Schmoozins

Traditional pine Christmas wreaths are quite expensive to buy, and every year the price seems to go up and up. To avoid this expense, here are some simple ways to make a Christmas wreath at home.

For this project you will need a wire; holly; pipe cleaners; candy canes; acorns; can of snow; and Christmas tree branches. Take the wire and form it into a circle. Twist the two ends of the wire around each other to secure the circle. Using Christmas tree branches, tie them around the wire using green pipe cleaners. Add candy canes, holly and acorns to the branches with wire or hot glue gun. Spray the Christmas tree branches with artificial snow. You have just created a beautiful Christmas wreath to hang on your front door.

Another wonderful idea is to make a picture wreath. Purchase a starter wreath form at a craft store (just a simple, undecorated one). Take your favorite family photographs, put a little hole on the top of each picture, and insert different colored ribbon through each hole in the picture. Tie each ribbon to the wreath. Hang the wreath on your front door. Your friends and family will marvel at the creativity used to make this particular Christmas wreath.

One other idea is to make a popcorn wreath with a Christmas picture of your family in the center. Simply take thick thread and string popcorn together. Determining how large you want the wreath to be will enable you to decide how long the popcorn chain will be.
Take a piece of wire, form it into a circle, and secure it at both ends. Double up the popcorn chain. Wrap the popcorn around the wire. Place your Christmas family photo in the center of the wreath.

You can also make animal wreaths using pictures of your pets; Christmas card wreaths; ornament wreaths; candy wreaths, jingle bell wreaths; Christmas ball wreaths; or any kind of themed wreath you desire.

The point is, there are many ways to make a Christmas wreath, and it costs nothing except an imaginative mind and a joyful heart.

Homemade gift baskets can show just how much love we’ve poured into our gift giving this year. A basket can be put together at home cheaper than the same basket could be purchased from the store. My church youth group made homemade gifts one year and the project was a big success. The kids worked hard to create the best gifts they could for the person whose name they had chosen.

A special talent or skill that you possess can be a big help in creating a homemade gift. I like to crochet and sew. One year, I made winter scarves in Christmas colors for a few of my family baskets. I also made a few twin-sized comforters for the children. If crafts are your thing, try your hand at creating handmade jewelry. Whatever your talent, put it to good use.

Many of us are not the creative sort, but there are ideas for you too. Instead of hitting the toy and/or department stores, head to your local Christian store, such as: Lifeway Christian, Family Christian, and Cokesbury Christian stores. You can find interesting gifts from music and jewelry to videos and games. Children will love the videos and games. My kids loved the VeggieTales™ movies and toys when they were younger. The characters were funny and they taught good lessons without being preachy.

If you still haven’t found that special gift, I have yet another idea-gift cards. All of us know at least one individual or family that could use household or personal items more than other types of gifts. If someone on your list needs clothing, then a gift card will allow them to select the very thing they need.

Other types of stores sell gift cards, too. My family and I have given grocery gift cards to friends on fixed incomes or those who were having a hard time making ends meet. My father has even given gas cards as gifts. With the rising cost of petroleum, this is a great idea.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. As a Christian, even our Christmas gifts reflect our ministry-meeting others at their level of need.

Your kids have been asked to bring Christmas treats to their class. Need some tips?
Here are some delicious Christmas treats to send to your kid’s class.

• Homemade gingerbread cookies
• Homemade Christmas cookies, decorated with color icing
• Homemade peanut butter cookies
• Homemade oatmeal raisin cookies
• Bags of homemade meringue cookies, tied with color cellophane and a bow
• Homemade chocolate brownies
• Homemade chocolate fudge
• Homemade chocolate chip cookies
• Homemade chocolate chip cookies with M&M’s
• Homemade Christmas cupcakes decorated with a smiley face
• A homemade Christmas devil’s food cake, decorated with candy canes
• A homemade angel food cake, with vanilla icing and decorated with an angel ornament in the center
• A chocolate cake, with chocolate icing and gummy bears on top
• Bags of candy, wrapped in color cellophane and tied with a bow
• Jelly apples, wrapped in color cellophane and tied with a bow
• A Christmas tin filled with three flavors of popcorn
• A large basket filled with apples, oranges, and different colored lollipops
• Mini black and white cakes (you can find these in most bakeries)
• Muffins, of any kind, placed in a large basket
• A large Christmas can filled with mini boxes of raisins
• Mix Oreo cookies, ginger snaps, and homemade meringue cookies; put the cookies in a Christmas tin. This is definitely a kid-friendly treat.

If you’re really ambitious you can make a gingerbread house, using ingredients and decorations which can be eaten, and surprise your kid’s class with this unique treat.

Combine any of the cookies and candies above as a Christmas treat. Simply put them into a tin or basket and deliver the goodies to school. Or set them on a brightly colored plate and wrap it in cellophane. You could even purchase little stockings, plastic cups or tins for each child and put a handful of treats in each.

There is no denying that kids love treats. Whether the treats are cookies, candies or chocolate, you will put a big smile on their faces with any treat you choose.

Would you like to make a gingerbread house? There are a few options. Either start from scratch, which may take more than a day to complete, or buy a Gingerbread House Kit which includes all of the items you’ll need to build this holiday favorite. Whatever the choice, your kids will have a lot of fun making it. This is a perfect way for them to use their imagination and creativity.

If baking is not your thing, simply go out and buy the kit so that your kids can spend more time decorating it. Putting the house together is pretty simple. Just follow the instructions given in the kit. You will need edible glue to hold the pieces together. Make the glue using this recipe:

1 egg white
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 cups confectioners sugar

Make sure the glue is thick – like glue should be. Put it into a piping gun, and you are set to go.

Once the house is built, you get to start on the fun part. Let the kids pick out what types of candies they want to use to decorate the house, for example, gum drops, M&M’s, candy canes, or cookies.

Here are some more ideas:

• Put some trees in front of the house. How about using pretzel sticks with green candy leaves attached?
• Add food coloring into part of the glue to add color to your gingerbread house. Use the colored glue to outline the windows, roof, and other parts of the house.
• Make gingerbread cookies as people and set them in front or inside of the house. Decorate the gingerbread cookies to give them a more personal touch.
• Perhaps the kids would also want to add a chimney. Use licorice squares.
• Add a gingerbread Santa cookie on the roof.
• Want to add your family pet? Buy animal crackers and place them outside the house.
• Take a graham cracker and pipe on the family name, or the names of the kids who decorated it. That’s a great personal touch.

There are so many ways with which kids can decorate a gingerbread house because their imagination is never-ending. The main thing is to provide the tools and then have fun doing it. Whether it is a small, medium or large gingerbread house, the possibilities are endless. Not only will they have fun, but it will be a learning experience as well. Be sure to take lots of pictures!

The best part of Christmas is sharing peace and love with others. The true meaning of Christmas should bring hope to every man, woman, and child. Doing something selfless for others helps us spread that hope.

Neighbor helps Neighbor.
In many places, snow is a certainty during the holiday season. If you live in one of these areas then you know that digging out after a snow is hard work.

Organize a neighborhood “dig out”. Neighbors who are able-bodied and full of the Christmas spirit can offer to shovel their neighbors’ driveways and front steps. Children can travel around the shoveling route providing hot cocoa breaks for the willing workers. Neighbors who have to work around the holidays will appreciate the Christian charity.

One thing my community likes to do around the Christmas holiday is to canvas the entire neighborhood with luminaries. Volunteers take a day and come together to prepare the luminary bags and set them out curbside in front of every home. About a week before Christmas the volunteers light the luminaries at sunset one evening. Everyone in the neighborhood can look out their windows and enjoy the solemnity of the season. The luminaries are a small service, but they make a powerful statement. They remind us of the light that was born into the world over 2,000 years ago.

Shopping break.
Malls and shopping centers become hubs of activity at Christmastime. One shopping center in my city is so busy that they hire policemen to direct traffic. Everyone is so busy buying, that no one thinks about eating. Here’s another opportunity to help out in the community. A church youth group, women’s circle, or another organization can provide much needed concessions, free of charge, for weary shoppers.

Keep your snack items simple. If I were a shopper I’d be looking for something to give me a boost of energy in a hurry. Donuts or Christmas cookies would be easiest to manage and clean up. Apple cider can be bought from the grocery store and warmed up in large coffee urns heated by electric fuel. There’s nothing like a hot drink and a donut on a cold day. Shoppers will thank you for the hospitality. If they ask why you are doing it, let them know that you are sharing a bit of Christ’s love during the holidays.

Helping out in the community can be fun and rewarding. Explore the needs in your area this Christmas and give lend some folks a hand.

It’s the Christmas holidays, and you decide to invite your friends over for a Christmas party. Here are some great Christmas party ideas for adults.

Light the fireplace; put on your favorite Christmas CD; hang mistletoe in every doorway, and you are ready to begin. Depending on how many friends you have invited, you will either choose a sit-down dinner or a buffet. Most often, buffet is the method of choice. Don’t forget to write on your invitations: “Bring a Dish to Share.”

What Will You Serve for the Buffet?
You can order a 12 foot sub or hero of your choice. Either hot or cold, it will be enough to serve all your guests. Or, you can make your own dish and invite everyone else to bring something special, as well. Some examples of popular side dishes are: pigs in a blanket; stuffed mushrooms; chicken rolls, or bite-sized cheese puffs which come in a variety of flavors, as well as knishes. Have an assorted array of wines, colas, water, and of course, eggnog.

How Will You Serve the Buffet?
Set up a separate table in your dining room or living room. Place all of the foods on the table. Add Christmas paper plates, napkins, and your good flatware at the beginning of the table. This way, your guests can take a paper dish, napkin and utensil and proceed directly to the food. Tip: This makes cleaning up easier for you, too.

Decorate your dining room table. Here are some suggestions: Choose a solid color tablecloth; red, green or white. Add Christmas placemats at each setting. As a centerpiece, fill a crystal bowl with Christmas balls. Next to the centerpiece, place two Christmas candles. To make your tablecloth stand out, pin garland around the bottom of the tablecloth.

What Party Games Can You Play?
After the buffet and dessert, it’s time for some party games. Adults may enjoy charades or a Christmas sing-a-long. Or you could play musical chairs with a twist. Have the men get down on one knee, while the women walk around them to the tune of jingle bells. When the music stops, each woman has to sit on a man’s knee. This game is so much fun, that your guests will laugh until they cry.

Finally, Christmas isn’t Christmas without Santa. Pre-arrange someone to dress up as a Santa villain. Have him wear a wig and a mustache that turns up to his nose. He could give away gag gifts, or anything that’s funny and appropriate. This is sure to be a Christmas party idea for adults that will be long remembered.

Nothing lightens my mood during the holidays like putting up Christmas decorations. And, the biggest part of the decorating is the Christmas tree. I prefer an artificial tree because there are no pine needles to clean up and I don’t have to worry about watering the tree. My family and I pick a Friday or Saturday evening a week of two after Thanksgiving and decorate the Christmas tree together.

There are a variety of Christmas tree ornaments available today. We hang silver and blue Christmas balls along with homemade ornaments from the kids and ornaments that have been given to us as Christmas gifts. We string blue and white lights and place an angel on the top of the tree. My sister hangs M&M™ lights on her tree. Be as creative as you like. Oh, don’t forget the tree skirt.

The decoration you choose for the door lets visitors know what type of home they are entering. A wreath or a sign displaying a holiday greeting implies a welcoming spirit within. A few years ago, I decorated my own wreath for the front door and have used it every year since. It has bells, horns, and ribbons that say “JOY!” to proclaim the Savior’s birth.

I like decorating my home with candles. I scour the stores for holiday scented candles to display. The mingling of sweet holiday smells adds to the warmth of the season. Anyone coming in will think you’ve been baking all day!

Evergreen swags are a popular decoration that doesn’t cost a lot. Twist them around banisters or hang them across the mantelpiece. Adding a string of white lights will soften the look.

Poinsettias will add a splash of color to any room in your home. The beautiful leaves were once thought to be poisonous to children, but resent research has shown that this is not the case. If this is the reason you haven’t bought them in the past, now you can show them off safely.

A special decoration in my home is the miniature glass Nativity scene that sits on the mantle. I want my children and my friends to see the reason why I am joyful at Christmastime. Since our homes are an extension of ourselves, I want mine to be a testament to my faith especially at Christmas.

So, if you have the decorating spirit, go crazy and enjoy yourself. Christmas is the only time of year when going all out is A-okay.

Making wrapping paper with kids is an enjoyable activity to do with your kids. Here are a few to consider.

Using tin foil as wrapping paper is a great idea. Take a gift and wrap it in aluminum foil, which you can purchase at any supermarket. You can decorate the wrapped gift in several ways. Attach a Christmas card or cut out pictures. Or gather together some Christmas stickers and place the stickers you have on the box.

Another idea is to take fabric, and use it as wrapping paper. This is ideal for a small gift. Simply wrap the fabric around the gift and close the top with a ribbon.

Make wrapping paper from your Sunday newspaper. The newspaper is filled with full color inserts and Christmas ads, which are usually two to four page store specials. The Sunday paper also usually contains comics, as well. Select some pages and pull out the pages that you choose. Take some scotch tape and tape the pages together so that you have enough paper to wrap the gift. Attach a bright ribbon to match the colors in the paper. This is a unique and fun way to wrap a gift, and I am sure the recipient of this present will be delighted at your ingenuity and imaginative style.

Kids love to show off their artwork. Why not wrap the gift in plain newsprint or a paper bag and encourage your child to decorate it? Your child may be more excited about their artwork than presenting the gift itself. Simply present your child with the standard tools – crayons, markers, rubber stamps, stickers — and let them go crazy with it.

If you don’t have paper bags or newsprint, you can take the artwork that your children bring home from school to create gift wrap. Simply take several pieces of their existing art and help them use it to wrap the gift. Just make sure it isn’t their “most special favorite” artwork before you begin.

While most people are deciding on what wrapping paper to buy, making wrapping paper with kids can be so much more enjoyable, and easy to do. Whether you use tin foil, ribbons, ornaments, drawings, or goodies – these original ideas will make gift wrapping a pleasure for you and your kids.

For those who cannot afford to buy all of the fancy Christmas tree ornaments available today, decorating your tree on a budget can be practical and cost effective. You, too, can have a lovely decorative tree without having to sacrifice style and beauty. Here are some suggestions.

Cookie Tree
Make a delectable cookie tree. Be creative by baking cookies in all shapes and sizes. Dress up the cookies with non-pariel rainbow seeds or sprinkles to give the cookies that extra splash of color. To hang the cookies on the tree, roll a small piece of cardboard – the size of a dime – and insert it in the top of the cookie before baking. This will ensure the holes remain open during the baking process. Afterward, insert ribbons into the holes in the cookies and hang them on the tree.

Atop the tree, add a large gingerbread cookie with a Christmas tree light in its center. Before baking this gingerbread cookie, follow the same procedure by inserting a rolled piece of cardboard in the center of the cookie. You can dress up the gingerbread cookie using white icing with red food color.

Create an adorable tree skit by using an apron that has decorative images such as fruit, or yes, even cookies.

Snowy Tree
Here is another inexpensive way to decorate and produce a spectacular tree. Make a snowy Christmas tree. Take cotton balls and place them on the tips of the branches. If you have any white glitter on hand, sprinkle it on the cotton balls to give a glistening snow effect. Or you can cut silver garland into little tiny specks to achieve the same results.

Need an ornament for the top of the tree? Make a cookie snowman. Simply using your favorite cookie dough, shape the dough into the form of a snowman. Cover the entire snowman with white icing. Use chocolate chips for his eyes, and shape a nose using a small carrot. Add a smile on his face using chocolate from a piping bag.

To add a tree skirt, simply use a large piece of cardboard. Cut the cardboard into an arc. Take two or more cups of flour and add water. Paste the flour onto the cardboard to give the illusion of fresh fallen snow. Add white glitter to enhance the effect.

Do you know the names of Santa’s reindeer? Maybe or maybe not, but everyone knows “the most famous reindeer of all.” Kids will love to create their own Rudolph.

Cardboard Rudolph Art
This one is simple. Using a 5×7 writing pad, take off the brown cardboard at the back. Use two large black buttons and place them on the cardboard to make the reindeer’s eyes. If you don’t have buttons, you could use almonds or dried beans.

Color a cotton ball using a red marker, and glue the cotton ball onto the cardboard to make his nose.

Take two popsicle sticks, color them brown, and glue each stick to each end of the cardboard for his ears; and with a magic marker, draw a curved line for his smile.

Put Rudolph on a plate stand to display him in your home.

Paper Plate Rudolph Mask
Another idea is to take a paper plate and turn it into Rudolph mask. Lightly color the plate with a brown crayon to begin.

Then, you can make the antlers. At the top of the plate, glue two brown pipe cleaners for antlers. Then cut two or more smaller pieces of brown pipe cleaner and twist them around the longer pipe cleaner, turning them outward to create the antler effect. You may need to reinforce the antlers with a hot glue gun after your child is done creating this mask.

Cut holes for the eyes and color around the holes with a black marker to make his eyes look darker. For his nose, cut out a circle from any red fabric (even patterned fabric would be cute). Glue it onto the plate.

Then, draw a big smile with a black crayon. You’ve got an adorable Rudolph mask. Simply glue a Popsicle stick to the bottom as a handle and your child has a mask to wear. Now all you need are a few more and you’ll have all of Santa’s reindeer.

Now that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been created, have you been thinking about the names of the other eight reindeer? The answer is: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.