It is December 19th.
Stop for a minute. (No, I don't want to hear that you don't have time to stop; if you don't have time, you need to stop even more than most.) Take a deep breath. Now, take a look at all the knitting/crochetting/sewing/art of choice projects you are "supposed" to finish for Christmas.
Can you reasonably finish that in the next 5 days?
Without risk injury yourself? Be honest. Aim low.
1) You still have time to buy something.
If you can't afford to buy something, you have time to make "gift certificates" for those projects, to be redeemed in a more reasonable timeframe. Christmas is a nice holiday, but it is not worth injuring yourself (or your sanity) over.
2) Look at all you've got finished, and all you have no chance of finishing. What you've got finished or can reasonably finish in the next few days ("reasonably" means
without staying up to 3 AM one or more nights and pushing on through pain) is your crafting capacity for Christmas. I want you to remember this for next year. Next year, either start earlier or keep your projects below your crafting capacity. (I vote for number 2.)
Also, if you need permission, it
really is OK to give people storebought gifts or giftcards instead of making something. Even if your gifts would be small. Be honest with yourself. The person you're injuring yourself for, if two items were on a table, would they chose your handmade creation or a gift card to their favorite place in the amount that the supplies cost you? If the answer is "gift card", for love of God, self, and recipient, just give them the gift card!
3) Remember, you do this for fun. In the future, do what it takes to keep it fun, even if it means someone gets a $5 Amazon gift cert.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled panic.
