Don’t you love Christmas? The snow (here in the north), the festivities… The pressure, the rushing, the crowds, the stress… Hmmm. Not very appealing. For the past several years I’ve stressed my way through the holidays, going into them with a modest budget in mind and a plan for many homemade gifts. Yet every year I come out the other side of Christmas having spent WAY more than I wanted to (and way more than is reasonable) and with only a few of those gifts being made by hand or at home. And at the end of that Christmas, I shake my head, sigh, and say, “NEXT year. Next year I will do it. I have 12 months to do this. I can do this!” And then December rolls around…
THIS year… This year I am going to do this. I am going to sew throughout the year. I am going to start (have already started, in fact), I list of things I want to do or make as I think of them so I can see at a glance what my plans are for each person. This list will not be absolute (plans change as do a giftee’s needs or wants) but at least when I get to October and November I will be able to see what I have and what I still need to do and see a list of crossed off gifts. Who doesn’t love crossing things off a list? Done, done, aaaaand done! Feels good.
The plan is to grab one of the many storage tubs we have (I’m thinking one of the clear ones for more motivation) and add to it as things are finished. I have plans for a robe for Babygirl using the beach cover-up pattern at Dana Made It. I made one for a friend’s little girl this past Christmas but Babygirl’s didn’t get done beyond being cut out. I also have plans for a Half-Dome Hat for He-Man, a Quick Winter Headband (best pictured at Repeat Crafter) and ribbed hand warmers for Tween, and an owl hat for the Belly Bean, who will be around five or six months by then. There will be dumpling bags, a CD wallet scrapbook, handmade soap, and a perpetual calendar journal. Some things like homemade bread and other baking will have to wait until closer to the actual day but the majority of the gifts can be done ahead of time.
And when December 24th rolls around, I will be all set. No stressing over a Christmas Eve all-nighter and a frantic run to the mall.
