I love the slow gifting idea. I don't buy things from China. It is nearly impossible to find gifts in stores, so I try to make gifts. Our girls do the same. Home made gifts are personal and say "I love you.!"
The real reason I'm commenting is that I just can't figure out the second picture. Is it part of a cart or sleigh or wagon? Or do I just need some caffeine to get the brain working? Thanks for solving this mystery this morning!
You're right. I do buy some stuff from China, if there is no other choice or the price difference is astronomical. I don't buy clothing or shoes from China, or food. Once in awhile I'll make an exception for other things, but it's rare. I spend a lot of time looking at labels and putting stuff back on the shelf. It's depressing that in some stores it seems like 90% of stuff is from China. It's easy to save money that way!
Thanks for the response! I was really interested in reading your perspective.
I'm new to this, so I'm still working on figuring out how to approach it. I really think it's important to have local, sustainable systems -- this is one of my core values. So buying stuff from China just doesn't fit in with that.
But often, there just isn't a local, sustainable option, and that's where it gets hard to navigate. I recently bought a ceramic coffee cup from China, because I want to share patterns for crocheted coffee cup cozies, and I needed a coffee cup to use in my project photos. There are some made-in-USA single use, disposable coffee cups around, but I can't stand the idea of using those given that there's a reusable option.
But honestly, thinking these things through gives me a headache!
Sadly it is inevitable that we have to buy some things from China to keep our lives functional. I keep hoping for a resurgence in American manufacturing that will allow us to buy more locally. I’m the mean time I try to make as much as I can.
I’ve been a slow gifter for about 10 years now. I hate the commercialism of the holidays and all the added financial stress it brings for so many. I’ll make what I can for people I gift to, and for those I buy for, I try to shop small, local and handmade.
I love this slow gifting idea. We moved to a small town a year ago and spent the last year making our house liveable. Now I'm ready to start trying to make friends. My idea is to make sugar-free strawberry jam and give them away as gifts to all the locals who helped us to make our house livable. The plumber gets one, the architect gets one, even the lady who does my laundry gets one because her services simplified my life. (Sugar-free, because I know how to make it taste good and diabetes is a huge problem here.)
I'm selectively a slow gifter. I really try hard to give gifts that the recipients would really want, use and appreciate. But I've found that many people simply don't appreciate handmade things (sad but true!), and so those people don't get handmade gifts from me.
I love the slow gifting idea. I don't buy things from China. It is nearly impossible to find gifts in stores, so I try to make gifts. Our girls do the same. Home made gifts are personal and say "I love you.!"
The real reason I'm commenting is that I just can't figure out the second picture. Is it part of a cart or sleigh or wagon? Or do I just need some caffeine to get the brain working? Thanks for solving this mystery this morning!
I wish you a Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Glad you are on board with the slow gifting! I agree, home made says love!
The second picture is the snow and ice curls coming off the roof of my tool shed!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
Serious question: How are you able to avoid buying things from China? Surely your phone / computer is made in China, isn't it?
I buy made in USA when there's a choice, but so often there just isn't a choice.
You're right. I do buy some stuff from China, if there is no other choice or the price difference is astronomical. I don't buy clothing or shoes from China, or food. Once in awhile I'll make an exception for other things, but it's rare. I spend a lot of time looking at labels and putting stuff back on the shelf. It's depressing that in some stores it seems like 90% of stuff is from China. It's easy to save money that way!
Thanks for the response! I was really interested in reading your perspective.
I'm new to this, so I'm still working on figuring out how to approach it. I really think it's important to have local, sustainable systems -- this is one of my core values. So buying stuff from China just doesn't fit in with that.
But often, there just isn't a local, sustainable option, and that's where it gets hard to navigate. I recently bought a ceramic coffee cup from China, because I want to share patterns for crocheted coffee cup cozies, and I needed a coffee cup to use in my project photos. There are some made-in-USA single use, disposable coffee cups around, but I can't stand the idea of using those given that there's a reusable option.
But honestly, thinking these things through gives me a headache!
Sadly it is inevitable that we have to buy some things from China to keep our lives functional. I keep hoping for a resurgence in American manufacturing that will allow us to buy more locally. I’m the mean time I try to make as much as I can.
I totally agree!
We have slow gifted for years - this year i have knitted warm head bands, and my husband has whittled garden dibbers and peg and line sets.
Proud to report my grown up daughter is giving homemade brownies in cute tins.
We simply do not participate in the glitter grab.
I agree that local crafters and artisans are also a good choice.
Good for you and yours! Merry Christmas!
I’ve been a slow gifter for about 10 years now. I hate the commercialism of the holidays and all the added financial stress it brings for so many. I’ll make what I can for people I gift to, and for those I buy for, I try to shop small, local and handmade.
Good for you!!
I love this slow gifting idea. We moved to a small town a year ago and spent the last year making our house liveable. Now I'm ready to start trying to make friends. My idea is to make sugar-free strawberry jam and give them away as gifts to all the locals who helped us to make our house livable. The plumber gets one, the architect gets one, even the lady who does my laundry gets one because her services simplified my life. (Sugar-free, because I know how to make it taste good and diabetes is a huge problem here.)
What a wonderful idea!!! I'm sure everyone will love it!
Local is always best, hand crafted gifts become memories to pass down.
All good!!!
Love you
Love you more
Loved this post and all the ideas you shared!
I'm selectively a slow gifter. I really try hard to give gifts that the recipients would really want, use and appreciate. But I've found that many people simply don't appreciate handmade things (sad but true!), and so those people don't get handmade gifts from me.