Gift-giving

Lately, I feel that I have been a terrible gift-giver, if one looks to material goods as gifts. But on the other hand, I'd rather give gifts borne out of careful thought and not tied to particular occasions than thoughtless junk. There's an extra bonus for handmade things, because those show a commitment of time and the mark of the maker's hands, as well as a different sort of thoughtfulness (what can I make that would be the right thing for that particular person?).

Ceramics has turned into an act of such gift-giving. To be sure, I make many things for myself, but at a certain point I think that sort of making will wane and the gifting will expand. I've tried hard to be careful to make things thoughtfully, in consideration of function and in great contrast to my earlier makings of many useless shapes (a good number of these will find new life in different functions, as shards). It's an interesting shift in thought.