Crunch Time

It's "crunch-time" in the fabric world for holiday season. This crunch time for most holiday shoppers is between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not for us! We have to have the time to spend concocting an idea for the perfect gift for our loved ones AND the time to make it. I am at least this year acknowledging this "crunch time" and hoping I will go beyond the planning stage.

I realized yesterday in my youth class, that 3 of my students have already started making Christmas presents for their family. I got a deep sense of falling behind as I drove home last night. I have one student who is whipping up cosmetic bags for her mom and step-mom, and another who left class with a bag for her mom last night. Another came running up to me when she got there telling me that her sister wants a bag just like the one she had just made. Of course her sister has no idea that my student has already started making the bag for a gift. Their excitement about giving is phenomenal, but their dedication to spend the time to make their gifts is even more impressive.

I have read numerous articles in the newspaper and online this week about home-made gifts. Of course the major theme of them is to be thrifty, which I completely disagree with. As I have mentioned earlier, time is not priceless. Making gifts takes up an astronomical amount of time, and those who are not seamstresses or crafters sometimes don't understand this. I think every gift I give has an extra value. Not necessarily a dollar value but a different kind of value. A value that represents love and appreciation for the person who is receiving the gift.

I spoke with a customer today, who last year made so many purses that I can't remember the number to give as gifts, and she told me again today that she never wants to buy a gift again. It made me realize that maybe it isn't important if the gift receiver knows about the dedication put into the gift. I mean aren't gifts all about the giving of them?

During this year's "crunch-time" I really am going to dedicate some time to the gifts that will be so wonderful to give to the ones I love and appreciate the most. This is at least the first step in the process.