I make Xmas Ornaments for the children in our family every year. Am I wasting my time?

Question

My sister said they won't appreciate it. I buy presents as well but the younger children don't seem to appreciate the handmade gifts as much as to older kids and adults do. Each ornament take about 8 hours and I design each to suit the person. A few people want me to sell them rather than gift them. To me it's about the child and the love. Am i becoming the crazy aunt everybody avoids.
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When I have sold the ornaments in the past they sold for $30 each.

Answer 1

I think it's a great thing to do for them. When they're grown up with families of their own, & they get out the X-mas ornaments, they'll look at the ones you made for them & they'll bring them back to their childhood & give them so many warm X-mas memories, & wonderful memories of caring loving aunt/ mom/etc. I think you should continue making them.

Answer 2

You are not wasting your time. Please continue to make them. The younger kids will not appreciate the time and effort you put into the design and execution of the ornaments.

However, when they are older, they will appreciate them. Ask your sister to "hold" onto the ornaments until the kids move out of the house. Then, they will each have a 'set' of beautifully handcrafted ornaments.

And, no, you are not the crazy avoidable auntie! :)

Answer 3

Maybe the little kids don't appreciate them now, but they will later. They will be happy that their crafty aunty made a personal keepsake for them in addition to the regular presents.

If you enjoy making them, and don't mind spending the time, then go for it. If people don't like the ornaments, they will just say thank you and put them away - it's not like you made them a hideous hand-made sweater that they then feel compelled to wear every time they see you.

And if you do become that crazy aunt everyone avoids, you'll know, because you'll see a lot less of people. ;)

Answer 4

I actually do the same thing with my immediate family- so theres 20 neices and nephews I make for. Trust me, they'll appreciate it when they get older and have an ornament for each year of their childhoods to hang on their own tree. But hey, if you have the time, why not sell some as well?

Answer 5

Wow you are really talented. The person who wants you to sell them is right. At $30 each is very lucrative. Why not give it to the child when he/she reaches their 30th birthday. Only then will they appreciate such things. Children prefer toys, food and fun things. Ornaments won't do a thing for them. So do hold off giving it to them until they are older. Start selling them to your friends, friend's friends, Wal-mart or through eBay! You are a duck who lays the golden eggs.

Answer 6

Even if your kids don't appreciate the ornaments now, they will when they're older. I cherish the gifts my mother made for me when I was a child. It's cynical to think a child won't feel the love a mother has for them when she makes something special.

Answer 7

Maybe you could make the ones for the little kids a little more sparkly, a little more flashy, a little more "cool" -- perhaps they would be more impressed if an ornament had a Bratz image on them, or something like that.

Answer 8

the younger kids don't appreciate things like that, but when they grow up, and they move out, and they have there own Christmas tree, then the ornaments become priceless to them, keep it up

Answer 9

No you are not. Other people might think you are wasting your time but you are not. It's good that you want to make gifts for people and that you spend such a long time on it. It's the thought that counts. Don't listen to the other people about selling it

Answer 10

If the parents keep them for the kids , they will love them when they are grown , to think you cared that much about them .