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Giving the gift of love

Writer's picture: Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)Rebecca (a yarn enthusiast)

Back in 2015, I wrote a blog post on my other site about my Christmas memories from childhood. In that post I shared that I remember few, if any, specific toys or gifts, but that I do remember the room full of people that loved me and my sister, and the warmth of my grandparents' home, as well as the care and attention to making it special. I also noted that most of the people that sat in that formal sitting room where the tree was located, have passed on. The only ones left are my sister and I, and our parents, who are in their 80's.


Too soon we left that idyllic setting and moved on into lives as teens, young adults, and eventually wives and mothers. Today, as a grandmother, I cannot look at Christmas gifting without recalling that lesson from when I was quite young. To that end, I have attempted to weave some of that wisdom into my gift-giving with my own grandchildren.


Crocheted bee plushy toy (small), made with Lionbrand Hometown yarn in yellow, black and white.
Crocheted bumblebee

In addition to coordinating gift-giving with their parents from their "list for Santa" (for the toddlers/younger ones) or with them (for the young adults), I also add some small thing that cannot be purchased online, or in a store.


From my own experience, chronicled in an earlier blog post about the blanket my grandmother crocheted for me before I left home to join the US Navy; I know the potential power of something made with love and gifted - especially down the road when life generally gets more complicated.


My gifts take on different forms, depending on the age of the child. The Bumblebee picture above was made to accompany 2 books about bees for my 3-year-old granddaughter. It fills her 3-year-old hands to hold, and she was delighted when she pulled it out of the box., and said "Look Mommy - a BEE!"


In addition to the bee and books, I purchased her some clothing (she's a bit of a fashionista) and a couple coloring books, also accompanied by something I made just for her.


Her parents are busy, working adults so they eat out more than we did as kids, and many restaurants will bring kids 2 or 3 crayons to keep them busy. I never thought 2 or 3 colors was enough to keep even an adult entertained while waiting for food, so I made a crayon roll so she could take an entire 16-crayon selection in her "go-bag".



Now, I am well aware that the excitement of a mass-marketed "toy-of-the-year" will dwarf any excitement that crayons in fabric or a yarn-generated Bee can generate. That's OK, because I'm not going for the short-term gift impact. I understand - and participate in/support - getting kids the things they have seen in the stores/on TV, and want. My gifts are intended for a longer term mission, and I know that it may be YEARS, or even DECADES, before the simple gifts I have crafted in love are appreciated for what they represent.


For older grandchildren, this can be a bit more challenging, but my oldest granddaughter crochets, so in the spirit of fabric rolls, I made her a crochet roll.


This roll holds 18 crochet hooks with some variance for different sizes. It was as well-received as the crocheted bee and my heart was full beyond measure for the ability to not only give something that I made specially for them, but to know that these little gifts carry with them more than the utility of them as a gift or item to use: they carry the message that they are loved, and cared for deeply.


Often we are well into adulthood before we fully comprehend what it took for Mom and Dad to make the holidays special, or to know what it means for someone with a busy career and adult responsibilities to sit down and make something like a crocheted full-sized blanket. As we mature into those understandings, we begin to appreciate the FULL meaning of gifts like these, often long after the gift was given, and sometimes, even after that person has crossed the veil.


I would be remiss in my giddiness around these gifts if I did not also mention that gifts from the heart should not be handmade just because that's what we like or want to do. For my grandson, my gift from the heart spoke to his love of music and his choice of that as a career. Although not crocheted, knitted or sewn - the gifts I chose for him carry with them the same messages of love and support. Still,, when he finally settles in on the college he wants to attend, I will be knitting a scarf in that school's colors for him to wear in the winter as he trudges across campus. And yes, I'm already searching patterns to find one that a college age man would wear on a cold and wintry day.


As we come to the end of 2024, and look to the New Year, my sister and I will be doubling down on our efforts to buy LESS, recycle and reuse MORE, and use materials already in our fabric and yarn STASHES. After all, an intentional pivot away from mindless shopping and acquisition aligns more closely with making things with love, and giving them with the intention of passing on a tangible reminder that someone is, indeed, a cherished member of our family and very much loved.


Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays!

 

(C) 2024 Stitch 'n Dish



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