I’ve done it. I will admit it to you, my dear friends, and trust that you will not think less of me. Yes: I have constructed a duct tape wallet. 

It was my wife’s suggestion.

A few Christmases back, I had drawn my cousin’s husband’s name in my family’s annual gift-giving ceremony. I pulled his name out of the hat (actually a clean coffee cup) and I breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to be easy – a gift card to any old outdoor sporting goods store would do. But the aunt who organized the drawing then declared that this year we were going to do Homemade Christmas. A few people groaned. One cousin crooned, “Nooooooo.” Most politely smiled. I got worried.

I had no idea what to make for my cousin’s husband. My creative abilities, while astounding in the, um, field of, um, beat boxing, do not extend to making things with my hands.

I put off thinking about it as long as possible until a few nights before the big exchange. My wife Shannon, zeroing in on a project I could handle, suggested a duct tape wallet. At least it’ll be funny, she said. Since I couldn’t think of anything better, I boldly took the suggestion.

Instructions on the internet are plenty, and duct tape is relatively easy to find. I used a basic design, and realizing how easy it is, made a few (totally sweet) custom alterations. It took me about an hour. I was actually kind of proud of the finished product, as dorky as it was.

Shannon was right – the near-indestructible gift went over great at that year’s holiday party, and everyone got a good laugh out of it. I had placed a gift card in one of the exquisitely crafted credit card slots just in case my giftee already had a wallet. (He did.)

Like every year that’s designated as Homemade Christmas, a few family members had simply refused to participate and acted like it was the dumbest thing ever invented, ever. I guess there’s no reason to demand that everyone makes a gift. People who want to can, and people who don’t want to can buy some crap at a gas station on the way to Christmas dinner. Or whatever.

Maybe your family does not have this conversation every year whilst drawing names for the upcoming gift-giving. Maybe the thought of DIY presents doesn’t even enter their minds. But I think it’s safe to assume that most of you have a few family members who actually like making stuff, and they’re usually the ones pushing the concept on others.

Yeah, sure, there’s an undeniable historical precedent to the tradition. Back in the pioneer days, you had to make your own gifts because convenient gas stations with gift racks weren’t invented yet. You had to go out in the barnyard and slaughter a goat to make a towel rack or something. You had to chop down a tree and whittle a guitar. Things like that.

One year, I kind of copped out and made my aunt a mix CD full of singers I thought she might like. Sure, it doesn’t seem like arranging the tracks into the perfect order is all that hard, but I really worked at it – because no matter what my skill level might be, I truly like Homemade Christmas. It just adds to the fun, I guess. There’s definitely a lot more pointing and snickering.

Being a less than insanely motivated individual, I can certainly identify with the uneasiness produced by having to actually create a gift for a friend or family member. For one thing, It takes a lot more time. And many people find it hard enough just to select the right gift for someone, let alone make it. But some of my family just seem downright afraid of having to make a gift.

Why is this? Are people too lazy too conceive and create even a passable gift? Is it a Midwestern thing? Are we making ourselves too vulnerable by bestowing upon friends and family an intimate part of ourselves, exposing our creative talents or lack thereof? Would we just really, really miss standing in line at Target?

Lucky for most of you, the homemade-haters usually outnumber the homemade-lovers and you rarely need to put your creative talents to the test. You can rely on that old holiday stand-by: “being thoughtful.” But hey, if you really want to score some extra points the year, try being thoughtful and creative. Make a duct tape wallet or a similar piece of junk. It’s not too difficult and people will talk about it for years. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?