Every December, the thing I look forward to most is bringing home a live Christmas tree. There’s just something about the smell of pine and the quiet moment when you open that first box of ornaments. I always end up sitting on the floor, unwrapping them slowly, because each one has its own story. Some are souvenirs from places I’ve traveled. A few have been passed down through my family for years. Others were handmade by friends who probably didn’t even realize how much I’d treasure them.

One of my favorites is a small copper salmon ornament from Alaska. A close family friend of mine runs a forge up there, and he loves laser-cutting these little fish to give away around the holidays. It’s rustic and simple, but it means a lot to me. When I hang it on the tree, it reminds me how special it feels when someone takes the time to make something with their own hands.

That idea settled in for me this year in a way it never has before. I kept thinking about how much those handmade ornaments mean and how meaningful it is to make something for someone else. So I decided that this December, I’m putting in the time to make ornaments myself. And honestly, it’s been such a fun process already.

I’ve been spending my evenings at HiveLabs with the 3D printers humming in the background and the laser cutter giving off that warm, toasty smell it has when it’s etching wood. (It makes me hungry for s’mores.) I’ve been sketching designs, testing ideas, messing things up, fixing them and trying again. Some ornaments are simple, and some turned into little experiments I didn’t expect. But every one of them feels personal in a way a store-bought gift just doesn’t.

There’s something grounding about sitting down to make something physical. You start thinking about the person it’s for. Maybe their favorite colors, their sense of humor, the little details that would make them smile. A gift becomes more than a thing to wrap; it becomes a moment you spent thinking about them.

And working at HiveLabs has reminded me how satisfying it is to learn by doing. You don’t have to be an expert in anything to start. Half the fun is figuring things out. I’ve seen people come in with no clue how to use a tool and walk out holding something they made that they didn’t think they were capable of. That feeling, that spark of “Oh wow, I made this!” It’s something I think we could all use a little more of, especially around the holidays.

The more ornaments I make, the more I keep thinking about how we could all lean into this idea of handmade gifting. It doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect. It could be a simple ornament, a little craft, a handwritten card, a framed photo, a decorated jar of homemade cookies, anything made with a bit of heart behind it.

There’s something really comforting about giving someone a gift that exists only because you made it for them. It doesn’t have a barcode. It doesn’t come with a marketing slogan. It’s just…personal. And honestly, in a season where everything can start to feel rushed and commercialized, slowing down to make something can be a really grounding experience.

As I’m working on my own ornaments at HiveLabs, I find myself imagining how they’ll look on my friends’ and family’s trees. I imagine them unwrapping something that didn’t come from a store shelf but from a real place of intention. And that feels right for this year. (And I am not including a photo of what I’ve made so far. Some people reading this would have their Christmas gift spoiled, if it’s not obvious to them already.)

So if you’ve been thinking about trying something new, or if you’ve ever wanted to make a gift but weren’t sure where to start, consider this your gentle nudge. You don’t have to make anything fancy. You don’t even have to come up with the perfect idea. Just try something small. You might surprise yourself. You might make someone’s holiday a little more special in the process.

My own tree this year will have a mix of old memories and new, handmade ones. And knowing that some of what I’m giving this season was created with my own hands, right here in our community at HiveLabs, makes the whole holiday feel a little warmer.