Making it real

Amid all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season—also known as the shopping season—it can be easy to forget what it’s all about.

Uh … presents!

Seriously, we love our loved ones and want them to open something special come the holidays. If we can feel good about ourselves doing so, well, all the better.

That’s why it’s worth considering setting aside the credit card for a moment and taking a stab at creating something extra-special and all your own. Meaningful, hand-made gifts—OK, and DVD players—are the ones with the staying power.

Plus—and this is a commonly heard euphemism for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks—"with all that’s going on in the world,” it’s natural and appropriate this year to turn one’s time and attention to a gift that requires a little extra thought and creativity on the part of the giver.

That said, the Chico News & Review sent its normally cynical writers out to try our hands at gift making and report the results. All around, we thought we did pretty well, and we hope the friends and family members who end up with our humble attempts are similarly pleased.

Bead It

Gift of Light

Glazed and Confused

Scrap Happy

Sugar Shack