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| Author: Posted: Nov. 17, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 3,845,324 |
Question of the Week: 18 - 12/11/2000 Your Gift, Craft and Holiday Celebration Ideas! Over the last few weeks, TWV has tried to offer a balanced assortment of gift, craft and Yule/Solstice planning/celebration ideas. Gifts can be homegrown and homemade and some other ideas may send you off to "shop 'til you drop". We would now like to hear about YOUR gift giving ideas. Are you making some gifts or craft items this year? Would you like to share your favorite 'bargain spots on the web" secrets with us? Do you have any good projects for Pagan children or ideas for coven/group/family special 'traditions' that can help to make the Holidays especially meaningful or spiritual? C'mon! Give! |
| Reponses: There are 43 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| Hello, A Great Place To Find Pagan Iteams Is Ebay.com. They Offer... | Dec 12th. at 1:14:34 pm EST |
| melysah (fayetteville, Georgia US) | Age: 18 - Email |
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Hello, A great place to find pagan iteams is ebay.com. They offer wonderful deals on books, tools, jewelery, herbs, candles and many other things. I have purchased many books from ebay and I am quite pleased. The only aspects you may have to watch out for is shipping charges and dont forget to check for negative feedback from the person your purchasing the iteam. Goodluck and happy shopping! |
| For Yule I Ask The People For A List Of Things That... | Dec 12th. at 12:11:42 pm EST |
| Jayson Tegeder (Garic) (Omaha, Nebraska US) | Age: 26 - Email |
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For Yule I ask the people for a list of things that they want or need. Then I find something that I can afford and buy it for them. I also find things that I know my friends can use but don't have the money or time to make or buy them. This past year I have started making things for my Rennaissance costume instead of buying them at the faires. Well one of my friends needs a pouch for his costume because the one he has really doesn't match the costume or his personality. So I figured I would make that for him. This will be the first time in a really long time that I have made anything for a friend. Those are the best ways I know to make my friends and family happy this time of the year. Garic |
| Living In A Rabidly Christian Area I'm Always A Bit Perplexed At... | Dec 12th. at 9:07:30 am EST |
| Maia BlackWolf (Milnesville, Pennsylvania US) | Age: 32 - Email |
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Living in a rabidly Christian area I'm always a bit perplexed at this time of year. (I also have the same problem at Ostara.) Being the only Pagan (and "in the broom closet" at that) in a Catholic family compounds my confusion. Celebrating with the family while knowing that so many of the traditions have been "borrowed" from ancient Paganism can be frustrating when there is so much talk of "the birth of the Saviour". At the moment my street is so brightly lit by my neighbours' Christmas decorations that we hardly need the street lamps. The mass commercialization of this season has always distressed me. And so I do not set foot in any retail stores from "Black Friday" until New Years Day. I do what little shopping I do by mail order and online. Being a craftsperson by profession I have always made many of my Solstice gifts. While I believe that the true spirit of giving lies in the time and effort spent on the gift, I do have relatives who do not feel that its a "real" gift unless you buy it in a store and spend lots of money. Well, they've just had to get used to my gifts of homemade chocolate truffles, homemade biscotti in five different flavours, ceramic ornaments, sun-dried tomatoes (grown in my own garden) packed in olive oil and basil, potpourri made from herbs grown in my gardens, and hand painted flower pots packed with packets of seeds for the coming gardening season. |
| For All My Witchie Friends I Am Making A Set Of Winnie... | Dec 11th. at 10:49:29 pm EST |
| Michele Bigwood (Arvada, Colorado US) | Age: 29 - Email |
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For all my witchie friends I am making a set of Winnie the Pooh tarot cards. My neighbors get a homemade desert each year. I have also dried some dough ornaments after shaping them like rain drops and painting them. I have started a study group to begin in January which is my gift to myself... the gift of getting together with adult friends which is difficult with two small children. |
| I Have Two Gift Ideas To Share. My Boyfriend's Mother, Who Has... | Dec 11th. at 10:02:43 pm EST |
| Cessair (Carlsbad, California US) | Age: 32 |
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I have two gift ideas to share. My boyfriend's Mother, who has everything she could ever seem to need, can be difficult to shop for. The one thing she doesn't have (at 85 with no driver's license) is mobility and company. My gift to her this year is to take her out twice to places I know she likes to eat and also to the mall for a long as she wishes to stay. I am printing up a certificate to that effect and wrapping it up in nice box with a token gift (a ceramic snow man). The other "gift" idea is to bake a loaf of Stollen bread. This is a traditional yuletide bread to make but I am making it with a twist. I am shaping mine like a swaddled child. This is to represent the promise of the new year and the fruitfulness wished for the receiver for the new year. To those who are Christian it can represent the Christ child. To Pagans, the child God. To me (a Taoist) it's yummy bread with candied fruit in it. :-) Bright Blessings! |
| Although Giving My Mom A Hug And Seeing Her Off On Her... | Dec 11th. at 9:39:37 pm EST |
| Michelle (Maricopa-the town-not the county :), Arizona US) | Age: 31 - Email |
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Although giving my Mom a hug and seeing her off on her next journey in June of this year has gotten me down for this season, your ideas stories and suggestions have given some cause for cheer in this otherwise mournfull Sag. (1st b-day without her) I have decided to celebrate! I am picking up the live rosemary "tree" tomorrow! Thank you all! Bright Blessings! Michelle |
| I Make Necklaces Out Of Pre-cut Semi Precious Stones/gems.. (hematite, Amethyst... | Dec 11th. at 8:25:40 pm EST |
| Roberta (Georgetown , Illinois US) | Age: 24 - Email |
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I make necklaces out of pre-cut semi precious stones/gems.. (Hematite, amethyst, jasper, etc etc), I also empower them with thoughts of love, good luck, and peace as I string them. Each necklace is like a little work of art for me, and it gives me joy making them for others.. I also like to make candles of all colors and scents. When they're all done and I'm ready to wrap them up as a present I use the cellophane plastic see-thru wrap in that pearly rainbow clear color and tie them off with that garland wire stuff that you can buy really cheap. My favorite kinds of garland to use are the green leafy kind or the silver or gold stars. I've also seen little angels type garland in silver and gold. When you're done it looks like something you'd buy in one of those expensive gift stores on the mall.. but you can nearly make them and wrap them for pennies -if you find the stuff on sale.. and when you consider each bag of wax can make a bunch of little candles it's actually pretty inexpensive..and lots of fun-- B*B all love and light and happy yuletide joys to all!!! Roberta |
| Last Christmas/yule/winter Solstice, My Husband, My Dad And I Ended... | Dec 11th. at 7:26:18 pm EST |
| simona elda marseglia (duluth, Minnesota US) | Age: 30 - Email |
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last christmas/yule/winter solstice, my husband, my dad and i ended up in the hospital on christmas eve with my mother, who was seriously on the verge of passing from this realm. i was rather stressed out about the whole situation, and at one point, finally broke into tears. i had not yet discovered my pagan roots, but the gods were watching over me, most definitely. for i heard a gentle voice, and looked up to see a man dressed in a santa suit, holding out a candy cane in my direction. it was a small gesture, but i saw it as how the lord and lady lovingly watch over their children--our celestial parents--even when our earth parents are unable to do so. i gratefully took the candy cane and looked up to see all the children in the emergency room happily licking their own. when i awakened to paganism, i vowed that that was how i was going to spend the christian version of our holiday--handing out candies to people who end up in the emergency room on their holiday. blessed be simona elda p.s.: my mom is still in this realm, thank the gods. |
| This Year, I Plan To Donate $20 Or So To Sagewoman's Campaign... | Dec 11th. at 6:40:02 pm EST |
| Lynne-Renee (rural, St. Louis area, Missouri US) | Age: 29 - Email |
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This year, I plan to donate $20 or so to SageWoman's campaign to send subscriptions to 1, 000 libraries. I suggest those who can, will join me. You can get the Winter edition now or soon (I subscribe and received mine 2 days ago) and there's a form. I bet they'd take any old check at: SageWoman, PO Box 641, Point Arena, CA 95468 I'm in no way a staff member or contributer but I see this as a gift of knowledge and community that can reach thousands. It may not feed someone now nor end war but it might plant seeds that can carry on for a long time. I love receiving homemade gifts and now that I've developed a little self-confidence (earned through action) I now make the majority of my gifts. I stick to the basics for most people: magickally charged bath salts and soaps (I use these myself and I know even non-Crafters love them). Sometimes I paint watercolours and give them (preferably in a cheapo frame like those at "Dollar Tree" or those "everything for a dollar" stores. I work as a graphic artist and make about $20, 000/yr so I have to make do. Baking is great and you can blend herbal teas from your herbs tied with cheesecloth or even easier--blend and place "loose" in an old jar then buy a 2-3 dollar infuser and attach with ribbon. I get infusers and stuff at "World Market" stores. I hope everyone has a safe and love-filled holiday. Blessings |
| I'm A Mad Painter Of Boxes. National Chains Such As Walmart Carry... | Dec 11th. at 5:09:15 pm EST |
| Epona (Indianapolis, Indiana US) | Age: 18 |
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I'm a mad painter of boxes. National chains such as Walmart carry little unfinished wooden boxes that cost about 97 cents apiece and larger boxes that cost between $5 and $10. I stock up on boxes, paints, and very small clay animals. Between my mother and myself, I also have a very large stencil collection at my disposal. During the pre-holiday times I paint boxes, trying to personalize them to each of my friends. Sometimes I use the stencils. Other times I do freehand designs. The little clay animals can be glued to the boxes for my friends or family members that like animals. Last year I gave my best friend a larger box with a Celtic design painted on the top. I gave it to her during school, and as she carried it around during the day it drew all kinds of compliments and questions. Everyone wanted to know where she had gotten it, and no one believed that I was the one who had painted it. |
| While I'm Also Planning Some More Conventional Shopping This Year (as Soon... | Dec 11th. at 4:33:38 pm EST |
| Jenett (St. Paul, Minnesota US) | Age: 25 - Email |
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While I'm also planning some more conventional shopping this year (as soon as he tells me what he wants) for my fiance, I'm also making two things for him. I got the 2001 Llewellyn Almanack (useful for my purposes, since I tend to forget when full moons are, and new moons, and had heard good things about the variety of articles.) and in fact, they have an article on how to make dreamcatchers. Since my fiance has had problems sleeping, I thought that would be a nice touch - something I made, and something that might, even, help him out. (I intend to charge it before I go up to visit him for the holiday too - we're still long distance from each other most of the time, but I get to spend 11 days with him due to a break in my own obligations) I'm also planning on making him a small lavender filled pillow, since I've discovered a relatively cheap local source (one of the co-ops on one of my drives home sells bulk herbs for reasonanble prices. They don't have a *great* selection, but for the stuff they do have, the prices are good.) |
| It Isn't Easy Havng A Big Heart And Being A Student With... | Dec 11th. at 3:23:18 pm EST |
| Hunter (Peterborough, Ontario CA) | Age: 23 - Email |
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It isn't easy havng a big heart and being a student with a small bank account so each year I try to make new and interesting things to give as gifts The fist Yule that my family knew I was a practicing Witch was a little different they knew what I said i was but really didn't understand it. They were often reluctant to ask for fear of what I might tell them. So as a gift I wanted to give them something that was tied in with my spirtual path to let them know that they were welcome to ask questons. After seeing something of the like in a local occult shope I set out to make "wiccan wreaths" for my family and friends for the holidays they were rather easy and really helped me in doing some of my first spell work To make one you need: a vein wreath a hot glue gun ribbon to make a bow with a broom like the ones found at a craft store for decoration some pretty rope about 1.5 meters dryed flowers greens and herbs (I save all my roses and herbs year round and dry them but you can get them at a craft shope) Start by threading the rope through the wreath to make the 5 pointed star for me this was the beginning of the spell... when your done tie it off but leave enough rope so it can be used to hang the wreath with. Next take the craft broom and hot glue it to one side of the wreath I normally do it on a slant with the handle at the top and the brushes half on and half off the wreath at the bottom. Once its on there good add your bow to the top part of the broom handle the decorate down the handle with dried followers. Then move to the wreat, I don't decortae all the way around but you could if you wanted. I start with the greens eucaliptus, rosemarry, boxwood, by putting them in the holes of the wreath make sure its all glued down good then I add fillers like status, corn flowers, and baby's breath I fininsh it off with roses. The whole time I'm weaving a spell of prosperity and protection for the person that I'm making it for I've even been known to place a tiny leather bag it the wreath filled with the crushed herbs and flowers so that the person can strenghthen the spell when they feel the need. For my friends and family it was the best gift I could give them because it showed that I was open to any of their questions and best of all I felt welcomed as I approched their door which had a pentical wreath on it * just a note though the wreath does look like a pentical so if you live some where, where you think people might get upset you might want to ecourage them to hang it inside there house near the front entrance instead. Ive always found that I feel better giving gifts that I've invested part of myself in so go ahead and try this it's easy and the only thing you'll have a problem with is removing all those tiny gule strings left from the gule gun when your finished. merry wreath making and happy holidays |
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