Pros and Cons of Homemade Gifts

My older sister was a genius when it came to homemade gifts: a "beautiful" dress made from an old blanket, flip-flops made with cardboard, and an ABC book for our eldest sister's 16th birthday. Oh, and I was her elf for nearly all of her gifts.

Homemade gifts continued in my family through the years, and they got better: cutting boards, a dollhouse, a cedar chest, home renovation projects, and much more.

Then there were my wonderful grandparents, who were masters at homemade gifts. As I look back over all of the Christmases, when my grandma was alive, I can only think of one Christmas that I didn't receive a homemade gift.

From all of these experiences, I make my list of pros and cons.

Pros of Homemade Gifts

1. More memorable for the giver and receiver of the gift. I remember not going into the family study for hours as my parents made my sister and me a dollhouse. It was beautiful! That was the most memorable Christmas present I ever received.    
2. Homemade gifts help the giver learn a new skill. In high school, I spent hours creating a cedar chest for my parent's Christmas present. I loved making it, and this is a skill I am grateful to have learned.
3. Cheaper than buying the same gift. One year my grandma made PJ pants and slippers for over twenty grandkids. No doubt buying this would have cost a small fortune.
4. It is so much more special to give a homemade gift. I remember being so excited as I gave my dad a homemade coin can. The can was just that, a mandarin orange can. Yet my dad showed me how special this was to him by placing it on his dresser for years. 

Cons of Homemade Gifts

1. Homemade gifts are more time-consuming. Do you know how long it took my sister and me to make the ABC book for my older sister? HOURS!!! Do you know how long it must have taken my grandma to make blankets for all her grandkids? DAYS...WEEKS...MONTHS!! Homemade gifts take time!
2. Harder to know what to give. Homemade gifts take thought. It is far harder to know what to give when limited to one's knowledge and skill set.
3. It is harder to get rid of a homemade gift that you don't want. I believe my cardboard flip-flops earned a spot next to my shoes. The "shoes" weren't waterproof, they broke frequently, and style wasn't a factor. I knew my sister would know if I got rid of them. Therefore, I had to let cardboard shoes take up space in my closet.

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Kristen