answer for them. Maybe the answer is exactly what you've presented...handmade gifts are the best and all the commercial stuff is just-well, more stuff!
I can craft and I enjoy doing it. Right now my husband is in grad school so basically we're poor, and we make useful gifts to give our extended family. We also bake a TON for Christmas.
The one thing I wish is that I had a sewing machine. It would be magnificent. Anyway, I love homemade gift and making them, I like to make them specific to the person I'm giving them too!
PS way to go being talented at crocheting and stuff!!
Good for you, homemade gifts are the best! I used to make small paintings as Christmas gifts and I look forward to the day when I can take my paints out of storage. These days all I am painting is walls...LOL!Hmmm...You just gave me an idea :)
Great post, Michael! I make paintings for friends and family, when I can. :)
Hi, Michael! Too long since I've stopped by ~ (I've been taking a little blogcation myself).
I have a very crafty sister who makes most of her birthday and Christmas gifts for us and they are probably my favorites. My mother was also very crafty and when she passed, the things of hers that meant the most to me were the ones that she had made. There's something extra special about a gift that someone has made for you. Sadly - I'm not very crafty. I do love to bake, however!! Although - that's not exactly a gift you get to keep... lol. (except maybe around their mid-sections...)
Happiest Holidays to you!! I think your idea for Christmas gifts this year is a winner! :)
Meatloaf should not glow in the dark so I know better than to cook for my friends. Whenever my girlfriends would pose for my paintings, and they saw all I could do was stick figures, I got the impression they were not amused!@
So handmade gifts are out for me, too. I am giving 100% of the profits from all my books this Nov. And Dec. to the Salvation Army. Do what we can, right?
I see gifts that would make my friends smile all year round - and I buy & give them then. They aren't expecting it and it comes as a happy surprise. So for me, Christmas is all year round.
I am happy you are re-discovering an old joy of Christmas giving, Roland
We do for each other all year so for Christmas we have $10 limit gag gift you can make it or buy it. Army Guy has a "Santa Christmas" but also a gag gift. The gag always gets the most action.
Mary
Handmade gifts are absolutely precious. They mean so much more to me than store bought ones. Most of my shopping is done and while I didn't get to hand make much, I did put a lot of thought and research into each gift to make it very personal.
I LOVE handmade gifts! It's so cool that you can sew, knit, crochet, and bake. Good for you. :) My mom is giving me a crocheted afghan for Christmas--I couldn't be more delighted! I do think the commercial parts of Christmas is getting way out of hand, as you said. The gifts are spendy, but kinda meaningless heartwise.
This year our (rather large)family has decided to spend more time with each other and less time opening presents and towards that everyone has been ordered to bring one and only one gift for a Yankee swap. And I for one am very happy to comply because I think Christmas should be about spending time with the people you care about and not about stuff. And I love homemade presents!
My children were encouraged to make gifts from an early age. They are both talented. I don't know where they get it from because I don't have a creative bone in my body :-)
Hello, friend.
I love to bake. I plan on handing out a lot of food items this holiday. More importantly, I'm looking forward to the handmade gifts my mom has been putting together for our big Christmas together in Utah.
The kids are crafting gifts for the grandparents and you are right, hand made gifts are the best.
Happy holidays!
you know, I think that's nice! And I bet your handmade gifts are very well done and exquisite, so it's not like you're giving away macaroni stars or anything... LOL! I think it's a wonderful idea in a time when everyone has everything~ <3
Back in the "old days", when I was a kid/teen with minimal pocket money to spend on Christmas gifts, I used to make A LOT of gifts (plus I always enjoyed being creative). Now that I have more money and far less time, I don't do as many handmade gifts. So my story is pretty much EXACTLY like yours! But in order to make all my gifts this Christmas season, I would have had to start planning a while ago... so most people are going to get bought gifts again. But I fully support your creative Christmas goal!
Just dropped in to say thanks for always having been my friend, Roland
Geez! I used to hand-make all of my gifts. The last time was a family thing where we all agreed to make the gifts because we wanted the kids to appreciate the gift for what it should be- gifts of love not just about stuff. Unfortunately no one else participated and my nephews were very unhappy with the homemade block puzzle I worked for hours on. Since then, I put lots of thought into presents but no homemade ones- it's just not worth the heartache when they're not appreciated.
I appreciate gifts from the heart. I'm not participating in christmas this year because I just don't see why I have to spend ton of money only to get deeper into debt.
My family is planning get togethers with lots of food and laughter. We all live so far apart its enough just to be together now and then.
On a lighter note; I think my cooking would kill my family :)
Have a great week Michael.
........dhole
I love this post - this is what Christmas is all about for me too.
Often my family have decided to only do handmade gifts - and they still cover every inch of our wall space and shelves today.
This is what I'm trying to do a bit with SantaFest too - a little creation, made with love for a bloggy friend :)
You're an inspiration
Lxxx
Michael, just wanted you to know I've missed your regular postings.
A few years ago - well, probably more like 7 or 8) - my husband and I did a bunch of homemade gifts for family. It was fun, and well-received, and we still see some of them displayed when we visit.
I hope you're having a good December. Sorry we haven't connected lately!
erica
Homemade all the way or as much as I can.
Those are the best gifts! I made everyone an abstract portrait for Xmas one year... It was fun! Now I don't have time to create gifts. But they're always the best!
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