The Crafter’s Survival Guide: Gift Giving Season
Spooky season has arrived, and you know what that means - it’s time to start thinking about Christmas (and Hannukah)!
I’m kidding… kind of. Now is the time to enjoy the start of autumn and the slightly cooler weather (as someone who does not enjoy the heat, this is my favourite season), to go for walks in the colourful forests as the leaves change, to wind down with the hectic summer garden work, to grab some pumpkins and get carving, maybe even to do some cozy baking filled with warming spices. Despite stores starting to put out their Christmas wares, the Hallmark Christmas movies (which I unabashedly love) starting to trickle out, and hints of Christmas music appearing, there is still plenty to do and enjoy before Christmas hits us full tilt.
Yet, as much as I want to savour all there is before we’re into the depths of super short days and frigid temperatures, for those of us who like to make handmade Christmas gifts, now (or even back a month or two.. If you’re better at not procrastinating) is the time to start working on those. It seems crazy, but I’ve left my giftmaking too late in the past, and I can tell you that it loses the joy when you’re stressed for time and having to work through your body telling you to stop being hunched over a loom like a goblin.
In order to make the handmade gift season as enjoyable as possible, start the process earlier than you think you should (you’ll not regret having the gifts finished ahead of time if you started too early, then you just get to sit back and watch everyone else scramble). If you’re maybe feeling a bit behind or overwhelmed, it’s all good! We’ve all been there. So let’s go through this step by step.
Step 1: The very first thing to do is make a list of everyone you need or want to give gifts to. This will probably feel like an insurmountable number of people (at least it does for me because I constantly want to give gifts to people who are even peripherally in my life), and that’s ok because we’re moving onto step 2.
Step 2: Cull your list. Did you put your coworkers on that list even though you don’t know them very well or no one else at your work gives gifts? Then off the list they go. Your sister’s best friend’s sister who you met once at a gathering but she said she liked the towels you made for your sister last year? Get outta there. If you’re not ready to ruthlessly strike people from the list (I’m notorious for this), make multiple lists. A ‘not a question definitely must get a gift’ list. A ‘I really want to make this person a gift but it’s not the end of the world if I don’t’ list. A ‘it could be nice but also maybe could be awkward if I give this person a gift’ list. A ‘if there’s extra time and I have some leftover materials’ list. And so on and so forth until you’re satisfied.
Step 3: Decide who gets something handmade. I’ll be honest with you, this one is still something I struggle with. I personally love making and receiving handmade things. I think the thought and effort is such a beautiful aspect of the gift. But I am learning that not everyone wants or appreciates handmade things, and that’s ok. So go through your list(s) and consider who would truly appreciate something handmade. There’s no reason for you to put all your energy into something that won’t be appreciated, plus it feels pretty terrible when you’ve gone to all the effort and the recipient has a less than enthusiastic reaction. So remind yourself that just because you can handmake gifts doesn’t mean you should
Step 4: Brainstorm gift ideas. If you’ve got a lot of people you’re trying to make things for, try to choose items you can make in bulk, or that you can make quickly. This doesn’t make the handmade gift any less beautiful or thoughtful, but it will save you your sanity. Things like candles, soaps, some sewing projects, or weaving tea towels are classics. There are plenty of options out there - you decide what you’ve got time and energy for. I tend to try to stick with things that are either useful or small, and usually steer away from art (unless I’m absolutely certain the person will love the art and it will fit their aesthetic). My aesthetic doesn’t always match someone else’s, so I figure if it’s something small and useful, even if they don’t want to display it, it’s still a net positive in their life.
Step 5: Set yourself a rough schedule. Don’t get too bogged down in this step, we all know that life happens and plans go out the window. This step is just to help you find your most ideal way to spread out the workload into a manageable form.
Step 6: It’s time for the fun part - actually making the things! Throw on music, audiobooks, podcasts, a show, or just work in silence if that’s your jam, and get creating! Have fun with it - gather together other crafty friends and make a party out of it, try some new techniques, maybe even experiment a bit. You’re doing the thing you love to do, and because you started early enough you’re not stressed about the timing!
Now that you’ve got a plan, enjoy the autumn and all the fun parts of the spooky season, but make sure you get a head start on the gift giving season so it can be nice and relaxed this year. So get cozy with some hot chocolate or mulled wine, put on a Hallmark Christmas movie (don’t worry if you have to look at what you’re doing, those movies are all essentially the exact same) and happy crafting!
Flavoured salts are a great gift option (it’s a bonus if the flavouring comes from your own garden)
