There is no doubt that this will be a rough Christmas season for many families due to the current economic crisis. However, there is a great way to beat the Grinch in more ways than one. Make your own homemade Christmas decorations. Yes, you will save money but most important are the memories, family keepsakes and bonding that will last for not just the holiday season but for years to come.
So, now that you are thinking about making some homemade decorations for Christmas, you might be wondering where to begin. Maybe you are very artistic or maybe you are not very crafty at all. Either way, there are plenty of ideas and options for every range of crafting skill and age level. If you are looking to make some homemade Christmas decorations with your children, a few good ideas are clay dough that you can cut with cookie cutters, allow to dry overnight and then your children can paint them. Also, candy cane ornaments made with red and white pipe cleaners twisted around each other are easy for even the smallest and least artistic hands!
If you have a bit more time, patience or older kids on your hands, making your own garland can be a lot of fun! Turn on one of your favorite Christmas shows, or pop in a favorite Christmas carol CD and get to work! You can string cranberries, beads, flowers, buttons, popcorn or a combination of all of the above. The more edible, the more fun though! And you do not want to forget your outdoor friends — you can cover a pine cone with peanut butter then roll it in birdseed and hang it outside for a nice decoration and a treat for the birds!
As you can see, there are lots of options for homemade Christmas decorations that you and your family can make. When it comes right down to it though, the decorations will most likely become secondary to the bonding you will do with your family and the memories that you will make. And do not forget — your decorations do not need to be perfect — they will have more sentimental value than monetary value and that is all that matters!
