Christmas in July: Planning for the Holidays
So I don’t know about you, but I have definitely had those years where January rolls around and I set out with the best of intentions to make a handmade gift for everyone, telling myself I had plenty of time to get everything done, but by the time July hits I have maybe one project done and am seriously starting to pare down the list of who is getting a handmade gift. Then December 1st rolls around… and insanity reigns! It took years for me to develop a system where I could finish 13 giftable projects in a year and have them ready to go without the usual December panic. The good part is I can share everything I have learned with you to help you avoid the last minute hysteria!
The first tip is to seriously put thought into whom you are gifting a handmade project. We all have family and friends we love but who don’t understand the amount of work that goes into making a quilt, sweater, travel bag etc. Do you really want to spend a month or more making something by hand for someone like that and have it end up in a closet or worse, regifted? I always feel these are the folks for whom some thoughtful shopping works best, which frees up more time for other projects. Another thing to consider is when is the best time to give something to the people you are considering. For example, I frequently make quilts for my niece and nephews that I give on their birthdays. Why? Because they know every other birthday each will get a new quilt (usually in a larger size and suited to a new interest); this makes the gift special and individual to the recipient AND spreads out when I need to have them finished. Do you have anyone on your list that might enjoy this pattern of giving?
Second tip, choose your project(s) wisely. Frequently, the years I did the best when making handmade gifts was when I made some variation of the same project for everyone. The year after I learned to knit socks everyone in my family got handknit socks (it meant knitting a pair a month) which let me practice and meant I could easily plan my time. Another project that this worked well with were quilted Christmas Stockings- once again there is room to personalize them, but largely it means creating the same project over and over, and after the first two you have a good idea of exactly how much time it takes to complete each one. This brings us back to the idea that you want the gift you are making to be beautiful and useful, so for some a quilt might be perfect, but for others maybe it is a new set of family stockings to hang by the tree, or a really sturdy all purpose bag. (Another great small project that I like for tweens through adults is a small zippered bag. It’s a great way to see how someone feels about a handmade project, can be very practical and is perfect for holding a gift card, which will be appreciated by those in high school, college, or in student loan debt, like the majority of my generation!)
Third tip, pick the most appropriate time to actually give your gift. You have decided who to make gifts for, and what to make for each individual but there is more to the conversation that can greatly affect your planning. First thing to think about is when the person will be using your creation, and giving it in time to be used this year. For example, making new Christmas stockings is a wonderful gift, but if the recipients receive them on Christmas Day or later it will be almost a year before they can actually hang them. Anything Christmas- themed that you want used this year should be given around the end of November, beginning of December (for Americans, Thanksgiving tends to be a good benchmark). Second is to think about when you will be seeing the person; it may mean your due date for completion needs to be moved up or in some cases it is helpful and moves back your due date (always nice when this happens!). If you need to mail your gift to far-away friends and family, October may not be soon enough (with current shipping issues)…
So after reading all of this you're probably thinking ” let’s skip the handmade gifts this year and try again next year.” But don’t be discouraged, there are still a solid five months for making projects, and with a little planning you can get a lot done. This is what I recommend for 2022 handmade gifting:
Make a list of everyone who needs a gift.
Go through that list and cross out anyone that you think won’t appreciate the work it takes to create a gift, while starring those who you think would really appreciate it.
For those who are left, decide if a gift for Christmas is best or if it would be better to switch to a birthday, an anniversary, another holiday etc.
Now that you have worked down to a solid list of Christmas gift recipients, jot down a couple of ideas of what you can make for each person. Remember, you don’t have to limit yourself to quilts, consider bags, pillows, and more.
Check your list- is there a common project running throughout? If there is, or if you can find a gift theme everyone would enjoy, that would be the best project to go with this year; you can personalize the gift for each person and easily plan your time. You can also work with the two or three most common projects as needed.
Plan your time realistically- the hardest part of all! I typically say to myself “oh, and can make that in a couple of hours” and then find I have been ridiculously optimistic. My rule of thumb now is that I estimate how long I think a project will take and then I double my estimate and add an hour. Trust me, that is a more accurate estimate, one that I have learned the hard way! Once you have an idea of how long each project will take you can start planning the creation into your everyday schedule, and all of a sudden all of this creating and making becomes a lot less overwhelming and a lot more doable.
All of this sounds good, but what happens if you plan out your time and there is just no way you can finish everything? Well I have a few alternative ideas for that as well. We often think of the finished quilt, bag or other item as the gift, but in fact spending time with you, the maker, can be part of the gift, many times the best part. If you live in a different part of the country from your nieces and nephews, grandchildren or whoever it may be and don’t get to see them that often, this can be a wonderful opportunity to connect and spend time on a project together, especially if you will be together over Thanksgiving or Christmas (but don’t discount Facetime or Zoom for those far-away loved ones; we have all become very proficient these past two years…) Before the holiday you can work online to select a quilt pattern or bag pattern (that you feel comfortable making and that the recipient really loves;) you may be surprised about what pattern catches their eye. Then over the holidays, when you are in the same location (or online!) you can plan a trip to the local fabric store to pick out fabric for the project together. You as the maker can be there to offer tips on material (cotton weight versus flannel, providing a little more contrast, etc) while the gift recipient can choose colors and patterns they love. The quilt itself can then be made in the new year and either gifted the next time you see each other or mailed out. I really love this idea when working on a gift for children through teens because it allows them to share interests and subtly involves them in the process.
So after all this helpful advice, I would love to hear from you and see what you are making for the holidays, or help with answers to any questions you have about planning for holiday projects. You can catch me on Instagram @createdesignmake365 - I can’t wait to see what you are creating! And whatever you end up making, just remember it may not be your favorite pattern or colors and it may not be “perfect”, but as long as the recipient loves it you made the right choice.
Until next time,
Siobhan
