December Check-In

[yourlibrarian]

This month's post will be serving double duty as a community promo. I also run the threeforthememories event, whose 2025 session will be open for posts on January 3, 2026 and will run for 3 weeks until January 24. Participant posts consist of 3 photos (only) you've taken of anything from 2025 that you find meaningful in some way or which represent how you experienced the year. These could be your crafting activities, or anything else you find relevant.

Questions? Visit the announcement post at threeforthememories

This month's question involves the holidays. Do you normally do crafting over this period? Is it related to any holidays? Do you do craft gifting? And if so, what do you plan to gift this year?

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I have, for many years, gifted necklaces for birthdays and Christmas. This year my friends and I agreed to forgo holiday gifting. Also, the relative to whom I usually send a big package of necklaces for the holidays instead sent me a package (received today!) of many orphan earrings and broken jewelry to see what I could make of it. So she'll be getting some of those results next year.

I have to admit I was relieved to only be sending one (birthday) package this month, as shipping has gotten so expensive (even for such small items!) and it always takes hours to record who is getting what, wrapping and packaging up the items. Not having to do it makes the holiday feel more like a break!

[zenigotchas]

i have a few craft ideas for friends and found family!

I used to do handmade for my bio family, but they told me they thought they were shit and would even ask me to redo them.... So I quit doing it because I felt badly and like nobody would want my shitty gifts and would just want expensive things.

But my new circle is not like that. I'm going to make them presents because I know I can do it.

[yourlibrarian]

Good on you! It can be very discouraging when giftees don't appreciate the effort. I've had that happen too.

[thatjustwontbreak]

It can be so lovely to take a break from the holiday gifting. Big fan of your groot icon!

[yourlibrarian]

Such a clever idea by benchable

[bookscorpion]

I don't like the stress of having stuff to finish in time for the holidays. I do give away things I have spun or needlefelted or woven but not for the holidays or birthdays. I usually do a lot of spinning over the holidays because we're visiting Mr Ook's parents and I'm taking the spindle (I might take knitting this year, too).
In general crafting, I'm still working on my landscape tapestry made from fibre I dyed (mostly) with plants I foraged:

[yourlibrarian]

Good to see it's coming along! Yes, the holiday deadlines do create more stress for works in progress. Hope you have a nice visit and time to work on projects!

[merrileemakes]

Crafting over the holiday shutdown is the thing I look forward to most. I usually do sewing or quilting, as I can do that on the dining table under the air con to say cool during the Australian summer.

I very rarely do holiday-related crafting. I hate making to deadlines (so stressful!) and my family of origin aren't gift worthy. My partner and I don't really do gifts either. But I have been racking my brain for something to get her, because I suspect from her sneakiness around a recent parcel delivery that she got me a small something.

Thinking about these questions has given me an idea though. Nat said she wanted to do some cross stitch with me over the holidays so I think I'll make her a cross stitch project bag.

[yourlibrarian]

I have a desk I use for beading so it's not as space dependent, although I could relate to this because during the holiday is when I can haul out the jigsaw puzzle board and leave it on the dining table since it's just me eating on my own.

Glad the question prompted a solution for you!