This festive season, I enjoyed the holidays with friends I had not seen in eons, food I had not tasted in years, and shared a 'goodwill towards men' spirit that permeated everywhere. I love the holidays because they are the time of year when those who are 'old school' (like me) are the most comfortable, and honouring tradition is the passion of the day.
Of course, the Mac hasn't been around long enough to actually be a part of any long-standing tradition but it certainly helped this season, especially when it came to creating handmade gifts for loved ones.
After the program created a materials list, I cut the pieces and then my son assembled and finished the project, which, tradition dictates, will be cherished for many years to come.
Of course, building a jewellery box takes months of planning. But sometimes you realise that you forgot someone, or an old friend gives you a gift but you don't have one to reciprocate. This is where having a Mac really shines.
The personalised gift is a long-standing tradition in our family because making something yourself can save a bundle, which increases the gift's significance and can often be made in just a few minutes.
One of my favourite custom-made, budget insta-gifts is the personalised mix CD. You select a dozen songs that have meaning to the recipient, burn them to a CD with iTunes, create an artistic CD case insert using an appropriate photo, recycle some wrapping paper and there you go - a precious and heartfelt gift that costs under US$15 and is ready in moments.