Handmade Christmas Eve Gifts

The highlight of our Christmas continues to be the handmade gifts on Christmas Eve. Most of the gifts were actually surprises this year which can be hard to achieve between needing secret spaces to work, needing the occasional helping hand, and needing to actually keep one's work a secret. The gifts get more exciting each year as the girls' abilities grow.

Nels is wearing pajamas made by Helen and a bathrobe made by me.

Helen was absolutely thrilled to get a plaid scarf made by Lou and a buckwheat hull/lavender sleeping pillow made by me. She'd been asking for one of these pillows for a long time.

Here is Lou wearing the pajamas from Helen, holding a pillow from me, and displaying a writing desk made by Nels. Lou as well has been wanting big pillows to decorate her room.

Here's Hels with her writing box.

Lou and Nels made me this Advent Spiral. Wow.
Nels describes how he made it at his blog Proud Hands.

Lou made Nels this book of coupons arranged in categories:

• "baking"--1 free batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, 1 free batch of homemade brownies
• "helping hands" --1 free hour of help with something that has to do with wood, 1 free 1/2 hour of a home improvement job
• "other stuff" --1 free of strife practice session & 1 1/2 hours of any help you need

Lou made us all these beautiful hanging stars.

Nels and I have really noticed over the years how much this emphasis on making gifts for each other has changed the energy of Christmas for the girls. It truly is all about the joy of giving and I think there is more excitement about this handmade gift exchange on Christmas Eve than the anticipation of Christmas morning.