I view it from the opposite. Parents know best what their kids would want. Let the parents buy stuff for their kids.

However, this is a great excuse to pick up a craft or hobby that you enjoy and make something for the special people in your life.

I enjoy woodworking, so what I end up doing is getting some small bits of nice hardwoods. Oak, maple, what have you. I buy through the year and I’ll make something like a cute notebook using two pieces of wood and some metal rings. Each one costs me only a few dollars. I spend some time in the workshop and you give someone something that’s unique.

The point is, home made gifts will always be more special than random doodads and widgets.

I made a friend last year who makes cheese. You know what I’m getting for Christmas? A fat wheel of smoked cheese and I gotta say, I’ll take that over whatever can be found on a store shelf.

If you’re also a millennial, I think we all grew up with the mindset of “home made gifts are from poor people”. But today I think it’s the complete opposite. Anyone can hop on Temu, Amazon, Wish or any other sweatshop marketplace and get literally endless amount of plastic trash. But not everyone can make jar cakes or home made marshmallows, a nice loaf of fresh bread or even a jar of home made mead.

Find something you like and spread some good cheer. That’s what it’s all about. While my little wooden notebooks may go unused. A small thoughtful chochky that adorns a shelf still holds a lot of nice memories of Christmas last. While my future cheese won’t make it to the new year (it’s very good cheese) I’ll never forget the best cheese I ever had… especially when I’m making orders for more!

“All of these disgusting men use anecdotal evidence to claim they aren’t deadbeat scum. To prove it, here’s my anecdotal evidence!”