Woodworkers who plan to make holiday gifts in their shops are mainly planning to make something for the house, according to a recent poll on Knots, the online forum at FineWoodworking.Com. Shopmade gifts for the spouse came in a distant second.

The results also seems to show a Scrooge-like streak in the respondents. Sixty said they would spend the holidays cleaning the shop–but only 44 said they would make wooden toys for the kids. Partying came in dead last. The graph gives the results.

Several respondents give us a hint of what projects might emerge from their shops during the holidays. Here’s a sampling:

“I plan to replace all my furniture in my room with the stuff I built. So, bureaus, a desk, bed, TV stand.”

“I’m, working on 11 bandsawn boxes, each with a different wood.”

“A mahogany music stand for my father in law, who teaches and plays music.”

“A commission from my wife to build a full-length dressing mirror. ‘No rush,’ she said, ‘as long as I get it by next week.'”

“A guitar for my son. I made one for myself this summer.”

“Making a bunch of oval Shaker boxes for my ladies for Christmas–two daughters, one daughter in law, and a granddaughter. My grandson gets a little tool box tote. My son and son in law get a handshake. I already gave them some serious good tools and they just gather dust.”

A total of 369 people voted in the poll, which closed on Nov. 6. The poll is an unscientific (but, we hope, entertaining part of FineWoodworking.Com. There’s a new poll on the home page. The links below will take you to articles about projects that make good gifts.

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