Making things

I was reading the newspaper this morning. There was a letter in one of the advice columns that caught my eye. The letter was from a daughter who said that one year, her father said that he had received enough Christmas presents in a lifetime. If someone wanted to give him a gift, they had to make him something. It could be anything. She said that he had received anything from art to magnets to an opera starring him. Now that her father has passed on, she said she realized how much his gift request had added to their holidays.

I think this is a wonderful idea. I know that I would never be able to get my husband or BILs to participate in it. I read the letter to DH and his response was I can't make things, you make things. But the point is that everyone can make or do something. If you aren't a crafty or creative person, you could go repair something for someone. Just put some thought into it and you can come up with something.

I was talking via email to a friend on how to handle presents from children to parents and children to siblings. Right now I take them shopping and buy a present for them to give. Or I just buy something, wrap it and put their name on it. It kind of misses the point I think.

Since I can't get the adults to participate in making things, maybe I can start with the kids. They can make something, write a poem, draw a picture, be creative. Maybe it will stick and become a wonderful family tradition. I can hope.