7 Reasons to Buy Handcrafted Gifts This Year

With fall comes cooler weather, pumpkin-spiced everything and craft fairs.  It also means it’s time to start thinking about Christmas gifts, especially if you like to plan ahead.  I have always been a planner. I start shopping for Christmas the day after Christmas. Sometimes I forget what I bought or forget where that “safe place” is that I put something, but for the most part it works for me. Usually I am done with my Christmas gift list by Halloween, as I have family with birthdays in early November and this way I can ship their birthday and Christmas presents together and save on shipping and time running to the post office.  It’s a win-win: not fighting the crowds shopping or in the post office AND I can relax and enjoy the holiday season, reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas rather than scrambling to get things bought, wrapped and mailed in time.

As an artisan, I love giving handcrafted items.  There’s something special about giving something unique, that was made with love and that wasn’t mass-produced.  There are so many reasons that buying handcrafted is better:

1  You support local artisans and therefore local economy.

2. You get high quality items.  The materials were hand picked by the artisan who takes pride in her work and wants it to last.

3.  Your gifts are unique, one-of-a-kind, and will have everyone asking, “Where did you get that?”

4.  You get the satisfaction of helping support someone directly.  When you buy from a small business, you aren’t helping a CEO buy a 3rd holiday home, you’re helping a little girl get dance lessons, a mom put food on the table, or a student pay for college.

I could go on, but you get the idea.  But let’s be realistic. When the holiday rush hits, many buyers just want easy.  So, let me offer reasons why shopping handmade is the easiest decision you can make.

1. Avoid crowded malls.  It’s such a hassle to maneuver through mobs of people, especially if you have kids in tow, to try and find your items, then wait in line for hours to pay only to realize you forgot the gift for your coworker.  Buy handcrafted items at craft shows, or better yet, buy online and avoid the crowds altogether; many artisans have websites.

2. Get it all done at once. Big craft shows like the Pride of Dakota or The Big One, both in ND, offer large numbers of vendors in one area allowing you to shop a wide variety of items in one space without having to run to several stores to get everything you need.

3. Many artisans will ship your gift directly to your intended recipient, therefore saving you the time and effort of going to the post office and mailing it yourself.

What could be easier?  

I encourage you to buy more handcrafted this year, not just for the holidays but for every special occasion.  

Need help finding that special handcrafted gift? Check out Kidderbug Kreations for unique, fun, and useful presents.

Can’t find what you’re looking for?  Contact me and I would be happy to help design a custom gift just for you!

You can’t get customer service like that in a big box store.

Happy shopping!

Anne from Kidderbug Kreations