When we were children, some of us may have been kept busy by our mothers during the days leading up to Christmas, just to keep us out of her hair! Making Christmas decorations were a favorite activity for sure! We didn't always have money to go out and buy expensive decorations, so we recycled everything and came up with some very interesting ideas.
With just a few materials that are laying around the house (or very inexpensive items from the discount store), a homemade Country Christmas is easy. It's also fun and we might even want to keep our own children busy waiting for the big day! So let's start here and see what we can do. Then the momentum will start and we can all come up with decorations that will create some warm memories.
Popcorn and Cranberry Garland
This is a quick idea from long, long ago, but still fun and makes a beautiful tree.
*Thread an embroidery needle with twine or thick thread.
*Alternating popcorn and uncooked cranberries, string onto twine.
*Optional: every few feet or so, tie a pretty plaid ribbon onto twine.
Walnut Ornaments
*Use as many whole walnuts as desired to fill the Christmas tree.
*Cut string or thin ribbon into 6-inch long strands.
*After carefully opening and removing the contents of each nut, use any liquid glue to permanently put the shell back together inserting the string at the same time as a hanger.
*Use a very thin layer of liquid glue to coat the outside of the nut and roll in colored glitter before it drys or spray paint in your favorite color.
Hang on tree and enjoy!
Beautiful Snowball Trees
*Use 19-26 large, baseball-size Styrofoam balls (depending on how tall/large desired).
*Take regular size, round toothpicks and insert each one about a half-inch, evenly, all the way around each ball.
*Start at the bottom of a round, Styrofoam base and, sticking each ball into the next one, stack them into the shape of a Christmas tree.
*Coat the entire tree with a heavy layer of spray snow.
*Sprinkle with glitter.
(These can be saved from year to year).
This one takes a little more searching and time to put together (may even have to start this year and finish for next year depending on your schedule!), but the result is truly beautiful!
*Use an old, thick catalog (like Sears or a pattern book of some kind) for large angels.
*Use an old, thick smaller catalog (like Reader's Digest) for smaller angels.
*Take the upper, right corner of each and every page, fold down and inward touching spine, and crease.
*Now take bottom right corner, fold inward, touching spine, and crease.
*Do this until the entire catalog is completely folded. It should stand upright by itself.
*Use gold or silver metallic spray paint to completely cover folded angel.
*Buy large or medium wooden balls to glue-gun on top for the head of the angel.
*Shape angel wings out of tin foil or metallic wrapping paper and glue onto back.
*Optional: use white pipe cleaners to create arms and a small folded paper to fashion a hymn book for angel to hold.
Make a family of angels, one for each person in your family!
"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus” Luke 1:30-31 NLT.
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