This Christmas think outside the (big) box: Buy handmade, local, and small

My son's handmade Christmas jammies.

It's American Craft Week, which has me all excited for the holidays. I've never really attended a Black Friday sale.  Last year I went to the fabric store to buy flannel for the new baby.  I don't spend hours agonizing in the local supercenter or hoping to get the latest new fad toy.  I'm a handmade Christmas kind of gal.  That means I make my presents or I buy them from handcrafters.  I'd like to think that my gifts are a breath of fresh air in a holiday that has become about bells, whistles, and touch screens.

I grew up in a home where Christmas was a big event.  Once a year Santa lavished our middle income family with rooms full of presents.  It blew my husband away the first time he spent Christmas with us.  My Dad fancies himself a modern St. Nick, and each year gets more impressive.  The lesson I took from his genuine merriment was not that buying lots of things is important.  No the joy lies in finding the unique, the beautiful, the one perfect present for each person.  For me, I do this by giving handcrafted presents.

This Christmas I'm pledging to support handmade.  We'll be featuring amazing picks from artisans each week in a holiday gift guide with a very special wrap-up.  If you have a product or shop, we should highlight please email me at connectedmom@gmail.com for more information.

For more info on buying handmade check out the Handmade Toy Alliance.