Friday, June 19, 2009

I Have an Idea!

I had an epiphany this afternoon. Here we are, about six months out until the holidays. I decided to get a jump on Christmas and start making Christmas presents early. For the past 2 years, I have been making homemade candy for presents, and now that I know how to crochet, family presents will have something extra in them as well.

So here is my idea. Let's all have a handmade Christmas this year. No, I'm not just being cheap. Don't you get stressed out, doing last-minute Christmas shopping, or worrying about what to get someone for that perfect gift?

(I have a friend, and to keep her anonymous, I will call her Vendy. I have known Vendy, and her whole family, including parents, stepparents, siblins, in-laws, etc, since about 1997. Every year, Wendy....oops, I mean Vendy pours her heart out into her Christmas shopping. I mean, she actually buys presents that make sense, that I think her family will like. And every year, her family doesn't like the present, and they end up exchanging it. And it goes both ways. Vendy will tell me about how she had to go return all her presents too. This happens every year, and I actually get stressed just hearing about it. )

The best presents are handmade. Bottom line. I mean, I might not treasure a DVD for the rest of my life, but if MY MOTHER WOULD MAKE ME A SINGLE PAIR OF REALLY COOL MULTICOLORED MITTENS, I would treasure them. And yes, go ahead and put the idiot string on them too, Sal.

So, let's all exchange handmade gifts this year. Knit something (SAL), write something, paint something, craft something, bake something. Don't know how to do anything? Well, you have six months to learn. If you still can't make something, then re-gift something. No, not that calculator that you got in the office gift exchange last year, but maybe a nice purse that doesn't go with anything that you own, or a bracelet or hat that you never wear.

I swear I am not just being cheap.

What do you guys think?

5 comments:

Ben August said...

I also think you should post pics of your crochet projects. I want to see your skillz and then declare mine to be superior.

Anonymous said...

I love this idea, Erin. How about adding re-gifting to the list also? We can do this with all the adults on the list and just get a little something-something for the kids. I have lots of stuff that I can re-gift. My grandma did that for years.

yo mama

Erin, Austin, Amelia, Colin, and Aidan said...

Yes, absolutely re-gifting for each other. I actually did mention that in my post. But you were probably not paying attention. You never do when you talk to me.

Erin, Austin, Amelia, Colin, and Aidan said...

To Ben August's mommy:

I accept the challenge and will post pics. Of course that will ruin everybody's Merreh Crimuh, since they will then see what they are getting, but that's okay, right?

Anonymous said...

AWESOME IDEA!

Sandra Mae