Last week’s poll asked if you had lights in your yard. Over the last few years it seems less and less people are putting up lights for whatever reason. I wondered if it was just my observation or whether others had seen the same thing. Based on the responses to the poll it would appear that people just aren’t putting up lights like they used to. I hypothesize it’s because their lights have burned out and they hate the way the LEDs look. Why do you think it is?
This week’s poll comes courtesy of The Wife. She recently made a felt Christmas tree to which The Rooster (and eventually The Koala) can attach felt ornaments and presents to it. It’s honestly a really a cool thing and she had a lot of fun making it and The Rooster has had quite a bit of fun putting on and taking off the pieces. Growing up we made quite a few holiday items either at home or at school or other extracurriculars like Scouts. I still have a series of ornaments my family made back in 80s out of dough and my mother recently had to throw out a holiday candleholder centerpiece I had made in Cub Scouts–supposedly her favorite decoration.
Did you make a lot of your own gifts and/or decorations at the holidays? With the reduction of holiday lights out there, are you also finding less homemade crafts being made for the holidays? What was your most favorite item made, given, or received? Whatever you have to say about this one go ahead and vote on the sidebar and then comment on below as I’d love to hear what you have to say. After you do both of those things feel free to check out our expired polls in the archive or read through the previous posts about polls here.
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
Loading ...
December 9th, 2012 at 7:58 am
That felt tree is a great idea! Spend a few minutes on pinterest and one would believe that people intend to make homemade crafts for the holidays. My favorite homemade holiday item was the felt stocking my mom made for me a child. I still look forward to seeing it when I go home for Christmas. Happy holidays Lazy Lightning!
December 9th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
With 4 kids, we have TONS of homemade items. I especially like the things that the art teacher has the kids do consistently. After all 4 of them pass through a grade level, I have a matched set! We have glass bulbs that they put white paint hand prints one. I love seeing their little hands and feet prints! All too soon they are taller than me and aren’t motivated to make handmade stuff!
December 9th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Nearly every Christmas decoration I have was made by my Mom. The nativity set, the felt stockings and calendar, the miniature scene that folds up into a present…all from Mom. Then there’s the table of the kids elementary school ceramics- a Christmas tree, snowman and house. Plus all the homemade ornaments. You can’t buy Christmas, you make it. Happy holidays!
December 9th, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Why not lights all over? I thought about it this last week when I happened to take a drive with my grandkid to see all the lights. Well guess what, I go to a neighborhood in Apple Valley that I recall having great lights when I was kid and guess what. One house done up, and another half-arseing it. So my guess, families with kids or hosting Christmas do lights, the rest generally don’t. I know my current neck of the world is full of homes full of kids. So maybe that’s why I see so many homes decorated.
As far as home made stuff? Everything our kids made is on the tree, and we used to make ornaments, as well as cookies and stuff when they were kids. My mom and my wife’s mom did the same. My grandfather was always into woodworking and my grandmother did painting. So over the years they had built a number of decorations for all of the various seasons including Christmas. As they downsized from a house, to a condo, to an apartment, these decorations they had slowly got pushed out to us grandkids.
We’re gonna bake some cookies this week.
p.s. tired of shoveling already. I think I’ve shoved more over 2 days than I did all of last year.
December 10th, 2012 at 8:30 am
I think about half of the ornaments on our tree are homemade – going back to the styrofoam egg carton “bell” that I made in preschool!
As for gifts, I’m not very crafty, but I’m a baker. People get cookies, cinnamon roasted almonds and almond butter toffee as gifts. My kids teachers love the candy – I’ve been doing it for a few years now, so it’s a tradition!
December 10th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
My opinion is the outdoor lights are part of an economy-related trend. I think the economy has split people into two groups — those who are “overemployed,” whose incomes are OK but who are working long hours plus taking care of their families, going to school, etc., and those who are unemployed or underemployed. Any activity that takes both some time and some money — putting up outdoor Christmas decorations, for example — is more challenging than it used to be for both groups. One group doesn’t have the time (or enough money to pay someone else to do it), the other group doesn’t have the money.
Love receiving and giving homemade gifts. (Although I don’t have enough time this year!)
December 12th, 2012 at 11:19 am
I love making homemade gifts and 99% of our tree ornaments are homemade a mix of mine as a kid (from the 1970′s) and the kids. It’s not a fancy, color-coordinated perfect tree, but it’s ours and I love it.
When the kids leave home they will take their ornaments and the memories attached to them, to start their own traditions.
December 12th, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Does food count? I am up to my ears in toasted nuts and powdered sugar right now.