Homemade Gifts are from the Heart
If you're like most people, every month there is at least one
occasion that calls for a gift. It may be a birthday, an
anniversary, or one of the many "official" holidays - such as
Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, or Christmas - when gifts are
expected and given. In a year's time, you and your family
members most likely give several dozen gifts. It's not a stretch
to think that, after awhile, gift giving puts a strain on both
your imagination and your pocketbook.
Honestly, after you've given personal electronics, DVDs, video
games, small appliances, and other types of gifts, you well of
ideas may run dry. Then you might move on to gift certificates,
which will get you through several more rounds of gift-giving
occasions. But after that, where do you turn?
It may be time to go back to basics and to think about creating
your own gifts. Homemade gifts come from the heart, and your
recipient will appreciate the time you've spent planning and
creating a unique gift. Homemade gifts do take time, but they
often cost less than gifts purchased from a store - particularly
if you are able to buy the components at wholesale prices.
Even though I'm not particularly talented in the realm of arts
and crafts, I've managed to create - or orchestrate the creation
of - several types of homemade gifts. Of the "homemade" gifts
I've given, I think my sisters have most treasured the
photographs of our parents. I searched through old family
albums, and selected meaningful photos of our parents. I've then
gone to the local drugstore and had the photos digitally imaged
and printed. From there, it was simply to purchase frames and
insert the photos.
Working from the same theme, I've also given photos to my
children. Instead of spending lots of money on frames, though,
I've bought frames at wholesale prices and decorated them using
my glue gun and craft supplies. I thought of the frame as though
it was a scrapbook page, and attached small items that are
related to the photo. One wall of my son's room is filled with
photos of the people and places that are meaningful to him, all
in frames that are decorated. On his birthday, he always looks
forward to the framed photo that he knows awaits him.
Homemade gifts are also great for kids to make. Painted glass,
for example, is easy to do and will be treasured by grandma for
years to come. All it takes to make a painted glass vase, for
example, is some tempera paint mixed with glue, and clear glaze
to seal the paint once it's dry. Homemade jewelry is also a
great gift, particularly when you can buy beads and other
supplies wholesale. Likewise, it's easy to make or personalize
toys - particularly those made from wood.
As my son always says, gifts made with love are unique treasures.