By Becci Coombes
Publication Date: October 31, 2022 (US)
199 Pages
While I don’t normally review craft books, I couldn’t pass up requesting this one and was delighted when it landed in my inbox. Granted, my bookshelf is littered with Christmas decorating books that I either don’t have time to return to after the first year, or the decorations aren’t practical (I have a cat – enough said.)
I do, however, love to make homemade gifts and who can resist a hygge gift? (Hygge – comfortable, cozy, a sense of family and belonging.) Even better if those gifts are made with things I already have on hand or can easily acquire, and I have a path to making them, which this book provides.
The author, a native Dane, presents a myriad of choices regardless of your interest. Gifts (both edible and not), decorations and crafts, Christmas comfort food, and games for the family. Her choices are both frugal and green – both of which I really appreciate. I’m writing this review in October so I haven’t completed any of the projects; although, I am definitely making the gnomes and several others (hello – birch wreath!) as soon as I get through Samhain (Halloween).
The timing is one of the reasons I didn’t give this a five-star rating. The other is simply an accident of geography. The author, as I noted, is in Denmark. I’m in a southern Mid-Atlantic state. Some of the important items needed are not just lying around here (hello – birch twigs) and are fairly expensive to buy. And while I LOVE the ornaments recycled from sweaters, I almost cried at the picture of her cutting up that gorgeous sweater in a style that I’m not blessed enough to own, much less have an extra that I would cut up. I do, however, have several great thrift stores close by so I’ll simply recycle someone else’s sweater.
I received the ebook and I do believe that once it’s released, I’ll be picking up the hard copy. It’s lovely enough I want a “real” copy to hang onto.
4.25 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐+
Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing the ARC. I’ve left my review honestly and voluntarily.
Until next time, thank you for visiting.
Ann Dudzinski 