Sunday, November 30, 2008

The spirit of Christmas

As an Atheist, I have been thinking what Christmas is all about for me and my family, and I think it's really all about getting together with your family, spending time with the children and giving people really ace presents.

I love giving presents, and I pride myself in knowing exactly what people will like - I still worry that I didn't, but the look on people's faces when they open my gift is worth the stress if they do.

This year, there are a few children to get gifts for, including my own.  Now I usually give the Aunties and Uncles a jar of homemade jam or chutney with a nice lable featuring the children, but I am always at a loss for what to get for the littlies.  I hesitate to just buy generic plastic toys as they really show no thought, but I don't know the children well enough to get a good shop gift.  Also, what with moving house and everything we are pretty strapped for cash, so I decided to make gifts this year.  Finger puppets for the oldest and youngest, a sock Santa for the middle girl and a toy duck for the middle boy.  They are pretty cool, even if I do say so myself!  I've made similar for my own children over the year, so I reckon they are tried and tested designs.

I was a little worried that homemade gifts might seem a little cheap to some people, but then I read this article: Walmart worked trampled by shoppers and I realised that maybe it was the best idea afterall.

5 comments:

Sarah said...

I'm all for homemade.
It takes so much more time and effort, IMHO!!!
And it honours history, I think, and beauty.

Do we get to see photos of your creations?!?

Unknown said...

I meant to, but then I wrapped them all.

I will take pictures on Christmas day, with happy children in them!

MissPykett said...

hi! Me and boyf agreed to make each other Christmas presents this year.
So I am building him a website for his alter ego. Nobody but him will ever know its there because the domain name is far too random for anyone to stumble on or find through a search engine.
I'm having so much fun and learning lots about websites too as I am a bit of a technophobe!

Making Xmas presents is definitely the best way. Everyone else is getting Oxfam goats, books and pencils, water wells in far flung places etc. I work as a foreign affairs journalist and am determined that if I can't completely get away from the Christmas 'spend, spend, spend' mass hysteria then people are damn well going to get gifts that make a difference in this crazy world.

And, as an agnostic, I too have been wondering what Christmas means to me. My brother is coming up to stay for 10 days so that will be ace. I am working Xmas Day and Boxing Day and every day really apart from Xmas Eve which is a bit pants, but apart from that, well, I don't know - true agnostic style! Happy Christmas everyone x

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

I agree that making gifts where you can is the way to go. In this day and age where time is so precious, spending the time to make some one a gift speaks volumes!
I have made a few this year and I always worry that people won't appreciate the time and effort that goes into them... I was stoked this year when all my home made pressies were very well received. It's given me the impetus to make more in the future!