An Old Fashion Christmas? (Martha, where art thou?)

My immediate family has opted to make our Christmas gifts for each other this year. Our decision was based on several factors.

1. the economy
2. not one of us needs anything
3. to avoid the commercialism
4. a "made" gift is more meaningful
5. (daughter # 2 insists that another reason is because my son-in-law is an extremely talented artist and this is a ploy on my part to snag expensive art - I swear the thought never occurred to me!)

I will admit I am enjoying not being caught up in the craziness of Christmas shopping. I can smugly peruse the sale ads, knowing that this year I am immune to them. The crowded stores, the traffic and the overworked (and inapt) sales clerks won't be my problem this year. How nice to feel so sanctimonious!

Until...until the realization of just what this means sets in. I have to envision and create gifts for my loved ones and I don't have a Martha Stewart bone in my body. What was I thinking when I made this crazy suggestion? (No, I swear I was not thinking of my son-in-law's art.) I was thinking it would be FUN! I had a quaint, old-fashioned feeling of hand-hewn/hand-sewn/hand-made Christmas gifts. Mind you, I said "feeling," not "vision." I never actually visualized any of these gifts. Hand-hewn (don't even know what that means - to hew?), hand-sewn - I don't sew, hand-made - I don't "make" things, either. I'm stuck, I'm stymied, I'm panicked. It is December 9th and I've no idea what I'll be "making" for gifts.

Mid-summer, when this idea was suggested it seemed like a good one. With six months stretching out before me I was sure inspiration would hit, now with the Christmas clock ticking down the final days I'm beginning to wonder if Martha makes house calls!?!