I’ve been thinking about Christmas a lot and all the financial problems that go with it.

I was watching a video on YouTube the other day and it was a woman who was making up hampers for Christmas. They weren’t expensive, all bells and whistles but they looked amazing. Most of them were under £10 and were themed – it got me thinking.

I would love to get a hamper for Christmas – not an expensive, everything bought kind. A basket filled with hand-made goodies that someone spent time making, just for me.

I’m thinking cookies, lip balm, knitted gloves, a painting – anything, just as long as they made it themselves. Oh and it has to have a hand-made card as well.

Nothing from the shops, nothing trendy or the latest hot deal. But time spent, love shown and greatly appreciated. Does that appeal to anyone else? Can we please turn back to more of this and less commercialisation of Christmas?

I realise some people do this and I’ve done a lot of it in the past but it certainly isn’t the norm, sadly. If you have made your presents this year, I’d love to know what you made! Do you think there is any way we can get back to a more basic, more natural, hand crafted Christmas where we spend our time, not our cash. Where we show people how much we love and appreciate them with our creations rather than gift cards? Just a thought.

Oh and if you want to see the video I mentioned: https://youtu.be/FGEDFQDnK0M?si=87SsEdWfRSdXYWx3