December 2: Gifts

The prettiest ones lurk under the tree

Dressed in the latest style 

Awaiting the morning when children will see

Will open, will glow, will smile

But do not be fooled by the glorious wrapping

Or the price tag, or glittery glow,

The best ones aren't good because of their trappings

The good ones have much more, you know

They come, not in ribbons, or fluffity fluff

But in handholds, in soft, kindly words,

In giving what truly is needed, not stuff

Like the toy of the year, how absurd!

So do not be fooled by the fanciest paper

Or give only stuff you can buy

Reach out and give truly, and be a good neighbor;

The warmth in your heart will show why.

Courtesy of Freestockphotos.com

Made by Hand

Ever notice how a gift made with love and one's own hands means more than one purchased in a store? (Don't even get me started on gift cards.)

For instance, my children's great grandmother sent a bunch of knitted baby afghans for them when they were little, and while pretty much all of the other baby stuff has now been donated, I still have these blankets, and I will likely give them to my kids when they have children of their own. I save cards with handwritten notes in them, even if the notes aren't that brilliant, because the writing is in my friend's or sister's or hubby's hand.

Elementary school teachers understand this, too, and the hand-crafted macaroni gifts my kids bring home are treasured even after they start to lose their macaroni. I know the brushstrokes on that painting are my kids' brushstrokes, and that alone makes the gift worth keeping.

With that in mind, and inspired by my fellow blogger Crafty Green Poet, I'm offering the first five commenters on this blog something handmade by me. Yes, I am currently stuck in a hotel, but once I am safely tucked away in my own home, I'll get to crafting for you, my select five readers/commenters. All I ask is that you offer the same on your own blog--or at least make something of your own for five people, even if you don't have a blog--and that you give the handmade gifts out before the end of the year.

You can't be sure what you will get. Will it be a bright, framed watercolor of a fairy? A dried flower painting? A recording of me on the piano? A pastel drawing of orbs in space? A poem written just for you in calligraphy? Fresh-baked banana bread or chocolate chip cookies? Feel free to name some preferences, and, even better, tell me what you plan to make by hand.

And if you turn out to be a late commenter, just make your post count, and I might still send you something!