Holiday gift-giving anxiety. Have you experienced this phenomena? It usually hits me at the beginning of November, sometimes December, if my life has been too busy to think about the holidays. What do I get people?
Like most of us, I get pulled into the joy of giving presents. But, as a bird-lover, gardener and conservationist, I am also aware of the immense pressures placed on the environment when we create demand for new, material possessions. Enter my solution: embracing the joy of homemade gifts.
Now, before you stop reading because you aren’t crafty, give me just a few more sentences to change your mind. There are a zillion fun, clever, inspiring and easy, yes easy, gifts you can make with your own two hands.The hardest part is generating the ideas. So, explore this Pinterest page we put together. It includes a variety of homemade gifts ideas you can make that celebrate the spirit of feeding birds, growing plants, increasing biodiversity at home, and supporting those gardeners who live to get their hands dirty. Feel free to forward this link to your loved ones as a “Hint, hint, I’d love something homemade for the holidays.” Included on this Pinterest board are upcycled birdhouses, simple suet feeders, garden decor and more. We did the research, so you can spend your time creating. On average these projects will take you about thirty minutes of planning and material collecting, and an hour of creating–depending on how much detail and unique creativity you add. But, the reward will be priceless. So, roll-up your sleeves these next few weeks and make a homemade gift.
If you have been the recipient of a thoughtful, homemade gift, you know why this method of giving is worth the modest effort. Watching the receiver admire the time, attention and love you put into the creation fills everyone with a warm, satisfying glow. Even the presumed flaws are admired as they demonstrate one of the great wabi-sabi lessons — there is great beauty in imperfection. Join the YardMap Citizen Science community for inspiration on birds, science, habitat creation, gardening and low-impact living! You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
This post was written by Becca Rodomsky-Bish, YardMap Project Assistant
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