Canadians decking halls with DIY crafts
Canadians are grabbing their scissors and glue guns this holiday season to deck the halls with homemade decorations.
And some are pointing to Pinterest as the inspiration for their decorations and attempts to save a few dollars by crafting their own do-ityourself gifts.
A quick search on the popular image-sharing social network hails hundreds of DIY ideas. From Christmas wreaths made by gluing ornaments onto a repurposed and rounded clothes hanger to cutting and securing cupcake liners onto the bulbs of Christmas tree lights, there’s a wealth of creativity on display.
Rachel Smith’s Halifax-area home is brimming with decor she’s handcrafted over the years. But lately, Smith finds herself tabbing through Pinterest’s DIY and crafts sections.
“They give you so many more ideas, things I never thought of,” she said.
Whether it be Christmas decorations or gifts, Smith said the thrill of telling someone that you created the craft yourself is “so much more exciting.”
“You feel proud of yourself … and it’s not as expensive,” she said, adding that she recently painted festive light bulbs to use as ornaments.
“I think people appreciate handmade things sometimes a little bit more.”
Paula Jones, a Canadian spokeswoman for the Craft and Hobby Association, said more people are flocking to craft stores in search of supplies for holiday crafts they first saw on Pinterest.
“Pinterest is really giving us a lot more easy access to different ideas,” said Jones, whose association represents more than 250 Canadian businesses in the craft industry.
“From what I’m hearing from our members, certainly a lot more people are out there buying products to create Christmas decor in their homes and as gifts.
“People are looking for something more personal to give and to express themselves in their home.”
Jones said for many people, a homemade Christmas craft offers a gift that keeps on giving each year.
“It’s not something you’d have around your home year-round, but when you bring it out, it evokes the memories of the gift-giver, or the memories of … where you were when you made it,” Jones said from Orangeville, Ont. “The stuff that you buy … it doesn’t have that impact.”
Last year, Canadians spent more than $2.8 billion on craft supplies, according to a study by the Craft and Hobby Association.