Christmas is Just Needle Away

This year I promised myself I would knit/crochet at least half of my families gifts. This crazy idea began when for the hundreth time I realized how ridiculous our family tradition is. I'm not talking about the tree, not the reading of the Christmas story or any other of the family togetherness activities. I'm talking about the fact that every single one of us gives a gift (or two or twenty) to every single other person and we still have stockings which almost everyone contributes to.

This list is quite long, 16 to 20 depending on if we have relatives in from out of town or extra girl/boyfriends. No one is under the age of 16, and none of us are in dire need of anything we couldn't purchase for ourselves.

My suggestions are several:

• Set a limit of $20 per person;
• Draw names;
• Do stockings only;
• Don't do gifts at all, instead give to a family in the church who is in need.

My grandmother acts as if I have suggested we all run around naked with body paint on every time I argue against the gift bonanza.

Now, in case you think I am exaggerating, let me tell you about the first Christmas my husband spent with the family. We drove down from Columbia to Springfield to spend the day with them. I packed everyone's gifts in a huge laundry basket that was much too big for the cargo. He looked at me like I was crazy and suggested we just carry them by hand since they weren't that bulky or heavy. "Trust me," I said, "You will thank me when it is time to go home." Sure enough, we not only filled the laundry basket with our gifts, but we also filled the rest of the trunk and back seat of the car. We were grateful for the generosity, but at the same time, I felt guilty (and still do) that so much money was spent on things we don't really need.

I don't go home for Christmas to see what kind of booty I can bring back. I go home to see my family and spend some time in their company. I don't need a single wrapped package to make it worth the trip.

So, this year I am fighting back by trying to start my own tradition -- Handmade Gifts. If everyone only gave things they made by hand (or at least by half), we would have meaningful keepsakes in the place of the 110th rooster kitchen towel set or commemerative Coca-Cola glass.