Time to get back to Simple, traditional and special.

  Even though I am a rather small contributor to the larger retailers at Christmas, I have always been a believer that the gifts should special and intimate.  I want my family to open gifts and feel the power of love come over them, not just the excitement of a new big item from the big name sellers. I guess because I had to be creative for many years while my kids were younger. I made gifts and found the smaller items that cost less, yet had a great deal of meaning to my child.
   I don't want to let go of the feeling. I still want my kids to open up a gift and feel like I really thought about them and not just shopped of a wish list. I use to tell my kids that I want to find the gift that they never know they wanted.
   Maybe that is why I create items in my store with that same idea behind it. I don't mass produce and I don't worry about making each item exactly the same. I have always had an issue being cookie cutter (although I do own probably 100 cookie cutters.) I really love that feeling of something unique and special. I think that a great deal of people feel that way. If you could choose, would you rather have something that millions of people are opening as a gift on Christmas, or something that only you will get, or at the least only a few dozen people will get.
   I think we need to get back to basics in our own homes and family. Showing how something simple, unexpected and unique can really make you happy. Please think about shopping a small local business. Big stores and large chains are nice. But maybe just one or two gifts under the tree from small businesses that have that hand crafted and made with love feeling.