I usually make gifts for people for christmas because a)it keeps me busy and b) I think it means more. However, my relations have decided that they do not like scarves, blankets, stuffed animals, table cloths, dish towels and everything else I make and have been dropping hints about what store-bought items would be better for whom (mainly parents commenting about children).
Usually, my home-made Christmas drive usually starts in July and ends around Thanksgiving. I think about what colors people like and things they want, need, or could use that I can make and set about making all of them. I also pair these home-made gifts with a small store-bought item, but nothing over $15. I HAVE A LARGE FAMILY and buying something more than $15 for everyone just isn't possible. I wish we'd do a gift exchange where everyone spends $25-$30 on one person and that's that, but this is always shot-down when I say something.
So, after a few ingrateful comments about last Christmas, I didn't do anything this summer to get ready for Christmas. People forget that yarn is not alwyas cheap and the time placed into making a gift should also be factored into the "cost" of the item. Sure, I didn't get anyone an Ipod for Christmas, but the items I made weren't $5 when one thinks about all the work involved too.
I was hurt by the comments and really pondered what to do this year. After some thought, I came up with the idea to make baby blankets and donate them to a local charity in the names of the people who didn't like getting homemade stuff from me. I was going to give them a card with a picture of the blanket and some info on the charity instead of a gift. I thought this was a good idea but someone close to me told me that my idea was petty and mean and I should just give the ingrates a gift card or something.
7 comments:
Are you really that needy? There does come a time when you say, WTF, this Christmas will be only my immediate family and screw the rest.
You are NOT obliged to give anyone a gift, ever, for any occasion. Gift-giving is a gesture of kindness on your part, not an obligation.
I personally think your charitable idea is magnificent. If it were me, I'd be thrilled to think that a baby or sick child got a blankie in my name. And let it be their last chance--if they bitch about that, then just don't give them any more gifts. Problem solved!
(Another thought is just to announce that you are only going to be giving gifts to the children from now on, and don't give anything at all to those rude adults. Or perhaps give a general whole family gift to each family, like a board game or movie rental and some microwave popcorn or a batch of cookies.)
I agree with both Gail & Verb. I especially like only giving gifts to the kids.
I'd announce it around Thanksgiving time though with, "we've decided to only give gifts to the kids in the family. Christmas means a lot of them so with a limited budget we feel this is best." If someone bitches and moans tell them, "Good God. Don't bitch and moan about CHRISTMAS! You come off looking like Scrooge!" Then just walk away. Don't feed into their shit.
For my inlaw Christmas, we give gifts to the kids under 18 and then have a white elephant gift exchange for the adults. The liquor and lottery tickets go over big. The Irish Catholics know how to celebrate.
dropping hints for christmas gifts in august is just wrong!
if i were you i wouldn't make one more thing for any of the ingrates! they get nothing!
i loved my scarf. ;)
I love the idea of giving a blanket or other similar item to a charity in their name. A couple of years ago when my nephew was ungrateful for the Christmas gifts, that's plural, I gave him, I told him that he would not be receiving a birthday gift that year because of his ungratefulness. Instead I made a donation to Heifer International in his name for his birthday.
If you have the time and the yarn, I'd say go for it! It will be a lucky group of babies that receive a blankie made with love by Jilly!
I think it's a fabulous idea to give blankets to a charity. One year my older brother donated to a women's shelter in each of our names and I loved it.
That is in NO WAY mean or petty. I think it's an awesome idea. I think the people who are dropping hints are ungrateful pigs.
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