Christmas is only 43 DAYS away ....

and do YOU have your list ready? Have you started the frantic search online or in stores for the perfect gift?

Well, take a seat, a big sip of tea and RELAX, I have a suggestion for you...

Have you ever thought that you (and your kids, too) could MAKE the gifts this year? That's what we're "fixin'" to do.

If you've been reading this blog, you've seen that I'm teaching my littles how to knit -- yep, even the youngest, BamBam will soon know the pleasures of creating something from fiber. Our goal is to make little things for the family -- scarves for the big guys, potholders/hot pads for mom and granmere, caps and toy-clothes. These are NOT hard to do and can be quite fun. But homemade gifts are so much more than fun.

I remember when I was little and mom or dad would say the classic "it's not the gift, but the thought that counts". Right!

Now, as a mom, I know this is true: gifts made by people (especially by kids) are so much more special than yet another skirt or top from the store. The time the kids spend to choose colors and yarns, to create something, is time spent LOVING the person getting the gift. It's time away from playing Xbox or Legos, from watching a video or playing outside. It's time spent on the person -- so much more priceless than buying a present.

I too am going to make gifts this year. I have ordered the yarn for a beautiful sweater for my dh -- a sweater that I'll have to knit in secret so he won't know. I did this last year -- I made a gorgeous, charcoal grey (he hates bright colors) vest with silver buttons. I hid the knitting from him. I had it almost done two days ahead of schedule ... then the other shoe dropped: I had made a major mistake on the front!

So rip, rip, rip and re-knit as fast as possible to present him with the finished gift on Christmas morning. And it fit and looked great. Then I washed it....Then it shrunk....now it almost fits LegoManiac. But, it truly is "the thought that counts". My dh loved that vest and all the sweaters, hats, and scarves I've made him. Dh loves them because he knows that every stitch is stitched with love ... that every row shows him just how much I care for him. And everytime he wears something that I've made, he knows that it's the knitted-in love that is keeping him warm.

So, I'll be making gifts this year -- not just knitting, but homemade goodies (caramel popcorn, fudge, cookies) too. I'll have my children help. They'll be making their own gifts as well as helping with the "from the family" gifts.

And those of our family and friends who are lucky enough to get a handmade gift or homemade goodie from us will know just how much we love them. And that's priceless!

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Just as an aside:

With Granmere living with us now, she and I buy LOTS of the Christmas Craft magazines -- and believe me, there are lots! The best, by far, this season is Martha Stewart's Holiday Handmade Gifts -- it's got very few ads, lots of great ideas, and many of the ideas seem do-able with the kids. Stewart really does a great job of explaining and illustrating just exactly what she would have you do!

And since we're on the subject of MS, her crafts page on her website is LOADED with fun and crafty things to do. You go girl!