Start a new family tradition—or expand on an existing one—by crafting this year’s presents, ornaments, and more. You don’t have to be particularly artistic to have the best holiday season ever with these easy, do-it-yourself projects suitable for a wide variety of ages, starting with a popcorn garland for the Christmas tree.
Fun for the entire family, all you need for this old-fashioned tradition is popcorn, a needle, and strong thread or yarn. The trick is to let the popcorn sit out for a few days to harden—it’s easier to thread that way. Add cranberries for a bit more panache. If you want to preserve the memories, spray the garland with a few coats of shellac, allowing it to dry in-between applications, to keep it for years to come.
Ribbons Rule
One of the fastest and easiest projects is to start with two pieces of wide ribbon, eight inches or wider, to wrap your front door like a present. Simply measure the door height and width, and grab some thumbtacks to secure the larger piece to the top and bottom edges of the door and the shorter pieces to the sides. Attach a hand-tied large bow ribbon, or use one saved from last year’s presents at the center. Continue the theme, sprucing up throw pillows by tying appropriate-width ribbons around them the same way you would wrap a gift box, tying it all off with a cute bow.Another oldie but goodie ribbon project is the card tree. Simply zig-zag a 1-inch-wide ribbon back and forth to create a Christmas tree pattern on the wall, tacking it in place with thumb tacks, top with a handmade star if you like, and start attaching the cards as they arrive. If you don’t have sufficient empty wall space, simply hang a ribbon near the top of the wall for a single drop of cards.
Got extra pieces of ribbon? Liven up your homemade cookie platter, gift basket, or goodie bags. Even the smallest swatches of ribbon can be repurposed; give them to the kids to decorate their handmade cards.
Candle Power
Candles are the perfect gift for family, friends, hostesses, and co-workers. Bonus points if you DIY them—there are plenty of tutorials online—but even if you buy them, there are ways to make even the most basic candle (which is actually what you want to start with) your own.Wrap a short pillar candle in cinnamon sticks, pieces of rosemary, or candy canes and tie with a ribbon for aromatic table décor for a holiday party; it can then double as a take-home gift. Or, you can place a floating tealight candle in a quilted crystal mason jar or other jam jar (used ones are fine), along with a piece of the Christmas tree (set deep in the water, as pine burns extremely fast and well) and cranberries or the décor of your choice. Give the recipient some extra floating candles to get them through the season.
While you’ve got the Ball jars out, place some Epsom salt in the bottom, and set a votive candle inside for an instant, sparkling “winter wonderland.” Or coat a tall pillar candle with craft glue and roll it in Epsom salt for a snowy finish. For candy cane candles, add red paint to the craft glue, tape off the areas where you don’t want the paint, apply the glue/paint, and roll in Epsom salt. Remove the tape carefully.
Care Kits
“It’s the thought that counts” is a cliché for a reason—it’s 100 percent true. It can also significantly reduce the strain on the wallet, replacing dollars with time and effort.Spa kits are always a popular gift. Whip up a quick lemon face scrub from 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup coconut oil (or almond, jojoba, or grapeseed oil), lemon essential oil, and an 8-ounce mason jar. You may also want to include a sugar hand scrub with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil (or a little more until you have a consistency you’re happy with), and a few drops of essential oil (optional). Or, perhaps a batch of holiday-spiced bath salts, mixing 3/4 cup Epsom salts, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Put it in a jelly jar, et voilà! Be mindful, however, of your recipient’s allergies and potential sensitivities.
For those who aren’t crafty or don’t have the free time, consider a Book Lover’s Kit with a new (or second-hand) favorite or must-read book along with a hot chocolate and some biscuits; or a Movie Lover’s Kit with a DVD/Blue-Ray/gift card for a streaming service, popcorn, and cozy socks. For the chef in your life, consider replacing their stocking with oven gloves filled with spices and a cute spatula—you know their taste best.
Little Hands
The best holiday traditions revolve around children; get them involved in crafting and channel their boundless energy into creative outlets.Pinecones become tiny Christmas trees in young hands. Decorate them with felt pom-poms, beads, sequins, glitter dust, or whatever you have at hand. Use pipe cleaners for garlands. Add musical panache with tiny bells.
Create tactile childhood memories with 12 glass jars and multiple colors of sand. Have the kids layer the sand in each jar, then top each jar with a menorah candle to introduce them young to the Festival of Lights.
