I wanted to have one more little book of handmade gift ideas for the holiday open house program, where I am talking about holiday gifts. I already have reprints of a few other books to display. I just love these two articles from St. Nicholas Magazine: “100 Christmas Presents, and How to Make Them” from December, 1875, and “A Budget of Home-Made Christmas Gifts” from November, 1877.
https://youtube.com/shorts/E3zMH6HoYRM?feature=share
There were a couple, um speed bumps, in making this little book. I had transcribed the 1875 article and began laying it out. I had pictured it with a nice cover, printed on cover stock. The cover stock I thought I had. When I discovered I did not have the coverstock, the idea deflated for me. I printed the 1875 and 1877 as they were in the original publications; shorter, easier. Then went about figuring out what might make an okay cover. Turns out the taller paper grocery bags only have printing on one side, leaving enough paper for a cover. I sewed each section together, then the sections together and the cover on. Since my original editions do not have the covers and the covers for each magazine is lost when bound, I created covers which were glued onto the brown cover. (I anticipate finishing the transcribed booklet when I have a coverstock or nice marbled paper for a cover.)
Both articles give insight into child crafts and gift giving, but also into a few other life details such as wall shields and toiletry habits.
If I Had My Own Blue Box: 
Will this be available for folks who can’t attend the holiday house?
I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe the nicely formatted one could be.