Crafty Rantings

I'm Crafty. I Rant. These are Crafty Rantings!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Tacky?

Opinions please! Is it tacky to give the same kinds of gifts to lots of different people for Christmas? Last year I gave away a bunch of fleece blankets. This year I have been whipping up (stop it Linda! STOP! NO LAUGHING ALLOWED!) various gifts, the same type but alternate colors. I want to give them to a few different people. I have one dear friend I would love to give something handmade and probably will but I am sure I will have to get her something bought because handmade just never quite seems to be enough.

OK... and while this isn't related to the subject, I have a second question. A couple of years ago I was so broke I had to borrow from life insurance to make ends meet thanks to my now ex-husband who broke me financially. I really had nothing. So I dug into my basket of yarn and crochet thread and for a dear friend's birthday, someone who has saved my butt many a time and who I dearly love, I had to make her a huge doily for her birthday. I couldn't afford to buy her anything. It looked so small and, well, disappointing. Now granted, she knew how much work went into it and the love that went into the making but it still looked like a present you get from a starving student. I wasn't starving but I was close. And I hadn't been a student for a long time. I was just in bad straits. I am now at a job that pays the bills, buys food, gas *and* yarn. Much better off. Last year I tried to do a lot more for her birthday than I normally would. But I still feel like I cheated her that one birthday.

The second question is... is it time for me to accept that I did what I could and it was enough? It wasn't a tacky gift... I have a hard time thinking anything homemade is tacky. And while it would have been enough for me, to my non-crafting friend, I am sure it seemed disappointing. I am trying to give myself permission to forgive myself for giving less than I thought I should. It's time... right?