It's Not Too Soon To Start Year-End Gifts

Every year, I tell myself that I must begin making year-end gifts the first week of the new year. Every year, I break my promise.

This year, I have actually begun a small stash of handmade gifts and I am amazed at myself.

For most of us, the biggest hurdle is time. Normally, I begin with the biggest ones to get them out of the way. When I do that, I find myself with not enough time to do the medium- sized projects, and I end up speeding clumsily through the smallest ones about two weeks before Christmas.

This year, I decided to begin with the smallest, easiest projects. It turned out to be a good idea. I already have more than a dozen small gifts tucked into a container, and lots more on the way.

I figure if I continue on this path, by Hallowe'en, I should have tons of small gifts and maybe even a few mid-sized gifts, finished.

That will give me the peace of mind to do the larger items. The good thing about this is that even if I cannot finish the larger ones, I can give a smaller one, along with a note of the estimated time that the larger one will be finished - a promissory gift note.

Another thing that I found exciting about this approach is that I find myself exactly that - EXCITED. I started with one item in particular and now I have a few little containers with several other small gifts stacked by my work area.

The small gifts work up quickly and I am not resentful at being interrupted during the work. When I am on a big project, I really hate having to stop to turn something over on the stove, or to toss the wet clothes into the dryer, or run to the store, or answer the phone.

Yep, methinks I have a plan...