At 10.2%, the unemployment rate is now the worst it has been since 1983. But one positive thing the bad economy has done is to push people to craft their own gifts rather than buy them. Benefits of turning to crafts such as easy woodworking to make holiday gifts are the low cost, the special meaning of crafting a gift for someone, and the incentive that the holiday season gives to start a woodworking hobby.
Obviously, you can save money by crafting gifts instead of buying them at a department store. In these economic times, many people are concerned about running up high bills this holiday season. You will probably have to spend some money if you decide to craft an easy woodworking project as a gift because you will need supplies and tools, but not as much as if you buy an overpriced piece of clothing or electronics. So you will be helping the economy by spending some but also keeping your spending guarded.
There is also the personal benefit of giving someone a gift that you made instead of bought. A handmade gift for someone truly comes from the heart and the recipient will know this. The woodworking gift you create will say as much about you as the recipient. And, according to Amy Riestenberg of EtiquetteEastTexas.com, making gifts for your family is good etiquette. She calls it totally appropriate and says that there should never be a question of doing it because it seems “cheap.” She points to the fact that the maker put his or her time into crafting the gift as the reason that it is better in many ways than a store-bought gift.
If you have been putting off starting a woodworking hobby, the holiday season gives you a great reason to start your first easy woodworking project. We all procrastinate. Sometimes we just need a special reason to do something. If you commit to making a birdhouse, stool, toy, or other easy woodworking project you will have a reason to get started and stop procrastinating.
Good reasons for crafting your own gifts this holiday season rather than buying them include saving money, letting someone know you care, and providing an impetus to get started in a craft like woodworking. The idea of making your own gifts is certainly not new, but this economy has made it more popular lately.
Here’s an article with more low cost holiday gift ideas:
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recession christmas – 12 frugal christmas present gift ideas – ready or not, the christmas season is upon us. stores are stocking up on anything and everything related to christmas gift-giving, while many families are trying to find ways to survive christmas during a recession. …
