A handmade Christmas

There are those who will tell you that if you want an old-fashioned handmade Christmas, that you should start making stuff in, say, June or July. People, that is not how I roll. Today is December 2, so that means, pretty soon I have to start thinking about all those wonderful handmade items that I am going to create for all my friends and family members. 

I am thinking that several of the gals would love handknitted cashmere sweaters, so luxurious. Unfortunately, I have not mastered the purl stitch, also I am not very good at following knitting patterns, so that isn’t going to happen. I will, however, let each one of the ladies know that I thought they would like a handknitted cashmere sweater, and that’s almost as good as actually knitting for them.

The men all like their gadgets. I thought I might get some solar charging thingys and some led lights and make signs that spell out their names in lights, and it would also be cool if there was a little keyboard so that they could type in messages and then the lights would spell out the messages. Again, can’t do it. But I did think of it. Same thing. 

The kids are the most fun of all. Don’t they all love stuffed animals and doll clothes? I have several sewing machines and yards and yards of fabrics, so this one would be a snap to pull off. Unfortunately, I am just not in the mood for stuffed animal sewing. Those stuffed animals really only come alive when they are imbued with the joy of creation, and so there is really no point in making them if I’m not in the mood. You will notice how much I thought about this, though. 

I have lots of good ideas for the chickens and the dogs and the tortoises. But the tortoises are all hibernating until Spring, the chickens are, well, chickens, and the dogs are spoiled every day and they won’t know it’s Christmas unless I tell them, anyway.

I love the idea of a really meaningful gingerbread house, like the year I made a gingerbread adobe house because we had visited Santa Fe, New Mexico that year. This year I thought it would be fun to make a gingerbread trailer with an old Chevy on blocks in front. But I told Rick after making the adobe house that if he ever saw me with gingerbread and red and green icing in my possession that he was to shoot me and put me out of my misery before I could execute a house. So, not going to happen. 

Cookies are nice. I always have this mental picture of me in a cute Christmassy apron, turning out scores of gaily decorated cookies while listening to Christmas music and being filled with the spirit of the season. Not gonna happen.

I will continue to think up grand ways to have a good old-fashioned handmade Christmas, even if you get a late start, and I promise to share it all with you.

You’re welcome.