“State of Denial” or “Happy Place”? You Decide

I love giving handmade gifts at the holidays… the sense of satisfaction, the smiles on their faces, the justification for being able to buy new patterns, fabric and yarn all throughout the year with the reasoning that it is for my dear friends Christmas present. Priceless!

It was in college when I discovered that I could make presents for people that they honestly enjoyed receiving. I remember it distinctly. I made a friend a flannel nightgown, complete with inset lace and ruffles. I even had to set in a third sleeve after a major scissors mishap took the life of one sleeve. She was thrilled, in fact, I remember tears of joy, both hers and mine! I learned that day handmade gifts were a very cool thing!

I start collecting ideas for my holiday gift projects early in the year. I check out new patterns, various magazines (past and present), and even make a few trips to the library to see what the many new books have to offer. I sketch out ideas or make notes about what people have said they want, their sock size or their favorite color. This year, I got this crazy idea to really get organized and keep a notebook of all my proposed holiday projects so everything would be in one place. (Maybe this is a carry over from the holiday wishbooks of my childhood!)

I started out with a 1˝-wide binder that I found for all of a 25¢ at a local thrift store. It’s the kind you can slide your own cover inside. It was in great shape all it needed was some personality. I raided my holiday scrapbook papers and came up with a fun cover using a happy mix of some Christmas papers and embellishments, I was well on my way to a well throughout and successful hand made holiday.

I filled the binder with sheet protectors and began filling those with the projects I want to make for all my family and friends. Cross-stitch ornaments, socks and scarves to knit, an assortment of various snowmen patterns for the daughter that lives in Denver, then there were the quilts for mom and my sister-in-law, there was even a section of treasures I wanted to make for myself, things for the tree, the house, something for our mail-lady… oh, I can’t forget the cats!

Suddenly I became very aware that I needed to GET A BIGGER BINDER! Never did it cross my mind that I should limit the number of projects I wanted to make, NO! I merely needed more space to keep all my wonderful ideas—this would ensure that everything got sewn, knit, stitched, and glued in time for the big day.

Now I’m up to a 2.5˝ binder, done up once again with a cute Christmas scene and it is filled with even more holiday joy, creativity, and wonder than the first. I obviously live in a state of handmade gift denial.

The reality of it all is that I will probably get a select number of treasures made, never all that I hope to, but I know that the gifts I do make are made with love and friendship. And isn’t planning half the fun? Plus—there’s always next year.

I better go buy a bigger binder!