Crafty christmas traditions

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I'm after some inspiration! I have two girls, 4 and 7, and I'm trying not to get swept up in the expensive experiences this christmas! I'd love some ideas of crafty activities that we can do in the lead up to christmas...baking, making, decorating, anything that involves us spending some time together and (hopefully) having fun!

Following.

Pom-poms are really easy, you could do lots of little ones to tie onto a garland, or big ones with different colours to make robins, snow men etc.

Gingerbread biscuits to decorate, and/or a house. Cards for family members.

7 year old might be able to tack some felt shapes together for Christmas tree decs, stockings/stars etc. You would probably need to cut them out.

Pinterest is your friend here. Often great ideas and quite easy.

DD and I have done lovely sparkly jars a few times and I was just thinking the other day that we should do it again this year. Something like this: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/344173596526384217/

DD is also very into baking so I see some christmas baking and packaging in our future.

Pomanders. You can use wide ribbons to tie them up. https://www.kellyelko.com/how-to-make-pomanders-that-last/

Gingerbread biscuits or a gingerbread house

At Easter, I used to meticulously collect all the colourful foil egg wrappers and flatten them. Mum would draw a basic picture (although a colouring book pic would also do) then I'd cut out and stick the foil on. You could do Christmas designs or small ones in frames to hang from the tree. Those foil covered santas/reindeer would sub for easter eggs, but you might need to help to kids eat the chocolate 😉You can likely just buy foil paper nowadays too.

Collect pine cones and dip in glitter. Hang with a ribbon from the tree.

@persisted- thanks! Love the idea of pom poms, they would love that and we have millions of googly eyes so it's perfect! Thanks!

@MagicUser1yes, need to get onto pinterest, although usually get too distracted with lots of options, so I need to focus! Thanks 😊

@5289843DMamazing ideas! Love your foil craft idea, I'm sure I used to do something similar!

My daughter made a garland of pretend lights using twine paper cups and balloons last year

We made our own Christmas cards for years, often with potato prints. I've seen people make their own wrapping paper with brown paper and potato prints. Pinterest is great for ideas!

We always have a baking day - sugar mice, truffles, biscuits (freeze some of the mix for Santa on Christmas eve), nutella Christmas trees are all easy.

Paperchains are a must-do, and the dc like drawing a Christmas scene on the windows in chalk pen.

Christmas cards for teachers/grandparents/friends

Paper chains - easy and you can use wrapping paper you already have

Potato printing wrapping paper. You can do basic shapes for the younger one but get the older one to do something more elaborate
Also, I’m pretty sure there are a range of picture you can make using finger prints/finger paints -I’ve found ideas on Pinterest (I have a 5yo and plan to do these this year)

Im not a baker but even I’ve managed some basic star shaped biscuits.

@StompythedinosaurI think we’re scarily on the same page

We can be Christmas craft twins!

I know a family who make a tree ornament each year using a traditional wooden clothes peg. It has a split to go over the clothes line (not the wooden pegs made of two pieces of wood and a spring clip).

Over the years, they've made a snowman, reindeer, Santa, nutcracker figure, elf, angel and lots more. I think they get ideas online and the end results are very sweet.

Me and made son made pomander balls last year , oranges decorated with cloves with a little bit of ribbon to hang them up , smell very festive , very easy and he enjoyed learning about them

Toilet roll choir singers are fun and easy. For the hats we cut up the kids’ old socks…the ribbed bit goes round the head and tie the top with a loom band.

Reindeer cupcakes make an appearance every year too. Vanilla or chocolate cakes with chocolate icing, chocolate pretzels for antlers and then smarties and sugar eyes.

Cut up an egg box and put a bit of kitchen foil over to make a shiny bell shape. Use a small bead or button stuck on to go under bell and hang gold cotton/thread through top of bell shape and twist around button to hang on tree. I've probably not explained it well but I did this with my DD when she was 4 and we both still have the previous bells now and put them on tree each year. DD is 40 now so they last. Collect for cones and paint with gold paint and put a bit of gold thread on to hang from tree or just make a basket display. You can get loads of Xmas shape cutters toake biscuits. I do ginger biscuits in shape of Xmas stockings and ice on top to decorate. Every year I take whole family to paint a pot at a farm where they have Xmas baubles you paint yourself and they put them in a kiln to glaze and we collect 2 weeks later in time for Xmas. I always book beginning of October as there are usually 10 of us wanting to sit together.

You can buy the lick and stick little dtrips of foil paper to make old fashioned paper chains. Even a 3 year old could do those.