Share Your Gifts

Gramma-Phyllis was not your typical grandmother.  She was not openly affectionate; she kept her hands in her pockets when we went in for a hug.  She drove a convertible and spent most of her time in her gold bathing suit.  We actually had her buried in her bathing suit.  When I was in college, my grandparents divorced, and Gramma-Phyllis signified the occasion with a butterfly tattoo on her breast.  I bragged to my sorority sisters that I had a grandmother with a tattoo.

Each year Gramma-Phyllis took a class to learn a new creative technique and gave us a homemade Christmas gifts.  She would stencil jewelry boxes, paint tote bags, and knit us blankets.  One year she handmade porcelain dolls that resembled my sister and I as little girls.  Through her creative projects, she demonstrated her love for us. 

I did not appreciate getting a painted tray or wooden box as a teenager, but these are now my most treasured items.  I entertain friends with her painted trays, carry my needlepoint in her tote bag, and her wooden swan decorates our home today.  We use her picnic basket, plant succulents in her soup tureen, serve festive drinks in her punch bowl, and her domino collection is on display.  These items help tell our story and keep her close to us.  The greatest gift Gramma-Phyllis gave me was the gift of sharing her creativity. 

I hope this holiday season you encourage your family to do the same.   Proudly display your heirlooms and collections as a reminder of where you came from.  Encourage more making and creating in your own homes.  Share your gifts.