Just when it seems like it’s over, here it comes again. Finding the perfect gift is indistinguishable from the Halloween movies: You think you’ve survived and that everything worked out, and then bam, you’ve got some looney in a jumpsuit chasing you around yelling “What are you possibly going to get everyone this year!”
If you’ve exhausted all your gift card options, why not go with the homemade route. After all, you’re a welder. You literally build things all day. Here’s our top 3 tips to help you get started.
- Get A Creative Idea
No matter what your skill level, there’s a creative idea out there that’ll work for you. The hard part is simply thinking of it. We know for some of you, creativity was when you made that ashtray in 2nd grade. So here’s a couple gift ideas to wet your whistle.
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- Tree Ornaments - - Christmas Home Décor/Lawn Décor
- - Nativity Scene
- - Menorah
- - Candle Holders
- - Key Chains
- - Coat Rack
- - Key Holding Rack
- - Fire Poker/ Fire Poker Holder
- Think About Timing
The holidays are entirely unreasonable. They never reschedule, no matter how terrible the weather is or how busy things get. It’s a hard deadline, so do some quick math before you start. Sure, life-size steel lawn reindeer would totally blow your overachieving brother-in-law’s gift out of the water, but let’s do the math: Each reindeer takes, let’s say, 4 hours. If you’re giving one to each of your family members (4-ish people), that’s around 16 hours of work. The biggest pro-tip we can give is choosing a project that’s within your time limitations.
- Dive In
Making the plunge from welder to artist seems like such a drastic leap. All you really need is a good idea, enough time, and the reassurance that no matter how things turn out, at least your mom will love it and your dad will hide it when his friends come over but not because he’s embarrassed, just because it was blocking the TV. So dive in.
If you’re still worried, check out this post on the best welding fails to boost your confidence. It won’t give you any practical advice, but it’ll sure make you feel better about yourself.
*special thanks to Phil Manker for the welded metal ornament picture
