Finding traditional Christmas decorations and keeping children occupied during the Holiday season can be a challenging task for any adult, since children are usually finicky, and they tend to run around poking their noses at anything which appeals to their fancy. This can be a perfect opportunity for you, the adult, to involve them in activities which keep them at bay, while at the same time bringing out the creative juices which they eagerly want to release. Try doing these suggested decorations with the kids, and you can relax from the persistent thoughts of crayons on the wall, at least for now.
For starters you can try to lure them into making reindeer figures out of clothes pegs, complete with beady eyes and antlers. First take two pegs and with snaps pointed upwards, and fasten the ends of a slender piece of wood between the snaps, and across them both of them. This will serve as the body and the legs of the figure. Leave one end of the wood slightly protruding and fasten another peg on it with the snap pointed down; this serves as the head. Finish up the figurine with nontoxic paint, felt for antlers, and beads for eyes in order to achieve a more realistic look.
paper chain Making colorful paper chains is also a great diversion for the kids, and it also lets you participate in sentimental nostalgia without being to obvious. You will need lots and lots of various colored paper, preferably crepe paper as the material blends in with the theme of the season. If you prefer a much cheaper alternative, bring out all those old wrapping paper stripped of from previous gifts, but never quite reused. Cut the paper into strips lengthy enough so that you make a generous loop once you glue them at the ends. Then after looping and gluing the first strip, slip another strip into the loop and glue this one in turn. You can make this chain as long as possible; make sure you vary the colors and design between rings for best the effect. Wind the chain around the Christmas tree and watch the kids, brimming with inordinate pride at their handiwork.
paper lantern If you want an advanced task for the kids, try engaging them in making paper lanterns. For this project you will need a sheet of colored paper of considerable size. Make sure that it is rectangular, and is longer than it is wide. First, fold the paper crosswise and make slits on the side starting from the folded end towards the open side, across the paper width. The slits should not reach the open end or you cut all the way through it. Then open the folds and roll the paper and glue the ends until you have a cylinder with slits around it. Try pushing on the ends, and you end up with something which will remind you of an accordion. Try fastening some strips of paper on the inside of the cylinder so that the figure holds. The end result – a paper lantern with an oriental-inspired design.
Tree Decorations
If your home has a real Christmas Tree, then decorating it with traditional decorations will surely be a family tradition.. It’s fun to see how many different things you can do with a simple pine cone, twigs, and ribbons. Here are some ideas:
Use ribbon to create garlands by tying several strands together. Wrap each strand around the trunk of the tree before knotting it off. Tie other lengths of ribbon to hang from the branches.
Hang small bells from the lower limbs of the tree using wire coat hangers.
Create a wreath by attaching red berries to green leaves.
Add glittery snowflakes to the top of the tree.
Paint pine cones gold and use them as ornaments.
Cover the entire tree with white tissue paper. When dry, remove the paper and add candy cane sticks to the bottom of the tree.
Fill glass jars with dried beans and tie them onto the tree.
Attach tiny lights to the tips of the needles.
Glue feathers to the base of the tree.
Place a few pieces of tin foil under the tree to catch falling ornaments.
Spray the whole tree with water to give it a fresh appearance.
Put a candle in every hole in the tree.
Write messages on the bark of the tree.
Tree Ornaments
You don’t necessarily need a real indoor Christmas Fir Tree to put up ornaments as you could either purchase an artificial tree or just put ornaments and lights on a tree outdoors.. A plastic tree works as well as a fir tree. Use whatever materials you like to craft ornaments, you can even make quilted ornaments, you can even make quilted ornaments. Some suggestions include:
Make a star ornament by cutting two circles of cardboard and folding them over. Glue them together along the edges. Paint the outside circle yellow and leave the inside black. Add a string to hang it from the branch.
Cut shapes out of construction paper and paint them bright colors. Attach them to the tree with tape.
Take apart a wooden spool and attach it to the tree with hot glue.
Draw pictures on plain brown paper bags and stick them to the tree.
Find a piece of wood about 1/2 inch thick and drill holes near its center. Fill the holes with beads and thread them through the holes. Hang the bag filled with beads from the tree.
Stick felt balls to the tree with double sided adhesive tape.
Tie yarn to a pencil and wrap it around the tree.
Wrap a length of pipe cleaner around the trunk of the Christmas tree.
Decorate a box with stickers and paste jewels on the lid. Stick the box to the tree.
Dress up a shoe box with fabric scraps and buttons. Staple the box shut.
Turn empty egg cartons upside down and fill them with sand. Cover the tops with decorative papers.
Hang mistletoe plants on the tree branches.
Use string lights and scented candles.
Gingerbread House
This is one project that will take hours upon hours to complete. You’ll have to plan ahead if you’re going to make this house yourself. If not, there are plenty of ready-made gingerbread houses available at most stores. The following list contains some of my favorite recipes. I’ve also included links so you can find more information online.
Basic Gingerbread Recipe
1 cup sugar
3 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
â…› teaspoon cloves
â…“ cup molasses
1 tablespoon oil
Mix all ingredients except molasses until smooth. Stir in molasses last. Pour batter into greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Cut into squares.
A gingerbread garland is also something you could make from an excess amount of gingerbread.
Traditional Christmas Decorations
Christmas trees come in many different sizes and styles. They range anywhere from small tabletop models to large floor standing ones. There’s even a type called “fairy” trees which look just like miniature versions of regular Christmas trees but aren’t actually decorated. Here are some ideas for decorating your own Christmas tree western Christmas style western Christmas style.
Paint pine cones green and place them on top of each other to form a cone shape. Wrap twine around the bottom of the cone to hold it together. Tie a red ribbon around the middle of the twine. Place the entire thing on top of the tree.
Cover the ends of a broomstick with aluminum foil and use it to create a wreath. Make sure to cut off enough of the end of the handle so that it fits snugly against the head of the broomstick. Then cover the rest of the broomstick with strips of colored cellophane. Secure the cellophane with staples.
Create a snowman using Styrofoam blocks. First draw faces on the block with markers. Next, add eyes, mouths, hats, scarves, etc., according to what kind of face you’d like to see. Finally, spray the Styrofoam with glittery white frosting. Let dry overnight before adding accessories such as carrot nose, candy cane, hat band, scarf, etc.
To make a Santa Claus figure, first fold a sheet of newspaper accordion style. Fold again and then roll tightly. Use scissors or a knife to trim away extra paper. Glue the rolled piece onto a cardboard tube. Paint the outside of the tube black. Add details such as antlers, beard, boots, belt buckle, cap, mustache, etc. by gluing pieces of felt over the painted surface. Attach the finished article to the front door of your home.
To make a star ornament, start with a round cookie cutter measuring about 2 inches across. Using a sharp pencil, trace the outline of the circle onto construction paper. Trace another smaller circle inside the larger one. Cut along both circles’ outlines. Now glue the two halves back together. Fill the center hole with stuffing. Sew a button through the hole. Hang the star on a branch near the fireplace.
Make a simple candle holder by cutting a square of wood and drilling holes in the corners. Drill three evenly spaced holes halfway between the edges of the board. Insert wooden dowels into the holes. Thread waxed cotton strings through the dowel loops. Waxed cotton makes a better base than paraffin because it doesn’t melt when exposed to heat. Once the candle has burned low, remove the burning wick and replace it with a new one. Light the next candle and repeat the process.
For a traditional looking decoration, paint a plain brown bowl bright yellow. When dry, wrap wire around the sides of the bowl several times.
Christmas Tree Decoration Ideas
The holidays are upon us once more! The weather is getting colder, people are starting to get excited about holiday parties, and we’re all thinking about how much fun our family will have this year. But there’s something else going on too: We’re also preparing ourselves mentally for the onslaught of presents under the tree. It seems like every day brings an influx of gifts, whether it’s from friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, or total strangers. And if you’ve got a lot of stuff coming your way, chances are good that you’ll need help figuring out where to put everything. Luckily, there are plenty of great gift-wrapping tips available online. So take advantage of those resources, and let’s get started wrapping up the best present ever! Take some inspiration from these trends.