An interesting piece in The Guardian today on 'Are homemade Christmas presents always better?' I'd have to question their premise though, as the reasons most of us give homemade gifts isn't to compete with a shop-bought alternative (on quality or price), but because we enjoy making and like to demonstrate our affection for our loved ones by spending not just money, but that other most precious commodity, time.
For the last two years I've made homemade gifts to give to friends and family at Christmas. Both years I've produced an edible hamper with a range of goodies from our garden raspberry gin, to mini Christmas puddings, to popping corn complete with homemade seasoning. Almost every component could have been bought from a shop, and unlike some of the examples cited in the Guardian article, I'm pretty sure that mine cost more to make! But if I'd bought everything, the hamper just wouldn't have been the same. And I certainly wouldn't have been able to bask in the glow of a job well done, or feel a sense of pride every time one of the recipients told me how much they'd enjoyed something.
And that's why I'll be making presents again this Christmas.
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