CULLMAN – Christmas is here and everyone is excited. Children have been marking their calendars for days, counting down to the time Santa Claus finally pays them a visit. Busy mothers have been planning for the holiday for weeks – deciding what to fix for Christmas dinner, deep cleaning their homes for the many out of town guests coming to visit, and the biggest chore, in my opinion, is managing the household budget to ensure everyone has something very special underneath the Christmas tree. Gift giving can be very fun and rewarding, but it can also be extremely stressful!
The gift buying process varies from one person to person. Everyone likes to do his or her own, sometimes quirky thing – and usually have a great time while doing it. Some folks love to comb the busy malls, looking for the most wanted items of the season. Others revel in all excitement while pushing and shoving on Black Friday as half the town mows through the local Walmart looking for bargains. Still others save all the drama and shop for everything online from the comfort of their own home.
There are those people out there who are extremely crafty and very talented. They enjoy making their own gifts and presenting them to their families and friends. Homemade presents are an extension of the person who made them. Whether it is something sweet to eat, fluffy to wear or just pretty to look at, people just love receiving something handmade with love. But how in the world do these people come up with such unique crafts? Imagination plays a big part, but sometimes folks need a little help to get started.
Instead of hoarding many years worth of dried flower, macramé and recipe books, computer savvy people these days simply go online, pull up www.pinterest.com and browse through all sorts of wonderful homemade gift ideas that promise to make the holidays complete.
Pinterest is a visual bookmarking tool that helps you discover and save creative ideas. It is a free website and requires registration to use. Once registered, people are able to bookmark, or “pin” anything and everything they find interesting from other websites. These pins can be categorized and put together in groups called pinboards. Friends can follow each other on Pinterest and swap ideas and interests.
Pinterest enables people to research the perfect craft or recipe, ensure it is something they are able to make by reading the directions thoroughly, then list the items needed for a quick run to the grocery or craft store. It brings ideas from around the world into your living room and allows you to sit and dream of the many possibilities out there to make Christmas something to really remember.
If you are not familiar with Pinterest yet, you should check it out. If you are unsure as to what to do, there is a tutorial available to help you learn all the ins and outs of the website. Once you get there – have fun! Pinterest isn’t just fun at Christmas time; it’s a wonderful tool to use throughout the entire year by offering the best ideas for any creative situation.
