You may see the chainsaw and the Chatty Cathy doll predominant in my picture from last year, but you can also see I am clutching some homemade Barbie doll dresses, and my brother has a homemade hobby horse.

Those are the gifts I really remember, from the Barbie doll dresses my mom and aunts made me to go with the Barbies they had played with as children and passed down (Mom made me a brides dress and two bridesmaids that year), to the wooden Barbie house my Uncle Roger made me, with a rug my Aunt Becky crocheted, to Sesame Street finger puppets Aunt Becky made (Grover and Oscar the Grouch, oh I remember.) Aunt Eileen made me an awesome purple velour hooded robe, because she knew I loved purple, and a cool t-shirt that she embroidered flowers on (some special embroidery technique, they were really neat) that I wore most of the way through high school.

That is why I try to make as many gifts as I can for my nieces and nephews, if even one of them remembers those gifts when they are my age, and especially if they are a crafter or artist themself, they will know how much love is put into those things. And the things they make me (not many yet, I need to encourage the crafting habit) are among my most treasured objects.

From my oldest niece:

Do I love it? Of course I do.

I hope you all got to see loved ones this Christmas, or talk to them on the phone, and remembered Christmases past, and perhaps made some new memories. If you are traveling home, be safe.