Carolyn Has, the advice columnist for the Washington Post, had a discussion recently about handmade gifts versus expensive store bought items. This little article summaries what she and others said.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/carolyn-hax-handmade-gift-trumps-mass-produced-stuff/2014/10/10/5fff094e-4802-11e4-891d-713f052086a0_story.html
We all love giving handmade gifts. How do you feel about receiving them?
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 12, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.
3 comments:
I LOVE receiving handmade gifts, but seldom do. I especially treasure the things my grandson has made. His handprint in plaster, spray-painted gold was particularly special & displayed on my coffee table. A member of my family, who sees herself as the pinnacle of taste, and discarded this keepsake of his precious 2 y/o self as "tacky junk".
I love to give handmade gifts as well, & hope that they will be appreciated, used, & handed down someday. Like Carolyn, I crochet or knit a blanket for every new baby in my circle of family & friends. Once, I was shamed into putting the lovely pale yellow pineapple afghan I had crocheted behind & beneath all of the other (storebought) gifts because the Person of Good Taste ridiculed me as being "too cheap to buy a gift like everyone else". Well, the yarn wasn't free (OR cheap), and the 3 weeks I put in it making it should have counted for something.
I'm extremely selective in who receives a piece of my needlepoint. The expense of materials & investment in time & finishing makes it too dear to chance on just anybody. My 9 y/o grandson (who needlepoints as well) eagerly awaits his special ornament every year. It's carefully chosen to reflect his interests & stitched in secret. He makes a game of trying to catch me at work on it. He "gets it" & is worthy.
I totally am into the thoughtful, wonderful homemade gifts. The daughter with little kids at home made me the most awesome Christmas cross stitch sweatshirt. The sister, who took a class in flower arranging so she could help with flowers for my daughter's and friends weddings, made me a ceramic squirrel couple kissing! I was floored when I opened the packages. I also have great talented friends. And yes, I make quite a few goodies also.
I'm glad you both love handmade gifts, too. Folks who don't have magic hands have no clue as to the time and love put into handmade items, not to mention the expense. Only those who make gifts can truly appreciate handmade gifts done for them.
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