If you are finding that your family is short on funds this Christmas, don't panic. You do not have to buy expensive Christmas decorations to beautify your tree. There isn't a need to spend a large amount of money when you can create your own Christmas decorations with food and other accessories found around your home. It's possible that your grandmother might have told you stories about how she would place cranberries and popcorn onto string and use it as garland to decorate her family tree. It's time to bring back old family traditions, and carry on the true meaning of Christmas-before expensive decorations stocked the store shelves.
For families who have children at home, they will have fun creating homemade holiday decorations for the Christmas tree. Schedule some time a few weeks before December to start making decorations. Set up a craft area for the kids to begin working on the Christmas decorations. Place a few bowls of snacks such as pretzels, peanuts or cookies and let the fun begin. And don't forget to play some Christmas music to set the mood!
Remember those fun macaroni and pasta decorations you made as a child? You can recreate those memories with your children. You can create a beautiful tree topper and smaller Christmas wreaths with just simple cardboard circles and different shapes of pasta. If you have younger children, cut out the cardboard circles for them. Cut one large circle for the topper and then smaller ones for additional decorations. Place a bowl of pasta with different shapes and sizes on the table. Allow your children to glue different pasta pieces onto the circles. Once they have finished and the pasta is dry, spray paint the pasta with a color of your choice. Add some sparkle by sprinkling some glitter. Finish off the pasta decorations by tying a ribbon at the top of the circles. Place the large macaroni circle at the top of the tree. Place the smaller circles in other areas of the Christmas tree.
Did those stories about your grandmother stringing popcorn and cranberries inspire you? If so, make your own edible garland to place on your family Christmas tree. Place separate bowls of popcorn and cranberries on a table. You will also need a few spindles of string and a needle. You can also put other small items on the garland too. Add shiny beads or buttons for some extra flair. Turn on some Christmas music, or turn on your favorite Christmas movie and begin stringing. You will find that this craft is relaxing to do. It is also very simple for young children to help with too.
One last simple decoration to add to your Christmas tree are those sweet minty candy canes! Candy canes make a sweet treat on Christmas morning. They also make great stir sticks in a cup of warm hot chocolate too! You can often buy candy canes at Family Dollar General Stores or Dollar Tree for about $1 per package. Buy a couple of packages, and then let your children place the candy canes all over the tree.
Once the tree has been decorated, be sure to take a memorable photo. Your children will remember making the fun Christmas decorations and may carry on the traditions when they grow older. Money doesn't always buy the prettiest Christmas decorations. Sometimes all it takes is love to make the best ones of all.
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