Handmade gifts make Christmas presents more meaningful

Judy Tacyn’s family still uses the afghan blankets her grandmother made for her years ago.

“It’s really nice and comforting to have something made by my grandmother,” said Tacyn, a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park. “Gifts from the heart and hands are so much more valuable than anything you can buy in the store.”

An artist herself, Tacyn has gifted her paintings and other works to friends and family throughout her life.

“I remember melting broken crayons to make candles in baby jars,” Tacyn said. “I know my 78-year-old aunt has a smiley face lamp next to her bed that I made in middle school workshop class.”

According to artists and crafters, hand-made Christmas gifts offer many benefits, whether they are baked, painted, sewn or melted. They are unique and mean a lot to both the giver and the receiver.

“You get to a point in life where people have everything,” Tacyn said. “It’s best to create something more personal.”

One of the most sought-after gifts at the annual St. Peter the Apostle Christmas Bazaar at the Country Holiday Bazaar in Libertytown is the homemade vanilla made by church staff.

“A friend of mine shared the recipe,” said Liz Hunter, the church’s accountant. “We’ve been selling it at the general store for probably 10 years now. This year we made 64 bottles.”

In September, employees cut vanilla beans before pouring them into vodka bottles, which are then placed on the rim in a dark room. The bottles are turned weekly by staff for at least a month before being bottled and sealed into individual 2- or 4-ounce amber bottles.

“It’s not very labor intensive and allows employees to participate,” Hunter said. “It’s usually sold out. A mother and a daughter come every year for this.”

Sue Pardo, co-chair of the Belles Craft Show and Fair at St. Mary, Pylesville, has been giving away her crochet items to family and friends for years.

“If I don’t give my nephews-in-law scrubbers (crocheted alternatives to traditional kitchen sponges) for Christmas, I’ll hear about it,” Pardo said with a laugh.

Pardo also donates many of her items, including baby hats, to hospitals and hair ties for Operation Christmas Child boxes. One of her most requested items is her prayer shawls. An elderly woman in her community, Pardo said, owned several of her prayer shawls before she died at age 98. Now the woman’s family members own them.

“It’s so nice to know that someone needs the prayers and comfort of a prayer shawl,” Pardo said.

Handcrafted gifts are often designed with the recipient in mind. When a good friend of hers moved into a new apartment, Tacyn designed a piece that matched the colors and design of the new home.

“I was able to create something specifically for her,” Tacyn said. “It’s nice to know that she enjoys hanging one of my pieces of art in the house.”

Elise Peterson, 12, has been making jewelry from clay, resin, wire, dried flowers and more to give as gifts to family members for several years. She and her cousin Rebecca Morgan, 14, who makes crocheted animals, are now making items to sell at the St. John the Evangelist December Advent Market in Severna Park.

“I feel like people enjoy it more when it’s handmade. They know I put in the time and effort,” Peterson said. “It has a personal touch.”

Peterson’s mother, Ann Marie Peterson, said it was special to watch her daughter do something she enjoyed. She admires her daughter’s attention to detail and use of different colors.

“It’s always special when she gets affirmation for something she naturally enjoys,” Ann Marie Peterson said.

Ideas for homemade gifts

Individual photo calendar: Create a personalized calendar of family photos using an online photo service.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix: Layer dry cookie or hot chocolate ingredients in a mason jar. Decorate the jar with a festive ribbon and include instructions for use.

Knitted or crocheted scarf: If you have knitting or crocheting skills, sew a scarf in the recipient’s favorite color.

Recipe book with family favorites: Put together a small book of favorite family recipes.

Hand-painted Christmas ornaments: Personalize simple ornaments with names, dates or motifs. Ask the children to decorate them.

Email Katie V. Jones at [email protected].

Copyright © 2024 Catholic Review Media

Press