The Do's and Dont's of Handmade Gifts.
"Every year, as the holiday season approaches, my thoughts turn to gift giving... This got me thinking about the hows and whys and the dos and don'ts of giving handmade gifts. Why do people give handmade gifts in the first place? Does the giver have different expectations of the recipient when the gift is handmade? Are these handcrafted gifts appreciated by the receiver, or do they somehow add an extra burden or level of obligation that might not be appreciated?"
Read the entire article here on the Cloth Paper Scissors blog.
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Have you ever given and/or received a handmade gift? Share your thoughts in the comments about your experience.
9 comments:
I only buy gifts for one person on my Christmas list, because that person has NO idea what time and energy it takes to create something for them. Therefore, that person gets a gift that I purchased, which they can regift if they so choose, because I didn't care about it when I bought it.
I make gifts for others, though. The hard part is coming up with something new and unique each year to give. I don't want to give an art quiltlet every year, nor do I want to give something made with wood and encaustic.
I appreciate the article you wrote and agree with you whole heartedly, I think you have to know the person you are gifting and what you truly believe s/he will appreciate.
I loved reading your article, it really did make me smile Seth, because it is all so true! I do love to receive handmade gifts because I appreciate the time and effort that goes into them but, as you say, not everyone appreciates it and so I only give to those friends and family who I know will appreciate them (and that includes handmade Christmas and Birthday cards. I did have an old Auntie who would give me back a gift that I had given her the year before - it was so funny! This year my family are getting handmade leather journals, so I really do hope they like them! Anne x
I once gave a handmade, pottery, wall hanging gift, to my brother for Christmas, which took me ages to make and was happy with how it turned out. I was very hurt when he laughed at it. I never saw it on the wall. When I asked him about it a few years later, he just said,oh it got broken. That was the first and last time I gave anyone a handmade gift.
Art friends get handmade gifts. Our art group does Christmas where the one rule is it has to be handmade. I've learned through the years which non art or family to buy for or make something for. Not everyone gets the effort. I find it's not worth the effort to give to those who don't get it. I think I said before that my grandmother always appreciated something handmade because she knew the person that made it was thinking of you the entire time. She "got it."
A really great article! Seth . You have highlighted so many valid points that I for one have considered when making and giving a gift. I also have the problem of not deeming my work to be good enough to be given as a gift so often hold back from doing so when it could very well be that the recipient would actually love to have a piece of my art but I guess that's a whole different conversation about 'confidence' issues.
In an 'ideal world' I would much prefer to gift handcrafted products that have been made with love and given with love .
Thanks for taking the time to write and share your thoughts - much appreciated x
I've given handmade to my parents and sister because my parents make things, they understand, they give homemade occasionally and my sister requests occasionally. They get it and are interested. My most precious gifts are ones I've received, handmade from my parents. I don't give them to my husband's family as they don't show any interest, even when they have come along (maybe once?) to a fair I've been doing they have looked more at other people's work, or even just come over, said hi and left.
Hi Seth, I read this in the magazine a while back and it is a very thoughtful piece. I have a friend who originally trained as an art teacher though spent her working life teaching Physical Education would you believe, just a bit different. Any way she keeps saying that I should give some of my pieces as gifts because many of them just get stored away and never see the light of day. Maybe she will get one but I just know that not everyone will be as enthusiastic to receive them as she is. Have a great creative weekend, Angela x
When embroidery and crochet were my dominant craft, people received handmade gifts from me. And family got (machine)knitted clothing for some Occasions. Now I do "mixed media" and I rarely give that away, because people don't "get" what I'm doing, especially as it usually has a dark theme
Have to say, I would much prefer a handmade gift, knowing that someone took the time to make something for me!
Jackie ")
ps...if you need my address let me know- hint hint wink wink heehee
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