Is Christmas a time for giving? Or does the message get lost in the hype?

There are other ways to give this Christmas that don't involve the high street.

Photo by Eugene Zhyvchik on Unsplash

The shops are full of inviting gifts and treats to buy, so many in fact that it can be overwhelming! Every year I get drawn into the hype of it all, swept along by the addictive adverts which make me feel that Christmas will be a disaster if I don’t conform to our materialistic society. And every New Year I tell myself that next Christmas will be different ………

Well, this year it actually is.

My family are all grown now and apart from 2 grandchildren, there are just adults to cater for. Gift buying can be incredibly stressful from the perspective of what to buy and also how much everything is going to cost. So this year, as a family we have decided to go down the Secret Santa route for the adults (we are still buying for the grandchildren as they still have the magic!). With a modest budget agreed by all, we have embarked on our quest to purchase for one recipient in the family group. Using a Secret Santa app, we have all been allocated a person to shop for (not our partner) and are encouraged to make a list of potential gifts we might like to receive within the budget set.

Although it does feel a little strange, I have to confess that I quite like this arrangement. With a budget restraint it takes a little more thought to come up with that perfect gift, and hopefully we will all end up with something we actually want rather than something to put in a drawer before re-gifting it next year.

With the cost of living crisis at the forefront of our minds at this time of year, I began to think about the many charities and organisations who depend so much upon the generosity of the public. But donating hard earned money to a cause, no matter how worthy, is often a stretch too far at Christmas time.

And so I decided to do a little research to see if there were ways in which we could still gift items to charities that could be made at home with resources we perhaps already have, such as fabric and sewing supplies. A brief internet search yielded several results, many dating back to Covid where people would make face masks and scrubs for hospitals. There is a huge wealth of patterns out there to be downloaded and used to make scrubs, mastectomy pillows, syringe driver bags, chemotherapy port pillows …. the list goes on.

I have selected 3 that stood out for me, but there are plenty of others out there for you to get involved with and you can refine your search to your local area if you prefer.

Pyjamafairies is a UK charity which provides pyjamas and surgical gowns for babies and children up to the age of 16 who are having tests or surgery. Made from comfortable and colourful fabrics, the pyjamas provide a warm, comfortable and fun garment for their time away from home.

Macmillan Cancer Support organise fundraising events up and down the country. Fundraising at or alongside these events by sewing and crafting is encouraged. The website gives many suggestions for items which can be crafted, stitched and cooked so there is an idea for everyone. Workshops, coffee mornings and selling craft items to family and friends are all encouraged, so there are lots of ways in which money can be raised.

I read about a very regional idea in Emsworth and Hayling Island in the south of England. The aim is to cut down the use of plastic, and in particular, plastic bags. Pre-loved or any useable fabric which would go to waste is made into carrier bags which are distributed to local shops who sign up to the scheme. The ‘Borrow Bags’ are given to shoppers who have forgotten their bag and are returned next time they visit the shop. Check out their Instagram to find out more.

These are just 3 ideas which appealed to me, but check your local area for other good causes and get sewing and crafting to help others this Christmas!

Happy sewing,

Suzanne, Charlotte and Rebecca