The hot toy of the season was going to be mine, even if it meant going to ten different stores, waiting in line at 4 a.m. on "Black Friday," or bidding a lot more than I could afford online. I imagined my daughter opening it up with her face. When she finally opened the toy she had pleaded for all season, it would be a picture-perfect moment. It has now been a year. What was that toy, then? In all honesty, neither she nor I can recall.
Now go back to that identical Christmas. Additionally, I made a pillow with her name on it. I do recall selecting the fabrics with care. When I found the perfect color combinations that would perfectly match her bedroom, I remember feeling so "gitty." I discovered everything that made her room hers! I can still recall the night I put her to bed and dashed to my sewing room, eager to begin my project. I would hope that she would enjoy it equally as much as I enjoyed making it for her. Compared to when she put the "must-have" toy away a few hours later, it was ten times more charming to watch her joy as she opened that present. She was enthralled by the pillow and eagerly inquired, "Mommy! Mommy! Is this something you made for ME?
The "D-I-Y" craze is here, and more and more people are giving handmade gifts to people on their gift-giving lists. So, this holiday season, why not give handmade gifts?
1. It saves money Most of the time, you can make something for less. Of course, there are exceptions, but when you have a holiday budget to stick to, this works well. Chalkboard mats for my nieces and nephews were recently made by me. I managed to make nine of them with just one yard of fabric, am I right? Talk about a great deal! For the purpose of their gift exchange, another friend of mine made purses for each of her girlfriends. Also, I like to make a list of all the people I want to buy gifts for early on and then consider how I can make the same gifts for multiple people, like my favorite teachers. I can buy everything I need at once, arrange my supplies, and jump right into the project. It's like an assembly line. I'm done with something that was not only fun for me to do but also very inexpensive in comparison to shopping in a store before you know it.
2.Because It Can Be Personalized When I make a gift for someone, I always think about what they value most about them. A handmade gift is one way to show how much you care about them. You can put their name on it, remember their favorite colors, or make something sentimental. Gifts made by hand can be very different and one-of-a-kind. I've been so impressed numerous times by people who can make the same project unique for each recipient while maintaining consistency. You can make the ideal present for the right person by giving something that has been knit, sewn, painted, glued, or sewn together.
3. It Has the Potential to Be Treasured I still have a blanket that my grandmother crocheted for me when I was a child. Seeing this brings to mind her devotion to our family and her love for us. While she was making it, I can only imagine how excited she must have been. I don't think I ever expressed my gratitude to the fullest extent when that gift was given, looking back. That may be the case frequently. However, when I think back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the hours that must have gone into creating something so extraordinary.
Do I still shop at stores to buy gifts for my friends and family? I do, of course. Despite the fact that making handmade gifts requires more time, I believe that giving handmade gifts brings both the giver and the receiver great joy.