Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - December 10

Christmas Gifts

What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give? Are there specific gift-giving traditions among your family or ancestors?

Well, this wasn't a difficult task for me! As a child I only wanted two items more than anything else: Barbie and a bike.

I actually had one of the original Barbie  dolls [as well as an original Ken! Barbie's rather handsome boyfriend!]

Barbie from 1959

Ken 1961

I also got one of the very first spider bikes for girls!

[Yes... that's a gear shift on a ridculously small bike! LOL]

Before this, I'd had a huge English Racer.

I do remember one Christmas when I was about 6, asking Santa for PF Flyers, because I wanted to run fast!

As I recall, Santa informed me those were for little boys, and NOT for little girls!

Of course, Mama set me straight. That was simply a department store Santa and I should write the real Santa a letter and ask him for a pair of PF Flyers. Which, of course, he kindly obliged and left under the tree for me to find on Christmas morning! After which, I am certain I ran twice as fast as before!

My family has always been big on giving gifts that were hand crafted. We still are! This year every gift I am giving is hand made! When you consider the time, and love, injected into whatever you make, the gift becomes priceless. My grandma Dreher crocheted and quilted. I have many wonderful pieces that she gave me! Mama crocheted and sewed! [She is unable to do so now, and has made Visa pre-paid cards her gift of choice.] My grandpa Dreher was a master carpenter and he made wonderful gifts of wood. As did my Dad for many years.

My favorite gifts to give are also handmade.

Here's a few I am giving this year...

hand knit cabled wrist warmers

hand crocheted slippers...

hand knit lace wrist warmers....

hand crocheted Irish Rose lace scarf....

...and even the gift bags are hand crafted!

Of all the gifts that I could receive today, something hand crafted by the person giving it to me is more treasured than anything else!

What about you? Do you ever hand craft a gift? Or if not, do you have any gift-giving traditions in your family?