Gift Giving

One huge anxiety with the holidays for me is gift giving. Are you as fussed about it?

I worry whether each gift is nice enough, whether the recipient will like it, whether I’m giving equally (especially a concern with family). Once the packages are open, I analyze. Did they really like it? Will they actually use it/wear it? Were they just being polite.

Sometimes I think all of this stress is because I make many of the gifts I give. I have to balance what I want to spend my time doing with what I think the intended recipient will like. But I’ve found I react much the same way with purchased gifts or, as is often the case these days, giving things that I have collected over the years. I hold my breath until the packages are opened.

Now that the holidays are over, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Whatever the outcome, it’s done. I think this year was pretty successful. I think I made good choices (although I’d really love to hear from my nephews to know what they think, since the snow prevented them from making it to the gathering).

The red washcloth was a gift to my sister who wanted one knit tighter than usual. I used the usual pattern and cotton yarn, but went down a couple of needle sizes and knit most of the rows through the back loop. It worked and the cloth is much firmer than the usual. I couldn't show it before because she'd know it was for her. Most of my other handmade gifts for this Christmas have appeared on here at one time or another: the felted entrelac bags, the 1970s chatelaine, beaded crystal pendants from last spring...

Exhale and Relax