No strings attached

While standing in line at the post office to mail some Christmas cards and a package, I got to thinking about how nice it feels to give knitted gifts. (All the better that I was thinking this than how much I'd like to throttle those ahead of me for being unprepared when it was their turn and dragging out the wait even more.) I enjoy being able to give the products of my hard work. I keep the recipients utmost in my mind when deciding on projects, and I hope that what I give is appreciated.

So it is with a lot of mixed emotions that I read a thread on Ravelry that stated to veer into viewing knitted gifts as self-serving behavior. I didn't expect to find knitters, of all people, to call into question the motivation behind knitting something for someone.

I've not had anyone reject these gifts to my face, so I assume that they were welcome, even if they weren't loved. Is it possible my brothers have their scarves in the back of the closets never to see the light of day again? Sure. If they (or anyone else) were unsatisfied with them, I'm none the wiser. I'm not campaigning for sainthood in knitting some of my gifts. I just think that it's nice to do something that showed thought and care went into the gift. It's not about proclaiming, "Wow, look at how much time I devoted to making this for you."

I kind of got the attitude from some commenters that there is something wrong in the giver getting something in the experience, but if that's not "allowed", why would gifts be given in the first place? To be clear, I'm not looking for the gifts to be reciprocated or quid pro quo. Quite the opposite. They're given with no expectation of that. Of the gifts I've already given, I feel like I've already been rewarded in my attempts to brighten the days of others simply by expressing my appreciation and love for them. Is it suddenly untoward to take pleasure in being generous? Am I being really greedy because I was also able to get the benefit of knitting things?

I feel like knitting has made me more generous. I want to make and give things to those important to me. I don't believe this stems from a narcissistic impulse but a genuine desire to display how I feel.

So, is knitting gifts self-serving, or are the naysayers in lockstep with Scrooge?