By Sherrie Mackelprang

Butterflies danced in my stomach as I poked bite after bite of Corn Flakes into my mouth. It was Christmas morning and Santa had already paid our house a visit. Across the room, a new doll smiled in a pale green dress. She was mine, but I had to eat my cereal before I could put my hands on her. At last, I was released from the breakfast table. I reveled in the Christmas splendor.

That year was 1979 and a tough one on my parents. Money was scarce, and the budget was stretched as thin as paper. Christmas, somehow, had still arrived with all its traditional majesty. Later in my life, I learned that my doll had been purchased for pennies from a thrift store. She had been well loved by a previous owner. With careful cleaning and a new homemade dress, made out of scraps, she became the doll of my dreams. It was a wonderful year for me. The secret to the happiness of that Christmas was not in the dollar figure spent, but it was in the love that was given.

As an adult I have tried and tried to recreate the magic of that year. I scour the aisles of stores. I search through brightly colored newspaper ads. I listen as the television describes various gadgets and toys. I begin my shopping early, hoping to avoid the holiday crunch. Stress and anxiety, however, too often take over as I search for perfect gifts.
Frustration replaces joy. I find myself wishing for the season to end so that life may resume its normal pulse.

Then one year we decided to give homemade gifts. The feeling of the season shifted from anxious to exciting. The secretive fun of creating, without being detected, energized the days before the gifts were to be exchanged. Creativity flourished. When packages were opened, a vast array of unique gifts were displayed. Hearts were touched and Christmas was magical.

Any heart, and any budget, can enjoy the warmth of homemade Christmas gifts. To spend time thinking, planning, and designing a special item for another person is an act of love.
Joy is found not only in the giving of that gift but also in the creating. That love can be
transferred upon the receiver. Just like the love of parents that spilled onto their daughter as she played with a doll dressed in green.

Painting, sewing, and cooking often come to mind as the only options for making homemade gifts. Although sewing a quilt, painting a portrait, or baking hundreds of treats are divine, they are just the tip of an iceberg of endless possibilities. Homemade gifts can be as varied and unique as their givers. Some great home-crafted gift ideas that I have seen include things like making a scrapbook. Finished scrapbook pages that can be added to a photo album are treasured gifts. Enlarging and framing beloved old pictures of ancestors or of favorite special occasions can be very meaningful. Another idea is to compile a recipe book full of family favorites. Each recipe could be illustrated with a snap shot of a family member. Making fleece blankets is easy and fun. The blanket edges can be clipped and knotted into a frilly fringe. Carefully beaded necklaces or bracelets make fun gifts to wear. Fleece pajama pants can be sewn and make a great lounging present.
Fabric bags can be stitched to hold Ziploc bags of no-bake cookie mix. Attach instructions and a label of “Reindeer Poop” to each bag. More intricate gifts could include hand crafted doll furniture or a spectacularly welded plant holder. Creativity is the only needed tool for a wonderful homemade present.

Handcrafted presents take more time and energy than simply purchasing something from the store. Yet time invested in thought and creativity for another yields its own rewards.
Joy and love swell in the true spirit of the season. The love that is given in your homemade gift is returned from the heart of the receiver. That is the heart of Christmas.