The best: DIY Practical Christmas Gifts
Most of our practical Christmas Gifts posts last week were things you can “buy” either at a store or online. Ready to go, and ready to gift. Just “wrap and roll!”
But we feel some of the best gifts you can give to anyone are things you built or made yourself.
Something about putting the time (other than driving to the store or clicking a few buttons) and especially the effort into creating something that didn’t exist before has more meaning.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- A gift certificate for home-baked goods. Could be anything. Cakes, dinners, soups. You name it. A “certificate” for one home-made meal or dish a month is a fun way to spread joy in someone’s life. Especially if they’re not good at cooking!
- A babysitting voucher. If any of your friends or family have young kids at home – free time is a valuable commodity. And while babysitters are a dime a dozen these days – they do cost money. Plus you get to raid their fridge when the couple is out! Win-win!
- Build something. Anything! Thanks to the goog-brain and interwebs – you can find plans to build almost anything online. Or even head to the old-fashioned bookstore. Something you built yourself just has much more meaning. And not made in China either! (Maybe HSF can tell the story about his cool handmade toys?)
- Fruity decorative things. Not my bag of chips, but there are millions of “girly” things one can make by hand. All sorts of decorations, picture frames, pieces of art, etc.
It’d be nice to see the handmade revolution come back again. But with so many self-absorbed people who are spoiled by “easy” milling around, it’s not looking good.
Are you up to that challenge?
What is a good book to give as a gift for my office party?
Unintended Consequences, if you can find enough affordable copies.
https://www.accuratepress.net
Bastiat – The Law
Short, sweet and so straight forward even a liberal can understand it.
The Creature From Jekyll Island.
Ordered it today.
The Problem with Socialism by Thomas DiLorenzo
Last year I spent a few days building and painting a custom day bed for our bonus room. Kreg jig may be the best effin thing ever invented for amateur woodworkers. Everyone likes the thing so much they want me to build ones for them too. Ugh.
I agree DIY is the best present you can give, or receive. Eldest has said he will strip, sand and re-paint upstairs hall and bathroom, middle has continued in a wild baking spree making goodies for family, friends, occasional friends and has started on the dog treats, youngest has worked on crafting wreaths and other Christmas decorations.
All done with love – all received with love and appreciated for years.
We need to get Stucky to summarize “Atlas Shrugged.”Probably the best book about freedom ever written but it is too long for most people and the so-so morals turn off many people.
Can you do it by Xmas Eve Stuck?