This festive season, I've made a pledge to myself. Intent on imbuing a little extra love into everything I do (even the most mundane of tasks), I'm aiming to handcraft the majority of gifts for my nearest 'n' dearest.
Whatever time of year it may be – I don't believe these kinds of gestures oughta be limited to allocated calendar boxes – the act of giving sweet, petite tokens to those I know best has always been preferable to being bestowed with presents myself. Not that they go without gratitude, of course, but I just happen to take way more pleasure in the process of gifting others with well-thought-out momentos and (hopefully) seeing them appreciated too.
Above: It's Brogues "no bad days" bags, filled with cheer-me-up quotes + inspiration.
That being said, carving out the time to create is in itself a bit of a s(elf)ish act; making things – usually without purpose – is my ultimate mode of relaxation and "me" time. So the fact that this personal Christmas commitment actually bears some kinda altruistic motive is just an added bonus!
There's also the additional price perk, since the dominant expenditure is time. Stocking up on basic materials – namely canvas bags, paperwares, pens, pretty tape and unnecessary-but-cute items like heart-shaped hole punches – indeed requires initial investment, but the amount of £/€/$ spent really is minimal compared to the crazed consumerism so characteristic of the festive season.
Of course, part and parcel (ha) of a gift, handmade or not, is also the presentation. I like to take a bit of a holistic approach to my gift givin'; although a quaint idea not to judge a present by its wrapping, it's equally charming to give the gift-wrap a little TLC too. All in all, this – I hope – makes for a one-of-a-kind, highly personal bundle of Christmas contributions that sprinkle some cheer and stand the test of time (at least more so than those novelty socks/multiple body washes/chocolate selection boxes).
Above: It's Brogues "no bad days" bags, filled with cheer-me-up quotes + inspiration.
That being said, carving out the time to create is in itself a bit of a s(elf)ish act; making things – usually without purpose – is my ultimate mode of relaxation and "me" time. So the fact that this personal Christmas commitment actually bears some kinda altruistic motive is just an added bonus!
There's also the additional price perk, since the dominant expenditure is time. Stocking up on basic materials – namely canvas bags, paperwares, pens, pretty tape and unnecessary-but-cute items like heart-shaped hole punches – indeed requires initial investment, but the amount of £/€/$ spent really is minimal compared to the crazed consumerism so characteristic of the festive season.
Of course, part and parcel (ha) of a gift, handmade or not, is also the presentation. I like to take a bit of a holistic approach to my gift givin'; although a quaint idea not to judge a present by its wrapping, it's equally charming to give the gift-wrap a little TLC too. All in all, this – I hope – makes for a one-of-a-kind, highly personal bundle of Christmas contributions that sprinkle some cheer and stand the test of time (at least more so than those novelty socks/multiple body washes/chocolate selection boxes).
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