Hand Made Gifts a No No?
Twice now since the holiday season has started I've found lists of gift giving
no-no advice. One was on the radio, and the other in a periodical publication
I was reading. On each list there were the standard things. You know, don't
buy the wife a blender, don't buy your mother-in-law a dieting book, etc etc.
What struck me as odd though is that both lists said to not give anyone a hand
made gift (unless they were your wife or husband). The logic presented was that it will make the receiver of the gift
feel as if they didn't put enough effort into the gift they just simply bought
for you instead of giving a portion of their life and free time as you have
done. So, when the heck did gift giving become a competition? What's the
preoccupation with equality in gifts? Why not just give what you can afford and
accept what others give graciously? So, you bought someone a $10 book and they
bought you an Ipod? WHO CARES?! Did they love the book? Was it something
they asked for? Then the value is in the feeling it invokes in the receiver
and not in the monetary value of the gift itself. The same goes for hand made
gifts. Gifts made by hand, in my eyes, are a great honor and I always feel
grateful when I get one because I know the giver thought enough of me to give
of themselves. Does that diminish the store bought item I got them? Not in
the least.
Perhaps it is because I once used to leather craft. I'd make hand carved
leather articles often and give them to friends and relatives. Things like a
purse for my wife, and various belts, wallets, key chains, checkbook covers, etc for others. And
none of them ever seemed uncomfortable. And every one that I've given them to
still uses them to this day (or have worn them out). Did they make me
anything? No, and they didn't care if they did or not.
So, if you have a skill to make things and the time to do it go for it and make
someone something. I can think of few better ways to give of yourself in your
gifts.