This year I decided for a couple of reasons that I would do my best to make gift giving special.  I'm not sure if others feel this over-commercialism of the holiday.  I do especially when I see all the sales for items so so cheap that it makes me wonder exactly what it costs to make these items - you know t-shirts, shoes, electronics, games, etc.  And the over-abundance of these items in the stores only means an over-abundance of items in people's houses.  And which means half of this stuff will be in garage sales this summer. 

So when it came time to start thinking about gift giving, I really wanted to do something from the heart, something handmade.  Yes, this is taking up a HUGE amount of my time.  We are talking late nights, ignored children for an hour or two on the weekends, lots of trips to the thrift and craft stores for supplies.  But I think in the end the receivers of my gifts will appreciate these more than a gift card, or something that they would never use. 

What are you doing for gift-giving this year?

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After the holiday, when everyone has received their gifts I will post everything I made.