Victorian gift giving and Christmas traditions

[joyeuxcherie]

I wrote a blog entry about Victorian Christmas traditions, including a short synopsis on gift giving during that time. Since the general monthly theme is gifts, I want to share that excerpt here and invite you to read the full entry which further explorers the elegance of a Victorian Christmas. To start a discussion, I also posted a few questions on your thoughts on Victorian gift giving.

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Gifts
The climax of Christmas is the giving and receiving of gifts. Advice was found in books and publications; even including directions and patterns to make something truly sentimental. Gift making was a communal activity, with the family and friends spending happy hours together planning and creating their gifts.

Here are some gifts given in the Victorian family:
Mother: an apron, stationary, silk fan, jewelry, handkerchiefs, or scarves.
Father: a muffler, tobacco pouch, cigar case, bed slippers, or homemade cookies.
Grandmother: doilies, photograph frame, a wonder ball (small gifts wrapped in a ball of yarn).
Sister: hair ribbons, muffs, books, a porcelain doll, quilts, or painting set.
Brother: a sled, skates, model train, marbles, painted toy animals, or shoeshine kit.

A guitar made of ribbons and silk, very cute!: http://www.victorian-embroidery-and-crafts.com/victorian_christmas_gifts.html
Wheelbarrow pin cushion: http://www.victorian-embroidery-and-crafts.com/wheelbarrow_pincushion.html

To read the complete entry please go to this link: http://thefrillzone.blogspot.com/2012/12/victorian-christmas-traditions.html

What Victorian traditions do you like the most?
Do you have a Christmas tradition that you participate in every year?
Have you've ever received a handmade gift, if so what was it? 
Do you think that there should be more handmade gifts?