stevendebbie25

On another message, someone asks what we're making for Christmas this year. We're all quilters here, and I'm assuming we do projects for Christmas gifts.
This has been a tradition of mine for 30 yrs, "homemade means made with love."

When our son was 12, I didn't sew anything for him that yr., thinking he's probably outgrown moms silly homemade items. Found him crying after gifts, asked why? He got everything he asked for (not rich, just modest & kids knew not to ask much). But he said I didn't love him anymore, I didn't make him anything "homemade with love". That tore my heart out.

When I learned to quilt, I made my first quilt for him, he picked 3 shades of blues, "trip around the world" pattern.
He went off to college, a mission, college/ROTC, then Army, and we lost him 3 yrs ago, age 23. But I'll never forget to make "everyone" something homemade after that. Lessons from a child. Never assume it's not important, it's a gift from your heart.

My own sister on the other hand, I've also always given homemade to her. This particular year, I made 3 quillows for her family & gave 3 cases of homemade jams, salsa, pickles I make. She said I was "too cheep to buy gifts". That hurt, not only does material, canning sugar, etc. cost plenty, but the time & work involved. So I stopped making for her and gave a $50 gift card instead. Years went by, and her older daughter asked why I don't give jams any more..she had to admit she told me they don't like them (she even threw out my canning jam jars, everyone else returns them for me to fill again). So I gave her now adult daughter a case of jams. This year, I'm making quilts, and I have one for her younger daughter & her along with a complete set of kitchen items machine embroidered with grapes (her new decor). Wonder if I'm "cheep" this year. Gotta love them. ByTheWay, she's NOT crafty at all, can't sew on a button either. No wonder she don't appreciate homemade.

My mom got hooked on homemade cards, I used to sell Stampin Up, she's as overboard with these as I am with a fabric stash. We all love her very fancy homemade cards on all holidays.

hannajo

Wow, your son sure was taught what is truly important in life.

DebraK

you don't want to know.

zennia

I think my best memory was when we made our own decorations.
I understand your story about people who dont craft do not understand the thought, time, and love put into homemade gifts.
We even make stockings and gifts for our pets.

greensleeves

We were "money poor" so my Mom made me a rag doll and my brothers each got a store bought toy. My older brother cried and told my mom she didn't love him because he didn't get something she made. I'm sure she made him feel better somehow but I felt superior for quite some time. The other Christmas I remember is when my son was 5 and spent all but 11 cents of his Christmas money on his sisters gifts. He went into the Hallmark shop and told the shopkeeper he wanted to buy a gift for his mom. She asked how much he wanted to spend and she "sold" him an angel ornament for 11 cents. How do I know this, my husband was there watching the transaction. That angel has been on the tree every years for the past 44 years. Isn't life filled with wonder!

tuesy

:lol: I have to laugh as my sons and daughters have said that very same thing to me. I've told them that anyone can go out and buy a present, but to make someone something, comes from the heart.

klgreene

My best memories are when my kids were little. I tried to teach my daughter how to needlepoint. I drew a snowman on a tiny square and proceeded to teach her to needlepoint. She did supper for about 3 rows, then did it her way. She was 3 at the time. I bound it, and it is still on my Christmas tree where I can see it. She's 36 this yr. So it is a very old ornament. My Son who is now going to be 40, found a flat triangle stone when he was 2. drew eyes and a red nose on it. and cut out antlers. It was Rudolph. I have that in a shawdow box still. If my house burned down those would be (after family pictures) the first thing I would try to keep.

quiltinggrandmaca

I am sitting here reading these with tears in my eyes. They are such heartwarming stories. Such precious memories.

stevendebbie25

Ornaments reminds me...after we lost our son, that first year of everything is really hard, so I bought an ornament "Merry Christmas from Heaven now don't shed a tear, I'm spending my Christmas with Jesus this year" And on back had his name & yr (yr he passed), and gave one to his 4 sisters and kept on for myself. Each year now I find a special ornament and give it to the girls & me, "from Christopher", and it's extremely important to them I keep this new tradition going. The ornaments always are extra special, with meaning & engraved with his name on back.
When we lose someone very close, it's nice to create a tradition that keeps them "alive" to us especially on a holiday. Since he's military, we always go to the Memorial Day service at the veterans cemetery, but his birthday also had tradition, since he was very little he always asked his birthday meal to be lasagnia & german chocolate cake, so each of us (4 girls families)make this meal on his birthday to remember him. Each daughter also has a memory shelf in their living rms for their brother's memory, we have a corner curio with all his medals & items of his (watch, class ring, etc)pictures, in our dining rm.

I think "traiditons" are important, we blend them when we marry, but it's nice to create something new to each newly made/born baby, family unit also. We make homemade caramel, my mom makes homemade popcorn balls for everyone, and my tree is almost all homemade ornaments too. Lots of rich traditions mean more than anything received "bought".

StitchinJoy

My best Christmas memory of a gift I received was of a skating rink my dad made for me in our back yard. He cleared out our vegetable patch every year so there was a substantial bare spot in the back corner of the yard.

He took corrugated aluminum that you would usually use for garden edging, poured sand around the outer edges to keep them standing upright, and put a ripped up old pool liner inside it. Then he filled the pond with water. Best gift I ever got.

Dad had been laid off the week after Thanksgiving and we had very little savings. I didn't know that until I was grown up! We were having a conversation about presents and I reminded him of his great gift.