gift giving

[brittanyherndon]

I usaly give gift cards but I don't have enofe to give one to every one this year so I was thinking of kniting gifts for those I cant afford is it a good or bad idea

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I think it is a great idea.

 

[Bluestars]

I think handmade gifts are great.

 

[C.Ann]

I have always appreciated handmade gifts..

However, if the knitting is going to be too time consuming, check out Oriental Trading online.. There are craft projects (usually sold by the dozen) that you could make for friends and relatives.. Everything from Christmas tree decorations to bookmarks to picture frames and everything in between.. Also very inexpensive!

 

[brittanyherndon]

I have always appreciated handmade gifts..

However, if the knitting is going to be too time consuming, check out Oriental Trading online.. There are craft projects (usually sold by the dozen) that you could make for friends and relatives.. Everything from Christmas tree decorations to bookmarks to picture frames and everything in between.. Also very inexpensive!

I did not even think of that

 

[FireDancer]

I am not really a gift person. For christmas I get something for my nephew and one of my friend's kids that I am very close to. I usually get something for my mom also but that is about it.

I much prefer experiences to things so if I am dating someone, which won't be this Christmas at the rate it's going certain other threads asside, I would rather go somewhere together. One of my friends and I are both pretty active and like to travel so we go take weekend trips and do marathons. Last year we went to Italy and biked Tuscany. I usually date people who either run or bike so that is the kind of thing I would get as a gift; a 3 day weekend somewhere we want to go at the same time as a local marathon. I know I am in the minority on this one, almost everyone I know does not think this is a good idea.

I just think that experiences are much better than things, even as gifts.

 

[Lisa_M]

I think it is a great idea. I'm knitting most of my gifts this year, but wow is it time consuming. I've been working for months and it would have been cheaper to buy gift cards, than all this yarn and I'm trying to knit down my stash too.

If you have a bunch to make, I would focus on small gifts. For example, my co-workers are getting a knitted washcloth with a bar of nice soap made by a small company. Those aren't too time consuming and the total cost with yarn is about $3.75 each.

 

[T16GEM]

If you have a bunch to make, I would focus on small gifts. For example, my co-workers are getting a knitted washcloth with a bar of nice soap made by a small company. Those aren't too time consuming and the total cost with yarn is about $3.75 each.

What type of yarn are you using for the wash cloths?

OP - Sounds like a great idea to me! My Grandma knits a lot and my DS and DD are always wearing her beautiful sweaters and cardigans.

 

[Metro West]

I think handmade gifts are great.

 

[happygirl]

I think it a very wonderful and heartfelt gift

 

[EthansMom]

I think handknit gifts are great. But... be warned, many people who aren't fiber-artists like ourselves, don't appreciate everything that goes into creating beautiful handknit objects. If you aren't already on http://www.ravelry.com, consider joining (free) us there. Lots of wonderful people who knit and crochet and a huge database of patterns (many of them free).

Another option that went over well last year with our family: I gave each adult $2-3 of $1 scratch Lotto tickets. Everyone had great fun seeing if they won any money.

 

[brittanyherndon]

I think handknit gifts are great. But... be warned, many people who aren't fiber-artists like ourselves, don't appreciate everything that goes into creating beautiful handknit objects. If you aren't already on http://www.ravelry.com, consider joining (free) us there. Lots of wonderful people who knit and crochet and a huge database of patterns (many of them free).

Another option that went over well last year with our family: I gave each adult $2-3 of $1 scratch Lotto tickets. Everyone had great fun seeing if they won any money.

actulay I corchet I just did not have aclue how to spell it and kniting and corcheting is basicly the same to me

 

[Darsa]

Oh, ravelry.com is for crocheting too! I crochet a lot, and I'm a member there. There's also Crochet Pattern Central and Crochetville to help give you ideas and inspiration!

It's sad that there are a lot of people out there who can't appreciate the work that goes into a hand-made gift; lots do, but there's always someone who'll look at a gift you worked hard on and you can TELL they think they've been slighted I hope you don't let these kinds of materialistic people ruin it for those with the right attitude about gifts from the heart.

 

[EthansMom]

actulay I corchet I just did not have aclue how to spell it and kniting and corcheting is basicly the same to me

Ravelry is for crocheters too! Please join us there! It's like DISBoards for knitters and crocheters.

 

[ginna74]

great idea

 

[brittanyherndon]

Ravelry is for crocheters too! Please join us there! It's like DISBoards for knitters and crocheters.

I would love to if someone can give me a link

 

[EthansMom]

I would love to if someone can give me a link

It's http://www.ravelry.com. It's in beta so you have to request an invitation to be a member, which takes a couple days to arrive in your email. But it's a great resource! Really nice people there and loads of patterns, advice, yarn swaps, etc...

 

[mmackeymouse]

Okay I am going to bring a different perspective to this, and I know it is going to sound just awful, but here it goes...

A very close friend of our family had a great-aunt Mary. She was in her 90's, obviously did not have disposable income. So, for the last 15-20 years of her life, nearly EVERY single gift they received for every single occasion was something that had been knitted. Having been there when they received many of the gifts, I can tell you, it got to the point where it became a joke. There was always the smirk, the eyeroll, the "Hmmmm what's Aunt Mary giving us this year?" And, inevitably, they always ended up pitched or donated to Goodwill.

And, they told me, quite honestly, that they would much rather she not give them a gift at all than give them something they would never use. They also said, it would mean more to them if she jotted down some old family recipes or have someone make them copies of old family photographs. And surely less time-consuming for her.

Some people are just not fans of knit things, and I am one of those people, as apparantly were my friends. I would sincerely thank the person, and I would appreciate the time put into my gift, but at the end of the day, I would probably end up taking it to Goodwill as well.

If I were you, I think I would maybe look for something else on the cheap or something else that could be handmade (edible perhaps?) that would be more appealing to a wide variety of people.......that's just me.

 

[brittanyherndon]

Okay I am going to bring a different perspective to this, and I know it is going to sound just awful, but here it goes...

A very close friend of our family had a great-aunt Mary. She was in her 90's, obviously did not have disposable income. So, for the last 15-20 years of her life, nearly EVERY single gift they received for every single occasion was something that had been knitted. Having been there when they received many of the gifts, I can tell you, it got to the point where it became a joke. There was always the smirk, the eyeroll, the "Hmmmm what's Aunt Mary giving us this year?" And, inevitably, they always ended up pitched or donated to Goodwill.

And, they told me, quite honestly, that they would much rather she not give them a gift at all than give them something they would never use. They also said, it would mean more to them if she jotted down some old family recipes or have someone make them copies of old family photographs. And surely less time-consuming for her.

Some people are just not fans of knit things, and I am one of those people, as apparantly were my friends. I would sincerely thank the person, and I would appreciate the time put into my gift, but at the end of the day, I would probably end up taking it to Goodwill as well.

If I were you, I think I would maybe look for something else on the cheap or something else that could be handmade (edible perhaps?) that would be more appealing to a wide variety of people.......that's just me.

okay that was some what hurtful becuse I am a full time student therfore I dont have much money

also I think puting my hard working into something for a love one would mean more then spending money on them

are their any other ideas that say I appericat the relationship I have with you

 

[karen l]

Whatever you decide to give is wonderful. You're spending time making a gift & making an effort to let the recipient know that you're thinking of them. I always appreciate it when someone thinks enough of me to give me a gift. Happy Holidays!