Sunday December 20th Holiday Gift Giving

With Christmas almost upon us, now is the time for panic to set in about those last few gifts to purchase and the unexpected gifts for people who somehow fell off the original list. Are you feeling the pressure? While walking around the mall recently, I was noticing how most people had far fewer parcels and loads of purchases than what I would expect for this time of year. This reminder of the difficult economic year we’ve had started me thinking of the solution I used in order to make the holidays merry for everyone on my list while sticking to a budget. The answer was simple: home-made gifts. You don’t have to be a crafter to pull this off, just be creative. Here are some suggestions from the shelves of the Thunder Bay Public Library. Whether you are the type to plan out gift making strategies ahead of time, or wait until the last minute to throw something together, hopefully the following suggestions will provide some inspiration.

For those of you who are crafters, there is a wide variety of items to make and give. Knit and crochet accessories seem to be really popular this year. For ideas and patterns on making your own socks, toques, mitts, and many other personal and home accessories check out KNITTING A KISS IN EVERY STITCH: CREATING GIFTS FOR THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE by Nicky Epstein. This book also provides some new and unique ideas for holiday gifts and group knitting projects. But if you’re not into yarn and still want to be crafty you could make your own cards (ULTIMATE CARDMAKING: A COLLECTION OF OVER 100 TECHNIQUES AND 50 INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS by Sarah Beaman), get creative with gift wrapping (GIFT WRAPPING AND GREETING CARDS: CREATIVE IDEAS FOR PERSONALIZING GIFTS AND CARDS by Lydia Darbyshire), or use your skills with a digital camera to create lasting memories for a loved one (99 DIGITAL PHOTO ART IDEAS by Annabel Williams).

To ease the strain on the environment this Christmas, why not strive to have a green holiday this year? The Library has many resources with ideas for environmentally friendly gift giving – such as THE BIG GREEN BOOK OF RECYCLED CRAFTS by Susan Sullivan or I’M DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS by Anna Getty.

My personal favorite for home-made gifts however, is baked goods. Go digging through your recipe box for old favorites or come by the Library to browse our cook book selection for inspiration from HOLIDAY FUN: RECIPES TO MAKE YOUR OWN GIFTS and other titles. You might even find a new family favourite!

This holiday season remember that it’s the thought that counts, not how much went into the purchase. And with that in mind, where better to get a good deal than your local branch of the Thunder Bay Public Library, where ideas and inspiration are free all year round!

Jesse Roberts, Head of Reference Services