How to plan for Holiday Gift Giving - 2023
Hello crafty friends! We LOVE making handmade gifts for our loved ones and friends all through the year, but especially in the holiday season. They create an opportunity to craft with more intention as a unique expression of what inspires us. Plus, there is something so special about taking the time to create with your own two hands and give someone a gift that took specific time and energy to create. Not to mention the personal growth that is achieved through working on your skills. (It’s a win, win, win if you ask me)
But let’s be honest……it can be a lot.
We can quickly feel overwhelmed when our schedules start to fill up. The end of the year means more parties, events, gatherings of all sizes, big meals that take even more time to create, and lots of time serving others via charities. And while each person’s experience can be very different, I think we can all experience some level of this overwhelm.
Our goal at CoffeeCraft is to give you as many helpful tools and resources as we can to improve your crafting experience. This plays out in many ways, but today I’m going to focus on two resources that allow you to put your best foot forward (sewing machine pun anyone?) to make you feel more in control like the crafty-boss that you are.
The starting point: The Intentional Gifting Guide
Have you ever felt totally lost on what to get someone during the holidays? Me too. This resource (that is currently available for purchase in our shop - you can click/tap the picture for more info) is the perfect starting point for brainstorming that really focuses on seeing the unique place your recipient is currently in. Sometimes hobbies and interests can evolve over time, so taking the time to think about where that person is now can help to create a beautifully intentional gift for them. Plus this can be used whether you craft or buy a gift, and can be edited on your computer directly or printed if you prefer!
This is an example of the gifting guide filled out by yours truly. This is someone I’ve given gifts to for many, many years and probably would be wise to spend more time thinking about what other gifts I’ve already given them, But in this example, notice that it’s not perfect. It’s a brain dump space for you to track your thoughts and ideas to spark something new from it. I recommend stepping away from this at least one time to see if you can get a different perspective or idea with fresh eyes.
For this person I haven’t made a crafty gift for them in a few years, so I loved the idea of mixing up some of their favorite things with the embroidery on a sweatshirt.
The next step: The Holiday Gift Planner
Once you find that perfect idea, it’s time to plan things out! Here we’ll list important things like what all we’re making and/or buying this year, what items we need to shop for, and what our to-do list will look like to get it all done. I find that taking the time to plan it all out and have the lists in front of me really helps me to feel like I’m in control and capable.
However, it’s important you start early to help make sure this list doesn’t feel too overwhelming for you!
Each section has it’s own unique benefits. The top list section helps you to gauge just how much you are signing up for, especially when looking at that estimated time to complete section. It’s good to be honest with yourself and give a little padding to your estimate. It’s always better to finish ahead of schedule rather than feel behind!
The other two sections help you to think through all of what you need to get started. I personally prefer doing one big supply trip and then only having to go back to the store if something changes or doesn’t work as planned. But most importantly - shop your own supply first! Make sure you take this list with you so that with each item you think of writing, you can see what you already have so you don’t have to overbuy. It may even spark a creative new solution that could utilize the resources you already have at your disposal, saving you money.
This document is FREE for anyone who signs up to be a part of our mailing list through December 31st, 2023. After confirming your subscription, you’ll get access to rotating freebies that we make available on our CoffeeCrafters Community Resources page (aka cool crafty club) via a secret password. You can sign up below!
After you’ve completed those steps, you’re ready to get crafting!
I hope that these tools can be useful and helpful for you in the coming season and that you feel prepared for all that you hope to accomplish. I know that you can do it, and can’t wait to see what you create! Tag us on our socials or use #coffeecraftllc in your post so we can celebrate your creativity as well.
Happy holiday crafting, friend!