POLL: Store-Bought or Home Made?
#227226 - 11/25/05 10:23 AM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Tell me something, Guys -- if you had a choice between receiving a store-bought gift or a home-made gift, which would you prefer?
I'm an old broad, and times have certainly changed, but there was a time when home-made gifts were the ONLY thing to receive; they were special, they meant a lot. Now, however, I don't think that's the case anymore. At least you never see folks making things and giving them away; proof of that is all the mobs at the malls.
So which is it? Which would you prefer?
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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time and love goes into the gift no matter what it is.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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I would SO much rather get something handmade. I have a tiny wish list on Amazon for the family members who are really at a loss (or who, like my brothers, insist that they *can't* hand-make anything), but 'most everyone who knows me knows that I want handmade goodies over anything else. My mother just told me a couple days ago that she's almost done with something for me, and I'm all giddy now - I can't wait to see what it is! She knit me an incredible Celtic knotwork sweater 2 years ago, it's one of my most treasured possessions. Seriously!
And I, for one, will NEVER be a part of the mob at the mall ever again. For the past 3 years, I'd say about 95% of the gifts I give are handmade items. (The rest are bought online throughout the year, and some are even re-done secondhand items or antiques.) If they don't like 'em, tough dookie. They're more than welcome to give the gifts back, and I'll pass them on to someone who will be more appreciative. So there!   
Edited to add.... I'm not knocking anyone who shops at the mall. I know a lot of people, some of my family included, who make a huge tradition out of running off to the mall on Black Friday. I think I worked retail enough years, though, that I'm completely burned out on it. I seriously have set foot in a shopping mall ONE TIME in the past year!
Edited by atomic rose (11/25/05 11:16 AM)
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Some homemade gifts are fabulous, some are awful! I do love homemade gifts from kids no matter what they are -- it's really touching to me that they care enough to want to make me something. And I love stuff like scrapbooks. I think the biggest thing that gets me about homemade gifts are that they reflect what the giver wants to give, not what the giver thinks I want to receive. Like, so, if you're going to spend hours and hours making this great quilt, why are you making it in violent shades of magenta, purple, and lime-green when you know that my favorite colors are muted pastels? Or, if you make me soap or bath salts, weren't you paying attention the last 7 years when I'm constantly whining about how my skin is so sensitive that nearly all bath products give me rashes? Or, I know that for some reason you get a kick out of covering dead wreaths in gold spray paint, but have you noticed that I have NO DEAD WREATHS in my house? Or, that heartening plaque you carefully painted with friendly geese and the legend "Welcome To My Home" may be all sweet and country-esque, but haven't you noticed that everything in my house is all modern chrome and glass?
I mean, I'm not saying everything above actually applies to me (I hate chrome and glass (and friendly geese)), but honestly, I just don't think it's right to expect someone to love a homemade gift just because you spent three hours on it instead of $30.
And, yes, store-bought gifts can suck just as much as homemade gifts. It's not how much time or money you spend -- it really is the thought that counts. And the thought is whether or not you're making the effort to find out what the other person really wants.
I have a feeling that this sounds very grinchy. I don't mean it that way. Or maybe I do. I haven't gone Christmas shopping yet and the only thing I know for sure is that my sister will be getting cash.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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Homemade hands down.
Couple of years back, I didn't have enough money to buy everyone gifts, so I ventured out (in the idiocly brave/stupid move on Black Friday) to get some fleece at sale prices at the fabric store, and made double layer fleece no-sew throws for everyone. Since most of the people who got them were old and rather cold natured, they LOVED 'em.
Last year, those who we could get to after christmas (big snowy storm here), got homemade Baklava (one of my specialties). Some got cookies.
I love making things for people becuase I think it shows more thought, and that you would take as much time to make something as you would hunting through the mongol hordes at shopping centers. Sadly, I just don't have the time to make all that stuff now (pesky management job). I may start something next year where some lucky person gets a nice crocheted afghan, but that kinda thing takes me a whole year to work on.
Hey! I could give doilies this year. I have a metric ton of the damn things at home. That's my fidgeting. Crocheting doilies. 
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Jonna, IBS-D
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... and say store bought. For this year, anyway. There is a lot of stuff that I NEED that I can't afford to buy for myself and that can't be home made. Like, I don't have any good pots or pans. I need knives, as I have none. The other thing I am asking for is a magazine subscription because I love, love, love home magazines and I spent too much buying them at the newstand.
For me, the other problem is that nobody I know is really into homemade so if I asked for home-made I might end up with macaroni art, hee hee! Just kidding.
Actually, my mom has started learning to crochet and she has been making everyone else these hats so I expect to get at least one homemade gift.
I am completely incapable of doing anything artsy, so I am pretty pathetic at making things.
I do disagree that presents you buy for people can't be personal, though. I have gotten lots of presents, and given lots of presents for the good old mall that have been really awesome pressies that were very well received.
Hmm... does cash count as store bought or homemade?  I always get some cash from my grandparents, which is nice but unfortunately always goes to Mr. Visa or Mr. Mastercard or Mr. Car Insurance.
Happy Holidays everybody!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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When J and I got married we were just 1 year out of university and had NOTHING to our names except a futon mattress (no frame) and a couple of desks. We were the easiest people to buy for for a few years because we had NOTHING!!!!! Wedding gifts for us were so easy - just buy anything - we were guaranteed not to have it (or if we did, it was a 30 year old hand-me-down).
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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The gifts I love best are the ones that you can tell someone put some love and thought into their purchase or something they made. For me it is what is behind the gift...not so much the gift.
My grandmothers wish was to make all of us an afghan for our weddings. Her hands gave out a couple of years before I got married...that would have been a treasure for me.
I need to get started on afhgans for my kids...
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Have a blessed day!...Rachel
stable and sooooooo thankful!
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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was a quilt that J's 90 year old Grandmother made us. We picked out the squares and the material, and her nieces sewed it together on the machine, and we all helped quilt it. Everytime I look at it, I think of her loving hands stitching it. We even got some mennonite women to come over for a day to help! They'll do anything for ice cream, God bless them! And they're the best quilters around here. They have quite a reputation. Wonderful people, they are. That quilt is one of my prized posessions. I will NEVER let go of it. I will pass it on to one of my children when I am old.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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It depends on who the giver is, of course!
Considering who I know...storebought is infinitely preferable.
But, actually, Bevrs...I don't really care! Mostly, I just like hanging out with people that I cherish. The gifts are sort of beyond the point. Mostly the holidays are a reason/excuse to enjoy each other.
I avoid malls and just give gift certificates.
Kate.
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