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We’re five days away from Christmas, when many people around the world will join in the annual ritual of giving and receiving. I’m predicting that economic conditions have danced with the crafter movement to create a surge of hand-made gifts this year.

I’m not very good at making things, aside from little songs, so I love to receive a hand-made photo scrapbook, hand-made cards, all things hand-knit… and pretty much anything made with love. But there’s one class of stuff that no one wants under the tree: upcycled handicrafts.

The definition of upcycling isn’t yet set in stone, but it strikes me as: using materials pretty much as-is to construct or adorn new materials.

Whether it’s a picture frame decorated with used dental flossers, a doll’s head making an appearance on a toilet paper cosy or an old sock repurposed into a fruit protector, some things, as documented on Regretsy, are just not meant to be reused.

Hey, I’m sure there are great ways to upcycle. All I’m saying is, in this case, it may be better to give upcycled items to a true fan: oneself.

Prove me wrong! Do you have a great idea for a gift made with reused materials?