Christmas Crafts

Cookie-Cutter Ornaments
1/2" foam sheets
Cookie cutters
Dimensional paint
Thin ribbon
Hot glue gun or thick craft glue
Emery board
Nail
Scissors
Press the cookie cutters through the foam. Emery board the edges to smooth. Paint the ornaments with paint. Once dry, use the dimensional paint to highlight any edges. Hang by using the nail to punch a 1/2' hole deep in the top of the ornament. Place glue into the hole and place a folded 6" piece of ribbon in half, and place it in the hole.

Ribbon Chain
Ribbons of different colors
Scissors
Stapler
Make a paper chain as usual only use pretty ribbon. Staple 7" strips of ribbon in interlocking links. Then hang.

Wreath
Store-bought twig wreathes
Twine or glue gun
Berries, tiny ornaments, dried flowers, or anything else you would like to use to decorate with
Just tie, glue, or tuck in your accents, and use these mini wreaths to decorate your Christmas tree or string together to brighten a window

Peppermint Candy Decorations
White paper plates
Red marker
Plastic wrap
Ribbon
Place the plates upside down and draw red half-swirls on the back of the plates with the red marker.(like the peppermint candies) Put the two plates together front to front, so that you can see the swirls on the outside. Wrap the plates with the plastic wrap and tie the two ends with the ribbon. They look like wrapped peppermint candy. Hang from the ceiling and enjoy

Flower Ornaments
Tissue paper
String
First take the one tissue paper and hold it in the middle. Then take the other sheet of tissue paper and put it across the other sheet then tie it with the string. The first sheet appears as the inside of the flowerbud and the outside sheet appears as the outside of the flower. Be creative and use different colors.

Cotton-swab Snowflakes
For each snowflake you'll need 3 cotton swabs, some white glue, some glitter, waxed paper and about 6" of string, ribbon or fishing line.

Start by dipping the cotton tips of the swabs in white glue, then dip them in colored glitter. Place the swabs on waxed paper until the glue is dry.

Use three swabs to create a snowflake. Criss-cross the swabs in the middle. Secure with a little white glue.

Make a hanging loop from fishing line, ribbon or string. Knot. Then, attach to the star with some glue. Let dry.

Snowman
Get 3 smallish flower pots (Those brown pottery type work best, but the name of them escapes me for the moment) Place 1 upside down, then place the next one on top, right-side up and glue (hot glue works best, but anything will do). Next complete your tower by placing the last one upside down and glue. Use spray paint to make your snowman white, and yarn or moss for hair and/or a cardboard cut-out for a hat. The possibilities are really endless, add long ears and a fluffy ear for Easter, paint it red, white and blue for Uncle Sam, Add some straw and gingham for a scarecrow.

Rudolph
Construction paper
Scissors
Pencil
Glue
Buttons and/or just pompoms
Put your child's or your own foot on the construction paper and trace around it to make the head of Rudolph. Cut it out. Make antlers by tracing around both hands with a different color of construction paper. Cut them out. Attach the antlers to the back of the reindeer with glue. Now decorate with buttons, pompoms, or just construction paper for the eyes nose and mouth. They can be used for ornaments or a garland or just hang them on your walls.

Felt Hand Puppets
Felt
Scissors(regular and zigzag)
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Pompoms
Outline the child's hand, and cut out the hand puppet with the zigzag scissors. (outline the thumb and pinky fingers(for the puppet's hands) and one main for the other 3 fingers(for the puppet's head). It's a good idea to maybe tack it temporarily to see if your child's hand will fit into it. Before you glue them together, wait to decorate the main side, so the glue doesn't leak through and stick to the other side. For eyes use pre-made eyes or pompoms or cut some out with the felt(white circle with a small black circle glued on top). To make a snowman cut out his hat (2-one for the front of the puppet and one for the back) cut a scarf, and a carrot nose. Use some pompoms for the buttons down the snowman's belly. Now use your hot glue gun to tack everything on. Allow to dry well before use. Try to make others like an elf or a penguin.

Christmas Cards
Construction paper
Scissors
Glue sticks (hot glue gun for mom for the stubborn things that don't want to stay on)
Crayons
Glitter
Sequins
Markers
Yarn scraps, and whatever else you would like to decorate the cards with.
Kids are wonderful at decorating Christmas cards. I pre-make the cards and then have the kids decorate them for the finishing touch. First I cut the construction paper in half to make 2 cards from one piece. Next fold each one in half. I then take a marker and write a greeting and draw the outline sketch of a Christmas tree on the front. On the inside a write a personalized message to the recipient and sign it. I then let the kids do the rest, assisted of course. They then color the tree and put the star on top and the yarn for garland and the flat sequins for the ornaments. Pop in a pre-addressed envelope and send.

HERSHEY'S KISS ANGEL
1 Hershey kiss
1/2 inch pompom
1 glitter stem (chenille stem)
1 gold or silver "wedding ring"
gold or silver cord
Tacky glue
glue gun
Take 1 Hershey's kiss, glue a 1/2 inch pompom to the pointed end for the head.
Make a heart shape out of approximately 1/3 glitter stem and hot glue to the back for her wings.
The halo is a little gold or silver wedding ring favor decoration glued to the top of her head and a loop of gold or silver cord attached to hang the angel from.
Hint/Tip...If you use Aleene's Designer Tacky glue as well as your glue gun, the glue gun will allow items to stick quickly, the designer glue will hold it in place forever.

Easy Crafts

• Cut out a large christmas tree for each child (or one huge one for a wall mural) and have the children glue on painted macaroni, Fruit Loops, popped popcorn, and Cheerios as ornaments.
• Make candy cane outlines on red construction paper. Help each child make stripes with white shoe polish (squeeze applicator). The kids can cut out the candy canes shapes when dry.
• Make a wall mural of a chimney. Have children paint it. Staple together two paper stockings (from construction paper). Decorate with glitter, markers, and add cotton balls to top of stocking for trim. Put a child's name on each stocking. Hang them on the chimney.
• Christmas wreaths - spray paint different shapes of pasta green and gold. Children paste pasta on paper plate (with center cut out of it). Decorate with red ribbon bow.
• Put a big picture of Santa and his sack or sleigh on the bulletin board or wall. Have the children cut out magazine pictures of toys to go into the sack and paste onto the picture.
• Children can string popcorn and cranberries, using their own patterns. Less mature children can string froot loops or cheerios.
• Birdseed ornaments - tie a yarn loop on a pinecone, spread peanut butter all over pinecone, roll in birdseed, hang outside by a daycare room window.
• Pinecone ornaments - children can paint pinecones and decorate them with glue and glitter.

Reindeer Poop
These call for a zip-lock bag filled with raisins. Attach the following poem.
For all the souls who hate the noise
Of Christmas cheer and lights and toys
For Mr. Scrooge, and Mrs. too,
Here's a little gift for you...

A lump of coal won't be enough
To make up for the shine and fluff,
So, here's a scoop of reindeer poop
To offset all that Christmas Goop!!!

Reindeer Bait
Place several Hershey's Kisses (or other treat) in a small square of netting. Tie up with a ribbon. Attach the following poem.
Reindeer Bait!
Worried about your standing with Santa Claus this year?
Been a little naughty and have empty stocking fear?
Although you've changed your ways,
you're afraid it's much too late!
Just Lure in Santa and his sleigh with some reindeer bait.
The reindeer can't resist it.
They'll lead Santa to your door.
He'll forget that you've been naughty, and leave gifts and treats galore!

Candy Cane Ornaments
individually wrapped candy canes
hot glue gun with glue sticks
ribbon
small jingle bells

First we hot glued the candy canes together. Then we created the bows leaving a big loop for the hanger. Finally we hot glued the bow and jingle bells into place. They look so sweet on his tree and only took a few minutes to create.

Stinky Reindeer
We took brown fun foam and traced their shoes for the heads, traced their hands on black construction paper for the antlers, drew eyes with black markers, and did a circle of glue and sprinkled red glitter on it for the nose. I let the kids use glue sticks to put the parts together, and then we punched a hole in the top and tied a red ribbon on. They are adorable

Ornament Bells
Cut cardboard egg cartons apart, trim the "cups" to be about the same size as each other, paint red and green, use glitter & glue, etc. Then stack 2 or 3 together, punch a hole in the top, string a ribbon through, and voila!

Holiday MobilesUsing fun foam and cookie cutters, trace holiday shapes, cut out, decorate with markers, glitter, sequins, etc. Use construction paper decorated by the kids to make a cover for a wire coat hanger, and hang the shapes with string from the hanger.

Peanut Butter Cup Reindeer
One gold foiled Reece Cup (mini)
one Gold-Foiled Hershey Kiss (or any other same colored foil pieces)
Mini Red pom-pom
small giggly eyes
brown pipe cleaners ("Chenille sticks")
Glue the kiss to the PB cup (flat of kiss to wide top of cup---GLUE SO THEY STAND UP ON THE SIDE). This is the reindeer head and face. Glue pom-pom to tip of kiss. Glue eyes to top portion of cup above where the kiss is glued. Fashion antlers out of pipe cleaners and glue to back (I twisted a small piece around a larger piece to create "points" ). Hot glue works faster (use the LOW TEMP type). These are fun to put in stockings.

CINNAMON ORNAMENTS
1 c. cinnamon
1 t. cloves
1 c. applesauce
1 t. ground allspice
1 t. nutmeg
Mix dry ingredients and add applesauce to consistency of play-dough. Roll to 1/4" thick on cinnamon base. Use sharp cookie cutters, poke hole (for hanger) with small straw or sucker stick. Dries in 4-5 days on waxed paper.

Reindeer
Tan and brown paper,
Wiggly eyes
Ribbon
Trace child's foot on brown, and hands on tan. Cut out and assemble the hands as antlers and the foot as the head. Add eyes and embellish with ribbon.
Another Variation: Cut out triangle shaped reindeer faces from brown construction paper. The day before this lesson, I use garden shears to cut small branches/twigs from bushes to use as antlers! Use masking tape to secure the branches/twigs on the back of the reindeer's face so that they stick up. Saves on cutting construction paper, and the branches/twigs really look like antlers!

Elf Hats
The children cut red hats shapes out of felt. Then they glue on cotton balls for trim, green holly leaves and red berries. Glue on some jingle bells! Write their names on the top of the cap with the year written underneath.

Simple Stockings
Cut stocking shapes out of red construction paper. Have the children glue cotton balls along the top of the stocking. Write the children's names in glitter pen and have the children decorate with sequins, glitter, etc.

Simple Art Ideas

• Cut 2 ornament cutouts per child. Have the children punch holes through both cutouts. Have the children glue on tissue paper to 1 side of 1 cutout. When finished, glue the two pieces together, covering the glued tissue paper up. Hang in the window for a beautiful Christmas ornament.
• Give the children one sheet of black paper and one sheet of white paper. On the white paper, have 1 small, 1 medium and 1 large circle drawn. Have the children cut out the circles and glue onto the black paper. Ask them what it looks like (a snowman). Have them decorate their snowman with markers; or use a salt wash over the paper to look like snow!
• Give the children a cutout of Santa's face with a long beard. Have the children glue cotton balls on for his beard and wiggle eyes for eyes!
• Encourage the children to make their own wrapping paper. Use newsprint or a brown paper sack cut into large pieces to decorate. Use sponges, potatoes cut into stars, trees, etc. for printing, and red and green paint.
• Have each child lay one hand on a piece of green paper. Trace around the child's hand, or have them do it themselves. Cut out the hand. Lay each child's hand, thumb side down around in a circle to make a wreath. Add small red circles for berries and a big red bow!
• Make stained glass ornaments. Cut a piece of waxed paper into a Christmas shape. Have available many one-inch squares of tissue paper. Have the children dip a paint brush into white glue diluted with water and apply to the waxed paper. Glue a square at a time and fill in the whole shape. Allow to dry and hang.
• Assist the children in covering pine cones with whipped Ivory Flakes tinted with green or red food coloring or paint. Provide glitter for them to decorate the cones.
• Make Christmas cards using construction paper and glitter pens. Encourage the children to fold the cards themselves and place in envelopes.

CHRISTMAS NECKLACES
They had large pasta noodles (I think rigatoni) dyed red and green. To dye them you just use food coloring and a little bit of water. Then toss the pasta in large bowls then lay out on wax paper to dry. They used 5 to 6 pieces of pasta each and just laced them onto the plastic lacings which are easy to find. We are going to make more of these at home for my son to give as gifts to grandmas, aunts, etc.

CHRISTMAS TREES
They had Christmas tree shapes already cut out of green construction paper. Then we dotted glue onto the trees and used fruit loop cereal as the ornaments. They also had stars cut out of yellow construction paper for the top of the tree and we wrote their names on the stars. Very cute!

GIFT BAGS
We had small bags (lunch bag size). They used white, but I think brown bags would like just as nice. Then they had Christmas designs cut out of sponges (trees, angels, bells, etc) and they sponges painted these shapes onto the bags. To get the paint onto the sponge shapes they had the regular kitchen sized rectangular sponges to hold the paint, then the kids just pressed the shaped sponge onto the full sized ones to get the paint. Much less messy than using plates for the paint.

REINDEER ANTLERS
Use a strip of red construction paper for the band for around the head (about 2 1/2 inches wide). Just measure around the head and then staple together. Then they had 2 sheets of brown construction paper stapled together. We traced the child's hand and then cut out the hand . Having the paper hands separated, staple each onto the band (on the inside of the band) towards the front. This was very cute and the kids really enjoyed having antlers.

ANGEL ORNAMENTS
Use a cupcake liner, wooden spring type clothespin, and a fruit loop (cereal). The children flatten out the cupcake liner and color on it. The clothespins had small faces drawn on them at the top. They could also color the bottom of the clothespin if they wanted to. Then take the liner and accordion fold it. Then place inside the clip of the clothespin and fan out the sides a bit to form the wings. Then they hot glued an fruit loop to the top for the halo. You can either glue a magnet to the back of the clothespin so you can put on the fridge. Or attach a cord to hang on the tree.

Marbled Ornaments
Materials:
- clear glass bulbs
- 3 or more colors of acrylic paint (I found Apple Barrel works the best because it is a little bit thinner then some of the others)
- small paper cups or empty egg cartons
- vinegar water mixture
Instructions:
- Remove metal caps and hangers from bulbs.
- Rinse inside of ornament with vinegar-water mixture. Let dry *completely* before proceeding.
- Squeeze a small amount of paint down the sides of the ornament (on the inside.) Remember, you can always add more. Turn the ornament a bit to move the paint around. Add another color. Turn ornament again. Repeat with remaining colors, adding extra paint as needed. Twist, shake, and 'swirl' ornament until the inside is coated.
- Place ornament upside down in paper cup so extra paint can drain out. It works best if the stem of the ornament does not touch the bottom. That way the stem isn't sitting in the excess paint.
- Let drain several days until dry. Clean up any paint on outside of ornament. Replace the cap and hanger. Add ribbon for hanging.

Pillowcase Doll
The pillowcase doll is similar to making the hankie doll. At the top of the pillowcase in the center you form a large head, stuff it with stuffing, tie a ribbon around the neck.. hen at the left & right top corners make two hands, stuff small hands tie with bows...The head can be 4" or more in width..Then put on a hat, like a pokie bonnet, head will droop, decorate hat...I then applique floral designs on the bottom of the pillowcase..Put a jute or ribbon hanger on the back of the head, to hang up...In the 1900's the doll was placed on the top of your bed headboard to protect you, like a guardian angel.

Potpourri Shapes for Christmas
Supplies:
Sobo glue
Potpourri (color your choice)Potpourri with smaller pieces works best
Metal or plastic cookie cutters ( open kind ) ( hearts, bears, trees ect. whatever holiday! )
Cooking spray
Wax paper
Mix potporri in plastic container ( one that washes easy or one that you can toss like butter or ice cream tub) gets kinda messy. Mix a 6 oz. bag of potpourri with about 1 1/2 to 2 cups glue. You can tell if your getting enough glue if it's covering and mixing well. Just enough glue so that it covers most of the pieces of potpourri. Next spread some wax paper on table and spray wax paper and inside of cookie cutter with a little cooking spray. Lay cookie cutter on sprayed wax paper. Fill cookie cutter with potpourri. Make sure to press down potpourri so top is flattened even with cookie cutter. Pop out design after it dries ( if you use a fast drying glue you can pop out in about 10 -15 min. and let dry completely for about 24 hrs. ) Add bows or whatever your heart desires.

We have done hearts and poked a hole in the top and pulled ribbon through to hang them from. And bears with a bow around the neck. Sooo cute and smell great too!!

GingerBread Man Family Activity
On a sheet of paper draw a gingerbread man (approx. 8x6")
Here's what it says to do -
This is a fun activity for children and a great way to get the entire family involved. Using the pattern, trace a gingerbread man or woman on a piece of large cardboard - one for each student. Send the cardboard gingerbread person home with the children, along with a note explaining the project. (note to follow) When the gingerbread creations come back to school, take pictures of each one individually. Put the pictures on pieces or oaktag to form a booklet. Give each child a chance to talk about his/her creation. Then send duplicate pictures and the original creation back home. The children love having their parents help with the project, and the results are wonderful and varied. It's also a great time to discuss recycling and making "something out of nothing."

Note to be sent to parents -
Dear Parents,
We are sending home a gingerbread man/woman shape for the entire family to decorate. Use your imaginations and anything else that you have sitting around the house. Please return your creation by_________________.
Thank you,_________
Take Care

Reverse Hand Print
Put a lump of clay in an aluminum pie tin and spread it out, then put the childs hand in and mix some plaster of paris up and pour into the hand. Stick a cloth ribbon tied into an oval in the back to hang them up afterwards. At the bottom in the back, I'd stick a piece of colored ribbon in and let it hang about 2-3 inches straight down. I would print out (in a child's scrawl font) one of the handprint poems. I used a rainbow colored effect that made each letter a different color. Then I'd print it out on a small rectangle piece of tagboard/heavy paper. Glue the dangling ribbon to the back of the tagboard about 1 inch down. Very pretty!

Pasta Angel
Rigatoni pasta
elbow pasta
wood ball (I have heard you can use a lima bean?)
small star/alphabet noodles --very small for hair
bow tie pasta-for wings
white spray paint
Glue the wood ball on top of rigatoni. Glue the tiny pasta on the wood ball (I used tacky glue). Glue two elbow pastas for arms coming toward each other in front of angel. Add bow pasta in back for wings. Paint white. Can add facial features if desired. Can add a gold halo of various materials.

Mouse Ornament
Cut an oval out of felt but make one end pointed for the mouse's nose. GLue some wiggly eyes on and for wiskers you can add some fishing wire where the wiskers would be. Glue two felt ears on. Then cut two slits so tthat a candy cane can be the "NOSE" and the "TAIL". PS Someone else said to cut an * shape out of felt for the ears then cut a vertical cut in the felt for the ears to go through?

Simple Wreath
Cut the center from a paper plate, glue puzzle pieces all around the remaining ring, paint green, tie a red bow on top. Voila - a beautiful wreath.

Snowflake
Cut 3 pipe cleaners in half for each child, glue into star shape (I used a glue gun), thread the spokes with clear beads. Makes a sparkly snowflake.

QUICK AND EA$Y CHRISTMAS CRAFT$
by Becky Breaux
a.. Use tri-colored macaroni to make garland with the kids. They are the perfect colors. You can also make shaped ornaments with floral wire and macaroni. String the pasta on the wire and then bend the wire to the shape you want.

b.. Paint a grapevine wreath white and hot glue a red or gold bow to it for a quick and elegant wreath. You can also glue on pine cones or ornaments.

c.. Even the youngest children can make ornaments out of pipe cleaners. Just twist and shape them. You can string jingle bells on them and make miniature bell wreath. You can also twist together white and red ones to make candy canes.

d.. Make ornaments with cookie cutters and sheets of Styrofoam. Spray paint them gold, glue objects to them, or use glitter to add some pizazz to them.

e.. Make paper mache gift bags. Cover a small box with plastic wrap and wrap the paper mache around it. When it is dry, paint it and decorate it with ribbon, glitter, etc. Punch holes in the top for yarn or string for the handles. Give them as a gift or decorate with them. You can do bowls this way, too.

f.. Spray paint a thin, leafless tree branch (or branches) white - it should have lots of offshoots and twigs. Put it in some floral foam, or sand, in a flower pot or even a wrapped up gift box. You can leave it as is, or decorate it with bows and white lights.

Christmas Concentration
Cut rectangular "cards" out of red construction paper, then cut slightly smaller rectangles from wrapping paper (two from each kind) and glue to construction paper. Laminate and play Memory/Concentration. You can also use pairs of Christmas stickers. This same idea also is fun for the kids when you use double prints of pictues of them for a year-round Memory game! Include a pic of yourself as well.

Edible Christmas Tree
Most will take this home as a gift to be cherished by their parents for years, a few may not be able to resist the temptation to eat the entire project on the way home during the long bus ride. Regardless of the outcome, they will all have fun constructing it.

Begin with a durable white plastic(Chinette type) plate turned upside down. Using a sugarcone inverted allow the children to spread green frosting all over to represent the tree. Many cake decorating supplies are available to now "trim the tree".
You attach the tree to the plate using white frosting.
I have seen them completed 2 different ways:
1. ) Using frosting cover the plate and add decorations. Candy canes, gumdrops, gummy bears, etc. Or
2. ) After attaching tree with white frosting, then decorating, finish with angel hair batting found in craft stores that looks like snow for a base.
The trick is to start planning now so you can recruit parents to help with supplies. The supplies are readily available, and for many parents it is a way to feel as though they have contributed.

Pretzel Wreath
Use the little pretzels (the ones that are shaped like a heart with a cross in the middle). Glue 1 layer of them in a circle like a wreath, then glue a second layer on top of the first joining the pretzels together over the middle of a pretzel on the first layer. You can weave ribbon between the holes if you would like. Hang with a ribbon.

Rudolph Christmas Card Holder
Take a gallon milk jug and cut off the top section right below the handle. Cover with brown paper (paper grocery bags). Trace the child's hand and place on the back of the container. On the front draw eyes & Mouth and attach big red pom-pom for nose. Place Xmas cards inside.

Reindeer Magnet
You will need small dog biscuits, small wiggly eyes, small red pom poms (for the nose), brown chenille cut in 2 inches length strips (for antlers) and magnet strip.You take a dog biscuit and work on it vertically. You want to hot glue a red pompom near the bottom (above where the dog biscuit indents), then hot glue the wiggly eyes above that. Twist the chenille sticks (pipe cleaners) into antlers and hot glue those at the top of the dog biscuit, gluing them to the back so they stand out at the top and then attach magnetic backing to the biscuit. Easy, holiday magnets.

Shredded Wheat Wreaths
Shredded wheat (crumpled up), Glue, Green tempera paint, Red Hots, and Cool Whip lids. Mix glue, shredded wheat and green food coloring together. Spread around the cool whip lid, making it hill up, and leaving a hole in the center. Press in the red hots for the berries and let dry overnight. Decorate with ribbons, etc.

Glitter Ornaments
Trace a simple star or whatever design on paper (tape the paper to the table). Lay wax paper over the top so you can see the design (also tape it to the table). Have the kids put glue over the outline of the design and then sprinkle on the glitter. Dry overnight and then peel from wax paper. Add a ribbon to hand on a Christmas Tree.

Christmas Stocking
Use a simple Christmas stocking outline on white paper. You can give the kids an assortment of whatever you have on hand to decorate it. After decorating, have them cut out the stocking (you can have them cut out two and glue them together). They then have their own stocking for Santa.

Pipe Cleaner Ornaments
This is quite easy, you need pipe cleaners and tri-colored beads. Take the pipe cleaner and thread on the beads so they nest together. Can make a wreath, candy cane, star, etc. For older kids you can have them weave ribbon with holes in it through the pipe cleaner and between each bead.

Doily Snow People
One Large Doily for body, One Small Doily for head, One Small Doily, cut in half for arms, black construction paper for eyes, 3 buttons and mouth. Glue to colored construction paper.

Days Till Christmas Bell
Use a smaller "Chinette" type paper bowl, turn the bowl upside down and paint the entire outside with red paint, or whatever color. Allow to dry. Cut strips of paper to make a paper chain. Have the children glue the strips together to make the paper chain for however many days are left till Christmas(reserve one strip to attach chain to bell). Place the painted bowl upside down on the table. Bring two ends of a pipe cleaner together. Stick ends down through a hole in the center, bottom of the bowl, until half of pipe cleaner is below bottom of bowl and half is above. (you should have a loop on the top to hang your bowl(bell) with. To keep the pipe cleaner in that position, twist it on each side of the bottom of bowl. Squeeze a drop or two of glue between the pipe cleaner and hole in bowl to help keep in place. Add your paper chain to the top of the bell and they can tear one loop or chain off each day and count down the days to Christmas. (decorate your bell with added accessories as you like)

Christmas Puppets
Supplies:
Little Paper Bags
Glue
Crayons
Construction Paper
Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect.
Get creative and make all sorts of Christmas characters. Make Santa Claus; make eyes, ears, ect, and then use cotton balls, felt, ect for the hair and beard. Don't forget the hat and red nose - like a cherry. You can also make rudolph, Mrs. Claus, elves......

Candy Cane Reindeer
Supplies:
Candy Cane
Glue
Brown Pipe Cleaners
Small Wiggle eyes
Small Red Pom Pom
Thin Ribbon - optional
Small Bell - optional
Bring pipe cleaner under curve -neck- of candy cane and then twist to tighten into a V shape. Bend into a Z shape to look like antlers. Glue on two small wiggle eyes and the small pom pom for a nose. String the bell through the ribbon and attach it to the candy cane. You may need to use a hot glue gun - with adult help.

*Hand and Foot Reindeer*
Trace your child's hand prints on the tan construction paper. Trace one foot, with shoe on, onto the brown construction paper. Cut out each hand/foot print. Glue the handprints on each side of the top of the foot print as antlers. Then glue Reindeer onto another sheet of paper. Glue wiggly eyes on. Glue on a pom pom for the nose, and you're done! Make one each year to keep track of how your child is growing.

Magic Christmas Dust
This is a great idea for an inexpensive extra touch at Christmas. It seems to work especially well at the office, where you'd like to do something a little special for several people. (You know, for those times when you feel like a card alone is not enough, but there's no way you'd be able to get individual gifts for everyone without going broke.) It's small, memorable, and inexpensive, and people with kids will love taking it home.
Magic Christmas Dust
You'll need
some dry oatmeal
Some glitter
Small baggies
Paper
Tape
In each baggie put a couple of tablespoons of oatmeal and a couple of pinches of glitter. Seal up the baggie. (I admit, the expensive Ziploc baggies, in that smallest size, work beautifully, but you could use other sandwich bags if you tie TIGHTLY with a ribbon.) On small slips of paper, print (type or handwritten) the following message :
"On Christmas Eve sprinkle magical dust on your lawn. The glitter will sparkle in the moonlight and help Santa find your house. The smell of the oats will guide the Reindeer!"
Either tape the message to the baggie or attach with a ribbon. You could actually put the paper inside the baggie if there's not too much oatmeal in the way to read it! You can make several at a time just line up your baggies and go down the row with your ingredients. This is a great item to put inside of a Christmas card-makes it a little bit more special and memorable.

Pretzel Reindeer
Supplies: bag of large-sized twist pretzels
Bag of candy kisses
Bag of plain red and green M & M's
Foil-lined cookie sheet
Oven at low temp (approx. 215 degrees)
Preheat oven. Lay pretzels on foil, and place a candy kiss in each of the three sections of the pretzels.
Place tray in the oven for about 3 minutes. (Just long enough for the chocolate to get soft and creamy, but not until it is runny.) Quickly press one M & M in the center of each kiss, pressing it down slightly so the chocolate fills the sections of the pretzels. The M & M's make the "eyes" and "nose" of the reindeer.
Next, take some of the broken pieces of pretzels from your bag and place the ones that look the most like antlers in the soft chocolate at the top of the "head." We tried to match similar-looking ones to the same reindeer head. Each reindeer will look different and have its own cute personality!
Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for the chocolate to set. Remove reindeer from the foil and store in refrigerator in a covered container.
(Something I did last year was try using the smaller sized twist pretzels and they looked very cute too. Not so much chocolate that way! Ü We just used a couple of chocolate chips instead of kisses in the sections. We experimented with peanut butter chips and white chocolate chips for variety too.)

Christmas Spider Ornament
Materials Needed:
12 mm faceted crystal bead
10 mm faceted crystal bead
32 small crystal bugle beads
26 gauge wire
Metallic thread
Hot Glue Gun (use with an adult's help!)
Instructions:
Hot glue the 12 mm. and a 10 mm. faceted crystal bead together hole to hole. Cut 4 wires, approximately 3-4 inches long, and string each wire with 8 small crystal bugle beads. Leave about a 1/2 inch gap between the first 4 beads and the last 4 beads. Bend the ends of the wire so the beads won't fall off. Twist the 4 wires together at the 1/2 inch gap, forming 8 legs. Hot glue the twisted section of the legs to the underside of the crystal beads, right where the 2 crystal beads join together. Take approximately 10" of silver metallic thread and tie it around the middle of the spider , and tie the ends together to make a loop for hanging. Bend legs to look like a spider.

Christmas Spider Legend
On Christmas eve, a long time ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year... Christmas day, the day on which the little Christ child came to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner on the ceiling. They had fled to the farthest corner of the attic. The Christmas tree was beautifully decorated. The poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the little Christ child's visit. Then the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could wait until everyone went to bed and then get a closer look.

When the house was dark and silent, the spiders crept out of their hiding place. When they neared the Christmas tree, they were delighted with the beauty of it. The spiders crept all over the tree, up and down, over the branches and twigs and saw every one of the pretty things.

The spiders loved the Christmas tree. All night long they danced in the branches, leaving them covered with spider webs. In the morning, when the little Christ child came to bless the house, he was dismayed! He loved the little spiders for they were God's creatures, but he knew the mother, who had worked so hard to make everything perfect, would not be pleased when she saw what the spiders had done.

With love in his heart and a smile on his lips, the little Christ child reached out and gently touched the spider webs. The spider webs started to sparkle and shine! They had all turned into sparkling, shimmering silver and gold.

According to legend, ever since this happened, people have hung tinsel on their Christmas trees. It has also become a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the Christmas tree.

Lacy Spoon-angel
Materials
· Plastic, silver, or silver-plate teaspoon
· 6" length of 4" white pre-gathered lace
· 6" x 21" piece of white or pink netting or tulle
· 12" length of 1/8" white ribbon
· 12" metallic chenille stem
· 12" length of silver metallic thread
· Black fine-line permanent marker
· Red acrylic paint (optional)
· Jewelry glue
· Low-temp glue gun and sticks
· Scissors, ruler, cotton swab, white thread and needle, paper towels
Note: Adult Supervision is needed when using a glue gun and sticks. Instructions
Make the face. Use marker to draw features on inside bowl of spoon. For cheeks, dip one end of swab in red paint. Blot swab on paper towel to remove excess paint. Dab cheeks on face. Let dry.
Make the hanger. Fold metallic thread in half. Knot thread together near cut ends. Slip this thread loop over spoon. Position and knot under bowl of spoon. Use jewelry glue to secure knot on back of spoon. Let dry.
Begin the dress. Fold lace in half, right sides together and unfinished edges even. Thread needle with white thread and knot end. Sew unfinished edges together with a running stitch 1/4" from edges to make a tube. Knot and cut thread.
Finish the dress. Thread needle again and knot end. With lace tube still inside out, sew a running stitch along one bound edge of lace to gather it. See Figure 1. Leaving thread and needle in place, slip handle of spoon into tube, so lace covers face, gathered edge is at neck of spoon, center seam is at back of spoon, and spoon handle is visible. Pull thread around neck. Knot and clip excess thread. Pull dress down to cover spoon handle and to show face. Glue in place.
Make the halo. Cut 3" length from chenille stem. Twist ends together to make circle. Use jewelry glue to glue halo in place.
Finish up. To make wings, tie tulle into a bow with 4"-5" tails. Use glue gun and sticks to glue wings on back of angel's neck. Tie 1/8" ribbon in a bow. Glue bow on front of dress.
Option: Use baby's first spoon to make a holiday keepsake!

Candy Train
Materials:
a.. Life Savers
b.. Wrigleys 5 pack gum
c.. 4 Peppermint Patties - Small
d.. Fun Size Snickers
e.. Hershey Kiss
f.. Glue gun with cool glue
Instructions:
The pack of gum is your base.
Glue the roll of Life Savers to the gum lengthwise.
Glue the Peppermint Patties on each corner facing out for wheels.
Glue the bite size Snickers on top of the Life Savers at one end.
Glue the Hershey kiss on top of the Life Savers at the opposite end for smoke stack.

Chocolate Scented Play dough
flour
cocoa powder
salt
cream of tartar
cooking oil
boiling water
Mix 1-1/4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup salt,1/2 Tablespoon cream of tartar. Add 1 1/2 Tablespoons cooking oil, 1 cup boiling water. Stir quickly, mix well. Cook over low heat until dough forms a ball. When cool, mix with your hands. Store in airtight container. It will smell good enough to eat but without sugar in it kids will not want to taste it a second time!

Merry Kissmas
Get a whisk at a dollar store.Take a reg. size wire whisk, and poke candy kisses into it until its full.Then cover the outside with iridescent cellophane. Tiewith a ribbon, and add a small gift tag that says, " We WHISK you a merryKISSMAS!!!" I did this for all of my friends one year, theyloved it :)

PAINTED WINDOW SNOWFLAKES
Materials:
white tempera paint
dish detergent
paint brush
sponge
If you want to decorate your windows with painted snowflakes, do it the same way the window painters do it for the holidays. Mix white tempera paint with a squirt of liquid dish detergent to make it easier to wash off the windows later. Use a paint brush and a corner of a sponge to dab on the white paint.