Just beautiful!

I sit here with tears in my eyes -- your glorious post ringing so so true! And more -- as I sit here typing, my feet are swathed with my MOTHER"S hand-crocheted slippers ... pairs of which I beg for annually - wear until they are threadbare -- and hold as tight to my heart as any family heirloom. In fact, I have set aside a pair of these warm woolies to 'save' as heirlooms -- no wearing! LOL

My dear daughter's strawberry shortcake doll has met the same fate as yours -- as has the cabbage patch dolls, the remote control cars (my son's) - and now that my children have children of their own, the one thing they told me they value most of all -- the journals I've kept over the years - those paper-worn, angst-filled pages that made/make up my life. I'm so grateful to be living long enough to see their focus change for the things they truly value .... traditions, small heirlooms, family recipes, time-worn traditions (as much as they may complain about doing them! LOL). Thank you for reminding me again how important these little things are!

Grandma quilts.. We use one my partner's grandmother made for her in 1976. It must've taken so long to make. You can't get that at Walmart! ;p

Hi...I was directed here through Janet's blog...and this has such simplicity, such truth. I enjoyed reading.

Hi Keri,

What a wonderful post that brings me back to my childhood, too. It looks like there is a universal truth that in those days we all had a lot less commercial stuff and a lot more homemade presents with thought and love put into them.

I am reminded of ... making gifts for my relatives pretty much every year, like drawings (for my parents), crochet calendars (grandmother), knitted scarfs (grandfather) and whatever else we came up with during art class that year. On the receiving end I remember one year my mom gave me a teddy bear who had his arm half torn off. She told me that he was a very special bear who had been hurt and needed to be with a very special girl to make him well again. I so totally believed that story and this bear became my all-time favourite companion. When I got older my mom told me that she was so poor she could only ever afford discounted items that were damaged, but she still wanted us to have what other kids were getting, too.

Even today I still love making things for Christmas, like photobooks for my parents, framed photos from my collection for my friends, and my husband will get the first knitted scarf I've made in decades!

Thanks for a lovely post. Kerstin

Great entry... Thank you for a lovely post.

Wonderful post! Thank you for sharing your memories. I grew up at the coast of northern scandinavia. Homemade, sewn, knitted, crocheted gift were the usual thing as stores were far away, and the selection in them poor. I recieved a lot of knitted jackets, sweaters, mitts and socks up through my childhood. Then later I recieved crocheted tablecloths, embroidered pillows etc. Although storebought presents could be more exciting, I really appreciated that someone would actually make something just for me. About 15 years ago I was newly divorced with 3 little kids, unemployed and downright poor. And I was aunt for a bunch of kids whom I wanted to give something nice for christmas. So I knitted caps, mitts and scarves for each one of them, from scraps of wool yarn that I collected from family and friends. Back then I felt so bad because I couldn't afford to buy new yarn. The fun thing is that these colorful things still exist and aren't thrown away, even long after those kids grew out of them:)

I love the way you articulated this story... absolutely lovely. I felt like I was watching an old childhood home-movie in my mind... you know, the kind with no sound, the film color faded with age, the kids in flannel nightgowns or feety pajamas...

Your writing draws pictures.
Thank you.

I just loved this post.

I grew up in Canada - with all of our relatives 2,000 miles away in Texas. So we waited so expectantly every year for the boxes to arrive with the handmade pajamas, dresses and shirts from one Grandmother and the fudge, dateloaf and divinity from the other - as if that box was the true incarnation of Santa Claus. We did not have much money, I have since learned, but we felt like Christmas was bountiful with these gifts from the hands of our beloved Grandmothers.

I love this post! I have several quilts that my mother has made and one that she finished that my grandma started using all her wonderful fabric scraps. They really are a history in fabric of my life! I, too got the wonderful wool slippers knit by my grandma every year for christmas...she even knitted double soles so that they would last until next christmas. Oh how we loved "sliding" on the kitchen floor in them. Sometimes I think that it is not until you grow into adulthood that you appreciate all that goes into creating handmade gifts. I would give anything for a pair of my grandma's wool slippers now! And like you, I would even settle for the pattern! jackie

yes , yes , yes!

was wondering if you'd be interested in using your work for some letterpress cards. free samples given.

This is so touching and true. My family is crafty and the gifts I treasure most each year are the handmade ones. ♥

Thank you! I needed this!

I ran around Target over the weekend throwing things into my cart without really thinking. Just focusing on the fact that I need to fill those stockings. It is embaressing. The next morning I returned everything. Got out my knitting needles and sewing kit. Baked some cookies and prepared jars of hot cocoa mix. I too remember most clearly, and most fondly the things my mom made over the holidays - not the things she bought.

thank you keri!
i grew up in a very familiar setting, my grandmother would make us all flannel pajamas, and they were all so cherished, at the time too. years later, whenever any of the grandkids got married, they received a quilt, usually made of scraps of different things from the years...so this past year when it was my turn, i got to pick out my quilt, and one was made from all the flannel scraps! i sat there with the quilt spread on the floor, remembering my cousins in their flannel pj's (we always all put them on christmas eve...) which ones were mine, how worn my brother's treasured cowboy one became....it was my last memory of time with my grandmother before she passed away.
and then once married, i got to tell my husband all about my family christmas while we were cuddled up in the quilt that told the story....
thanks for telling your story and reminding me again of so many christmas memories.....

Kerri--I love this post.

I'm in the same boat as Rachael. My parents are immigrants to the U.S. and initially believed that all things bought were a better way to celebrate. But every once in awhile, a cookie-making spree would burst out and the malformed dinosaur was endearing enough to be baked (my mom was a perfectionist). Those are my fondest memories, and they happened naturally.

I hope to start my own traditions along the lines of handmade--it's an interesting process, winnowing out those who appreciate such things and those who don't and what adjustments we make to accomodate (or not).

note: I used your 100 ideas .pdf as part of a gift. I printed it on cardstock, cut the squares out and placed in an envelope along with a journal and some other games for a friend. It was a big hit! Thank you!

I really appreciate your sharing of memories of Christmases past, although I have to say I cannot relate. I grew up in a family where Christmas was celebrated with a sickening amount of store bought gifts. My brother and I weren't spoiled children except for this one day of the year. And I am embarrassed to admit it, but these are some of the fondest memories I have. I did however figure out why my parents went 'overboard' every year. Christmas was a particularly difficult time of the year for them being so many miles away from their families and friends, so I think they would mask their sadness with gifts galore and big smiles on their children’s faces. Now since I am older I can see how silly it all was, but it worked nonetheless.

wow...i had no idea you were originally from newfoundland...i am from an island relatively close to that...i actually had no idea that you were canadian even...
and i have totally fallen in love with the idea of handmade christmas gifts...
:)

Very sweet. I'm a bit weepy over this, you know? I didn't pull off much in the way of handmade gifts this Christmas, partly because I'm not always sure as to how well they are received, but you've inspired me for next year.

Great post. I love the idea of handmade gifts. In fact, a few years ago I made patchwork blankets for each of my siblings, my husband, who was my best friend at the time and my mom. The remark you made about there being a life to objects made by hand stongly resonates with me. This year I am making half of my gifts. I just finished a dragon costume for my nephew, who has just discovered the world of make believe.

Hi Keri,

It's funny I was having a conversation over the phone today with my 92 year old Grandmother, I was telling her that I wished people would exchange only hand made gifts over the holidays, she agreed. Sadly in today's world those kinds of gifts seem so under appreciated. People are busy living the hurried up life to work more, so they can buy more of the things (brand named items) thinking they are the staples of happiness. I still have the bean filled frog she made me when I was 6 and treasure it very much... Merry Christmas Keri :-)

This was such a beautiful and wonderful post Keri. It brought me back to my childhood days of recieving crochet booties (slippers) and my crochet E.T. that I have given to my daughter. We should all be blessed to have such wonderful and creative people we love in our life. Those are the true presents of life and the thought that goes with these handmade treasures is priceless. I have many quilts and afaghans(sp) now from my Grandmother that are worth more than gold to me. And I love each and every one.

That was a beautiful post. My most favourite gifts are always handmade, and they are also my favourite to give.