The title of this blog comes from a headline I saw in my Facebook feed. It was an article encouraging people to make rather than buy their Christmas gifts.

Now, I love to make things, you know that. Every year, I give a few gifts that are handmade. Nut handmade gifts are not a panacea for all that ails Christmas.

1) Handmade isn't necessarily cheaper. Crafts require supplies and supplies cost money (unless you get everything you use by upcycling throwaways). Some craft supplies are very expensive. A skein of high quality yarn can have an eye-popping price. And you might need 10 or more of them to knit that sweater. It can actually cost less to buy a quality sweater. And that's without assigning a value to the time spent.

2) Speaking of time, not everyone has the time or skill to make gifts. They shouldn't feel that their gifts don't have "heart."

3) Handmade doesn't mean not clutter. It's great if you make someone something that they love and use. One of my standard handmade gifts is a selection of the fruits and vegetables I canned during the year. I know they are eaten as the empty jars return to me for re-use. But if I crochet a silk and angora infinity scarf for someone who doesn't wear scarves, I've wasted a lot of time and money to add to someone's clutter.

Whether you make it or buy it, the heart comes from the thought and care you put into it. Let's keep the focus where it matters!