Handmade Christmas

Are you having a handmade Christmas? I am! What is that exactly and why is it important.

There is a growing movement of handmade artisans on the web that sell their wares via places like Artfire, Etsy, 1000 Markets and more. I've pretty much worn

out buying my family the same robes, jammies and other things that I can get from a large retailer, so I've turned to buying unique gifts, many of which are one of a kind (ooak) or can be customized.

Since I'm a crafter myself, I know what goes into a lot of these things and I can really appreciate the workmanship. Handmade doesn't mean cheap, but I'd rather pay $4.00 for handmade goat's

milk soap from my favorite shop then your standard commercial soaps. One of the shops that I frequent even raises the goat's, which I think is just great!

So when you're making out your list this year, include a few handmade items. You'll be supporting a small business as well as giving your family and friends a truely unique gift. And I'm sure you'll find something for yourself as well!