Happy Fourth Day of Stitchmas! Today, I want to talk about a really special tradition in my house at Christmas time.
A few years ago, my husband and I grew tired of our children submitting their wish lists (read as gift orders) and sitting back to wait for them to be fulfilled on Dec. 25. Our solution was to create a handmade gift exchange for Christmas Eve. This exchange has been our best parenting idea so far. The kids have turned their focus on the joy of giving and most especially, giving handmade. We think about it all year and the kids have tried out new skills in anticipation of deciding on their gift idea. We have all started to really look forward to seeing what each person makes. It tends to be that we each make multiples of one item, making family sets of the same thoughtful items. One year, my middle son polled us each on our favorite animal and drew us portraits of that favorite (I received a well illustrated pencil drawing of an alpaca). I made quillows the first year and those are the most used items that I have ever made for the whole bunch of them.
Last year, I was making Nooodlehead's Cargo Duffle for each of us. In the past, we try to take one driving getaway a month to destress and I wanted us to be able to pack for these weekends in style. Well, I ran out of time and had to come up with a quick replacement handmade item. (I found lovely wooden boxes that I personalized with paint and stencils, presenting them as memory boxes for our future travels.) I am glad that I didn't finish these duffles, since we have been able to travel to just about no where this year.
With high hopes for 2021, I am going to complete these bags (which I am well on my way through) and present them for this year's handmade gift exchange.
What are you making for your loved ones? Any special traditions that you look forward to each December?
With love, Anne
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