Homemade or Bought – homemade
It is just a simple potato bin, made from cheap plywood. It stands about three feet tall, and is twelve inches deep and sixteen inches wide. It has a hinged top that opens for easy access in filling, as well as for selecting a few potatoes for cooking. It is painted brown, with a couple of choice Idaho potatoes painted on the lid, and the words, “To Shirley with all our Love. Paul and Gayle.”My husband’s brother Paul made the bin for me as a Christmas present many years ago, and his wife, Gayle painted the spuds on the front and added the inscription.I have seen many potato bins in retail stores, hardware stores, and grocery stores; but I have never seen one to compare with mine. Not because it is prettier, sturdier, or made from a finer wood. It will not stand up to the scrutiny of a craftsman or a cabinet maker; but its value to me is far above anything of superior quality. It is priceless because they spent a few hours of their time and talents to create something just for me.When I look at that bin that sits in my kitchen next to the cabinets, I see more than a piece of wood in the shape of something useful. I can see the love they put into its design and the satisfaction they must have felt when it was completed. They added a bit of their hearts and souls in that old bin, and that makes it worth more than anything they could have purchased.The most unique homemade gift I received came to me because of the fact I am an amateur genealogist. About ten years ago, I traced my father’s family line back into Austria where our immigrant was born in 1710. I followed his line of descendants from his arrival in the colonies to our present generation, and in the process I found a family living in Mississippi who believed they were the last of their line. When I began corresponding with them they were overjoyed to discover the nearly endless list of relatives they had inherited. I sent them a copy of my book and in return, they sent me a box of homemade jellies and jams from berries that were growing wild on their land.Now, jelly may not seem unusual or outstanding as gifts go, but they sent a book of photographs depicting the entire event. There was a picture of cousin Steve dressed in overalls and a straw hat, gathering sand plums. There was a photo of his wife, Annie standing behind a table filled with jelly jars containing plum jelly and butter, and a photo of “Pop” holding his copy of the family book while his wife Ellen looked on. There were many other photos of all family members with their identities and ages inscribed on the back. They were all involved in the jelly-making process in one way or another and those images were caught by the camera.The jelly and jam was preserved in beautifully embossed glasses made especially for jelly, and each one sported a label identifying the flavor of the jelly, the date it was made, and the notification that it was a product of “Annie’s Kitchen.”The jelly was delicious and very much appreciated, but the photographs of a family busily engaged in the jelly making process was priceless. The fact that we had been unaware of each other’s existence just a couple of years earlier seemed to fade away. They were family and it seemed as if they had always been around, and just as important was the fact that we were also friends.Boxes and baskets of Jellies and jams can be purchased in stores, especially around the holidays. You can find those expensive imported varieties in those fancy containers, but they could never compare to the ones from Annie’s kitchen!I have a daughter who loves gardening, and she has a green thumb that spurs her along with success. She loves to gather several types of her flowers and turn them into beautiful arrangements or bouquets for her friends and family. Any excuse or occasion will send her outside into her flower garden with her trusty clippers and a basket. Her arrangements are exquisite and absolutely beautiful and they make lovely gifts. She has a large supply of vases to choose from, and she always manages to co-ordinate the colors of the flowers with the right vase or container.She presents her flowers to the ill and the bereaved. She takes them to the rest homes when she visits elderly friends, and of course you can always count on her floral tributes for birthdays and special occasions.If you have purchased flowers from a florist recently you know how expensive they can be. My daughter’s arrangements come complete with her love and her concern for the recipient; and for quality and beauty they will stand up in comparison to any from a professional source. They are always appreciated because she sends a bit of herself along with them.We all have friends and neighbors who bring us homemade candy and cookies, or maybe fruit cakes for Christmas. They could purchase those fancy tin containers filled with cookies from any local retail store, but for quality and taste, they cannot compete with homemade. Not only are those homemade morsels delicious, you know the person cared enough to spend time making them…and during the holidays, time is often of the essence. Homemade or store-bought? There is really no comparison here.I suppose the sweetest homemade gifts are the cards that are made by our children and grandchildren. You know the ones I am referring to. They might say “Happy Birthday, Mommy,” or “I love you grandma.” They might be heart-shaped for Valentines Day or depict a snowman for a Christmas card. The words are often misspelled and are scrawled in that shaky uncertain print made with crayons or markers. Sometimes they are covered with bright flowers with a huge sun shining its rays down on them and some may even show a family of stick figures holding hands beside a slightly too tall house with windows larger than the door. These are the cards that we display on our refrigerators for all the world to see, because these are the cards that were made with the most precious and innocent love on earth just for us! Who in the world would prefer store-bought cards over these masterpieces?My brother’s wife loves to crochet and my house is filled with examples of her handwork. I have afghans, scarves, and Christmas decorations of all kinds. We always receive baby blankets with each new addition to the family as well as sweaters, hats, house shoes, throws…the list goes on and on. We know these gifts come from the heart and they could never be replaced with anything purchased from a store. They would pale in comparison.I realize that in this busy world not everyone has the time or the know-how to create something homemade. All too often an item must be purchased, and that does not mean it is not appreciated when it is received as a gift. Knowing that someone cares enough to send you a gift is very gratifying, and it often comes with their love attached. But for those people who have the time and the talent, there is no better way to say “Here’s a part of my heart. Please accept it with my love.”
