Gearing up for homemade gifts
Last Christmas, we gave gifts that included both store-bought and homemade items — crabapple candy (including fruit from our own tree), spiced apple syrup, cinnamon apple wedges, and dolls that I designed and sewed. This year I intend to do the same and it’s not too early to get started.
I don’t have many ideas yet, though. I may finish some cute amigurumi-style mice that I started crocheting last year, then add on some Christmas details so they can be used as decorations. We’ll have crabapples and cheap peaches and apples again if I want to do some canning. I should have lavender and basil from the garden; those might be useful for homemade hand cream or soap. I can pull out the sewing machine to make stuffed presents or pretty accessories for my young nieces.
The goal is to give everyone something they will use and enjoy. This is also a creative outlet for me, and an opportunity to spend more time than money. If I start when I have extra time in summer, the holiday season will be a lot more relaxed, too.
