Fun with Seasonal Crafts The holiday season can be an expensive time for any family, but it is especially difficult if you are living on a fixed income. That’s why we’ve put together a couple of Christmas activities and home-made gifts that can become a fun and affordable part of your family’s holiday season. Let us know how these crafts work out for you and your family. Even better, share your own affordable family traditions with us and other visitors to the Christmas Exchange homepage. You can submit your suggestions to merryxmas@storm.ca You can jump directly to any of the crafts on this page using the following links, or simply scroll down the page to read them all: Flower pots Easy "Gingerbread" houses Beaded ornaments Clothespin reindeer Bakers Clay Ornaments – Food Colouring Dough Ornaments - Paint Fridge Magnet Christmas Gift Tooth Pick Ornament Flower Pots A perfect way to beat the winter blues, these colourful pots will bring light and life into any room. Placed in a bright window, their flowers will bloom months before the snow melts, bringing a little bit of spring into your home. They make an ideal gift for family or friends, no matter what their age, and can double as an activity for the kids on a cold afternoon. Supplies: Simple clay flower pot (available at the Dollar Store) Acrylic paint in colours of your choice Paint brushes White Glue Glitter, ribbons, tinfoil, buttons, and other decorations that can be attached to the pot Soil Flower seed package (one per pot) Instructions: Paint and decorate your pot as you see fit Ideas: Santa Clause face, reindeer pulling sleigh, Christmas trees, snow flakes, or even a more summery theme of flowers, sunshine, etc. Place the pot in a dry, safe place to allow the glue and paint to set Pack the pot with soil about three-quarters of the way full, and then place a package of flower seeds on the top Wrap in plastic or wrapping paper and tie with ribbons, and place the pot carefully under the tree, remembering to keep it soil-side up Tips: *These versatile pots also double as pen holders, and can be filled with chocolate, candy, school supplies, etc instead of soil and seeds. Be creative! *Remember that unless you paint your pot with a waterproof glaze after you’re finished, the painted exterior needs to be kept dry Easy "Gingerbread" Houses This Christmas activity is easy to do, inexpensive and encourages the kids to be creative. It also has the added perk of being deliciously edible when you’re finished. Supplies: Small milk carton Graham crackers Frosting Candy and other goodies Instructions: Wash and dry the milk carton and tape it back shut. Place it on a paper plate, cookie sheet, or another flat surface. Now, using the frosting, stick graham cracker "walls" on the sides of the carton. Apply 2 crackers on the top to form the roof. Use lots of frosting so your house stays together. Now, decorate with candy! You can use candy canes, gumdrops, M&Ms, Skittles, licorice, sprinkles, lollipops, etc. Tips: *You can buy your icing at the store, or make it yourself at home using this fast, simple recipe: 3 egg whites, room temperature 1 lb. powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar Combine all ingredients and beat for 7 to 10 minutes. Spread as desired. Beaded Ornaments You can make these beautiful bead ornaments to give as gifts, or to hang on your Christmas tree! Supplies: Pipe cleaners Transparent crafts beads (5-10 millimeters) Instructions: Hook the end of a pipe cleaner and thread on beads from the opposite end, stopping about a half inch from the tip. Twist together the two ends and your bead strand is ready to be shaped into a star, candy cane, or other holiday shape! Tips: *You can twist multiple strings together to form three dimensional shapes and unique ornaments! Clothespin Reindeer Decorate a box with these homemade critters, or use to decorate the tree! Give them as gifts on their own, or incorporate them into another craft. Supplies: Wooden clothespin (the kind without the spring) Paint Glue Googely eyes (or button) Red pompom (or cotton ball dipped in red food colouring) Instructions: Take the wooden clothespin and paint it brown. Allow to dry. Place the clothespin upside down (so the 2 "pinchers" form the ears), and glue on 2 wiggly eyes. Ad a red pompom for a nose and let dry! Make a whole "team" of reindeer Bakers Clay Ornaments – Food Colouring Make ornaments using this recipe and your imagination! Finished ornaments look great on your tree, and also make very special gifts. Supplies: 4 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 1/2 cups water Food coloring Buttons, fabric, beads, etc Instructions: Mix all ingredients until dough forms a ball and cleans the bowl. Divide into equal sections and color with food coloring as desired. Knead for 5 minutes. Shape dough with fingers and toothpick (or use cookie cutters) and place on cookie sheet. You can use buttons, fabric, etc to decorate your ornaments — just be careful not to use anything that may melt. Use the toothpick to make a small hole at the top so that you can thread a ribbon through to hang your ornament. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Allow to cool. Thread with ribbon or string and hang on tree or wrap as a gift Tips: *If you are giving the ornament as a gift, personalize it for the person it is intended for. Make into the shape of their favourite thing, or print a message on the back telling them why they’re important to you. Dough Ornaments - Paint Using dough is one of the simplest and least expensive way to make your ornaments. It’s also fun, child-friendly, and is also a potential gift for family or friends. Supplies: 1 cup of salt 4 cups of all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups of warm water Instructions: Mix salt and flour together. Add water. Knead dough until smooth. The dough should be very stiff. Add more flour if it's too sticky. Roll dough out and cut out ornaments with cookie cutters Push a straw, pen or other thin object through ornament at top to make a hole for hanging. Bake ornaments for 1 hour in oven at low setting. Allow to cool. Decorate your ornaments with paint or markers, and attach beads, ribbon, etc. Coat ornaments when dry with a clear protective coating. Put ornament hanger or ribbon through hole and hang. Tips: * Making your own ornaments adds a personal touch to Christmas. Plus, it's something the whole family can have fun doing. Instead of using cookie cutters, get creative: Candy Cane Ornaments Separate the dough into two portions, adding red food coloring to one. roll several thinly shaped, snakelike pieces from each portion, then twist them together like a candy cane! Gingerbread-Coloured Ornaments If you add some instant coffee to the hot water used to mix the dough it will have a lovely gingerbread color. How much to add depends on the darkness desired and the brand of coffee. Fridge Magnet Christmas Gift This can be an inexpensive way to remember people at work, church, or other groups that you belong to. Also a good gift for children to give to their teachers, friends, grandparents, etc. Supplies: Light Cardboard Christmas wrapping paper Glue or tape Adhesive magnets (can be bought in strips or individually) Cotton string or narrow ribbon Piece of white paper cut an inch smaller then the cardboard Pen, typewriter, or computer Instructions: Cut out cardboard 3 inches x 4.25 inches (size is up to you) Wrap your "gift" with the wrapping paper Type or write out a message on the white paper. Don't forget to sign your name! Glue your message on the back of your package. Leave enough room for the magnet Affix a small strip of magnet to the top/back, above your message. Tie the string or ribbon around the package and tie a bow (you can secure the string with a little glue. Your Gift is ready to give! Tooth Pick Ornament Supplies: Box of rounded tooth picks Scissors Pencil White glue Old Christmas cards 1 sheet of cardboard Spool of thread Instructions: Cut out a square of cardboard 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" — this will be your stencil. Pick out a favorite Christmas card (or favorite picture) and position your stencil over the area you want to cut out. Trace around the stencil cut out on the lines put a small amount of glue around the edges of the cutout Christmas card (or photo) and begin placing toothpicks by 3's or 2's, first on one edge, then the next until all 4 sides make a frame. Place a "roof" at the top of the frame. Allow the glue to dry. When glue is dry take a length of thread, double it and tie it to the top of the roof. Make the loop long enough to fit on the branch of a Christmas tree. Suggestions Please send us your ideas for fun, inexpensive Christmas crafts. Although we are not able to post every suggestion we receive, we appreciate all of your submissions. Be sure to include a picture of your craft when you e-mail us at merryxmas@storm.ca Back to top