My Family gifts in 2014. ... Washcloths... Pot holders

It's that time of year when knitting gifts can become all consuming. After all, there is nothing better then giving hand knit items to those that love to wear them. Over the years, in an attempt to not be overwhelmed, I have tried many different strategies. Here are some that worked and some that didn't.

~ Start knitting gifts in September once school has started and the feeling of fall is in the air. This actually works out pretty well as long as you can get yourself to even think about the holidays and don't get swept away with Halloween and pumpkin spice lattes. This is one that I really wish I could get myself to do.
In So Cal. September is the hottest month of the year, most often in the high 90's, which makes thinking about the holidays almost impossible for me. I even have a hard time with pumpkin spice lattes.
But, if you live in cooler climates and the feeling of fall does arrive in September, then this is probably one of the best ideas. there really is lots of time to get a lot of knitting done.

~ Knit Christmas gifts around the recipients birthday. This really works for me. I can focus on one gift at a time. Doing this was actually a revelation. I can completely focus on the person I am knitting for and really enjoy the whole process. It also allowes me to knit more complicated items since I have more time. One year, I knitted sweaters for both my sisters and my mother. Now that was an accomplishment!

Leaving Bayarri Charleston Tea

~ Related to the above idea is to knit birthday gifts and not Christmas gifts. An added bonus not mentioned above is that this also spreads out the cost of the projects throughout the year.

~ Don't knit Christmas gifts. This is a big fail for me. I make this decision around the beginning of November but by Thanksgiving I can't stand it and have to knit at least some hats. But it is an option.

Curve of Pursuit

~ Don't pressure yourself to get a larger projects done by Christmas. I have done that on several occasions over the years and everyone is understanding about it not being done. One year, I was going to make my son a large afghan with Bronco colors. Of course I came up with this idea around November and there was no way this was going to be done in time. I got the project started so that he could try and get an idea of what I was making. It was fun to watch him open it and try to figure out what it was. Then he gave it back to me and I knitted and knitted and knitted. My only problem with this strategy is, once Christmas is done I am ready to move on and do some selfish knitting. I often feel bogged down still having to work on Christmas gifts. But sometime you have to do what you have to do.

~ Enjoy the last minuet frenzy! Even after all those ideas there is also something about knitting during the season and working on a deadline that just seems to give me the feeling of Christmas. I can remember knitting late into the night, when I was in high school, finishing a blanket for my parents. Isn't that all part of it? Last minuet, simple gifts, can be the best thing ever!

So what am I doing this year?? I started the gifts for my knitting group the beginning of November hoping to be done by December 1. That's tomorrow as I write this and I will be done. Yeah!!!

That was going to be all I was going to knit. But, I really do want to knit my son and his wife something warm. They live in San Francisco and wear their knitted items all the time. So...... I will be starting a hat and scarf for my son and a cowl for his wife. That gives me all of December so I think I will be just fine.

Note to self: Never think you are not going to knit something for someone for Christmas!!

How do you handle you Holiday knitting?