Labor of love, a gift this Christmas

Dec 23, 2010

Labor of love, a gift this Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and many families are feeling the economic crunch in their pockets. But the season is a time for giving and exchanging gifts. News Five’s Marion Ali and Cameraman, Rick Romero went about looking for persons to whom giving from the heart, meant making their own handmade gifts and that means spending far less.

Elizabeth Howard

“I can’t buy most of the time so I just mek stuff and I give to mi friends.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

While Christmas has taken on a whole new face over the past several decades years, with specials on the latest gadgets and flashy, high-priced toys and wrist watches, the global recession has prompted many people to become more creative in spreading Christmas cheer. They are not buying gifts, they’re making them, some even from material that most people consider junk.

Elizabeth Howard, Entrepreneur

elizabeth howard

“I walk around and if I see something that I can do something with I pick it up. Most of the thing in this house is recyclable stuff. These were last year’s gifts I gave to all my friends and family. These are made of plastic bags and then you buy the flowers and you just put it on.”

Marion Ali

“It looks very original.”

Elizabeth Howard

“I guess because I neva see anybody do it yet. And then the pieces off the plastic bags, I made these. These are the same plastic bags, the garbage bags. Yes, I make the ornaments out of the plastic battle 9 the juice bottle), you cut it and then you put it together and you just decorate it. And you use the top as well. All my friends got and then my grandchildren and the little kids are going to get curtains and like that.”

Elizabeth Howard’s creativity also went a long way in treating even herself this Christmas.

Elizabeth Howard

“My daughter house was completely deteriorated and we had to take it down. So she moved in with me and I needed more space. So I decided I needed to do something. I got help from the minister with the materials, but the labor wasn’t there, so I did it myself mostly with a little help from couple boys and other people. But mostly it was mine from ground up. Because it is something I always do. The house that we had to take down, I mostly build that likewise and I help the other daughter build hers.”

Marion Ali

“Is there anything that’s too difficult for you?”

Elizabeth Howard

“So far not yet – maybe finding a job – a good paying job.”

Alex Brown is also feeling the crunch on his wallet, but that will not stop him from giving to the one he loves.

Alex Brown, Cabinet maker

alex brown

“This Christmas I want to give something to my wife. Every year I try give ahn something different. I am trying to give her a nice entertainment center and a cabinet fi ih bathroom. Sometimes nothing noh di happen. You try do things fi make things happen. And instead of going out there and do the wrong thing, you just try keep focused on doing the right thing.”

Also keeping focused is a face who almost everyone knows. While Alex Brown is about to surprise his wife and Elizabeth Howard has already shared her talent with her friends, Joel “Dara” Robinson is focusing on needy children. He has built a number of wooden toy trucks that he says are durable to withstand even the streets of Belize City.

joel "dara" robinson

Joel “Dara” Robinson, Promoter

“Krismos dah fi kids and about sharing and giving, you understand? So even if dah toys and you could give wah family wah lee amount of groceries and thing, that dah bout it cause Krismos dah bout sharing and giving yoh understand? Because deh dah hand-made and I guarantee if the kids do not stone deh down and thing, it will last longer than most of the plastic toys and and thing weh deh bout and thing you know.”