Homemade Christmas Tree Decorations

Acrylic Tree Angel

Approximate Time: About 1 hour

Supplies:

• 4 inch tall acrylic tree
• 1 inch round wooden bead with 1/2 inch hole
• piece of tulle or small heart doily for wings
• peach acrylic paint or any color you'd like to use for the head
• black dimensional paint
• white dimensional paint
• fine point black marker
• pink blush and cotton swab
• 4 small silk roses
• 10 inch piece of gold thread (hanger)
• 4 inch length of doll hair
• 12 inches of 1/4 inch wide red satin ribbon
• 10 inches of 3/8 inch wide white satin ribbon
• low temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Spanish moss

Instructions:

1. Using the white dimensional paint, outline the tree boughs and fill in with dots (as pictured).

2. Use the black dimensional paint to make two black shoes on the tree's trunk. Allow to dry.

3. Paint the ball peach (or other color) for the head and allow to dry.

4. Paint on a face using the fine point marker.

5. Apply some blush to her face using the cotton swab.

6. Tie the gold thread to the hanging tab at top of tree. Insert it through the bead (head) and glue the head in place.

7. Knot the center of the 3/8 inch wide ribbon and glue the ends behind her shoulders. This will be her arms.

8. Pinch the tulle together in the middle and glue to back of tree for wings or use a heart shaped doily.

9. Glue on the hair, fluff and trim as necessary.

10. Glue some Spanish moss under her chin and tuck in three silk roses and glue into place.

11. Using the red ribbon, tie a shoestring bow with 1 inch loops and 3 inch tails. Glue to the moss.

12. You can also add a small bow to her hair. I glued on a gold heart button, but that is optional.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Christmas Bell Decorations

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

• paper (the stiffer the better :)
• newspapers
• gift-wrappings
• thread and needle
• scissors
• glue and cellotape

Instructions:

1. Crumple some newspaper and wrap it all around with thread, forming a tight, small ball, as shown.

2. Take a piece of paper, long enough to wrap around the ball, and glue it round the mid-part of the ball, forming somewhat of a cone shape.

3. Cut off its base to even it out, so it can stand.
4. Wrap the bell with some shiny gift-wrapping.

5. Fold a small piece of gift-wrap alternately, as shown, and tie a thread tightly around its middle (leave some length of thread free to use it to hang the bell).

6. Glue it to the top of the bell.

And...it's done! Similarly, by using different dimensions for the ball and varying the colors of wrappings, whole arrays of colorful bells can be made :)

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

A Fun Christmas Tree Design

I like my tree to look different every year and we switch between real and artificial trees.

This year one of our artificial trees looked small and with a grand party planned I wanted something unique!

I harvested some branches from outside, sprayed them white and cut out simple snowflakes to hang from the branches.

I then added the branches into the top of the tree at angles so it looks like it's snowing on the tree. I secured them with cord to the center post.

I added some eucalyptus branches to the mix and I think it is a pretty tree.
What do you think?

By Donna

Folded Paper Gift Box Christmas Decorations

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

• scraps of paper (the stiffer the better :)
• colored gift-wraps
• ribbons (optional)
• pencil
• scale
• scissors
• glue and cellotape
• thread and needle

Instructions:

1. Draw the outline of the box as shown in the picture (image-1). Image-2 is for reference as to which lines to cut (red lines), which ones to fold (green lines) and what parts to stick with a glue (blue boxes)

2. Cut along the red lines (from the previous picture). Fold along the green lines and glue the edges as shown.

3. Wrap the box with a gift wrap.

   The gift-box is done!

4. Now, wrap the shiny gift wrappings. I even glued ribbons and bows for added effect. Finally, make a hole on it with the needle and tie a thread through it to hang the gift-box for your Christmas decorations.

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Easy Christmas Tree Decorations

• Lightly spray paint pine cones with gold or silver paint to make a classic Christmas Ornament. Use florist wire or paper clips to hang them on the tree. Or put them in a bowl or basket.

• Paint macaroni and string it for your tree.

• Cut out small snowflakes from white paper and hang on the tree.

• String popcorn and cranberries. Make sure the popcorn is unbuttered and unsalted. Hot air popped corn works best for this. Buy a bag of raw cranberries from the grocery store. Alternate several pieces of corn in between each cranberry.

• Take curling ribbon and cut into 18 inch pieces. Curl the ribbon on both ends and tie on tree branches.

• Take small hamburger give away toys, add a string to hang from and add to the tree.

Add your thrifty tree decoration ideas here!

By Susan Sanders-Kinzel

Tree Decorations the Kids Can Make

I find this very sad. What kind of memory does this leave the child with-one of feeling that their contribution to the festivities does not matter or that their ornaments are not "good enough" in turn making them feel bad about themselves or maybe one that lets them believe that store bought decorations are better than homemade ones which in turn just drives home the commercialization of Christmas.

In my home we have an Angel on top of the tree that my son made and colored in kindergarten and other decorations he has made and this year we will add more from him and my 2 year old daughter. We do have storebought lights and some ball ornaments but we also plan to string cranberries and popcorn and make more decorations.

Our tree may not look perfect to those who are set on perfection but our tree is perfect in the fact that it is decorated with love as a family.

Here are some ideas if you and your children would like to make some decorations (and memories) for your tree.

Salt Dough Ornaments

The recipe is as follows:

• 2 cups All -Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Salt
• 1 Cup cold Water

Mix together slowly until you get the mixture the consistency you want it (like a cookie dough) You may need to add more water/flour as needed. Then roll out thin, like a cookie dough and cut shapes with cookie cutters and paint .Be sure to make a hole for hanging by using a straw before letting them harden. Let them air dry. You may need to turn them over occasionally.

Paper Chain Garland

Simply cut strips of red and green construction paper and fold in a circle and tape or staple and then add another strip through that loop and keep going until you have the length you prefer.

Sandpaper Ornaments

Cut sandpaper into a holiday shape and then let your children rub cinnamon sticks over the sandpaper shape.Punch a hole for adding ribbon to hang on the tree.

Cinnamon Sticks

This is really simple.Just tie ribbon around cinnamon sticks and tie on your tree branches.

Felt Gingerbread People

Another simple one is make a gingerbread man template and make outlines on brown felt and cut them out and let the kids decorate with paints, glitter, markers, buttons, rick rack,etc.

So many more fun tree decorations can be found by doing a search for "kids easy Christmas crafts" on your favorite search engine.

By Angela Billings