With christmas coming up in a few more months I've been thinking about having an old fashion christmas tree.(without the real candles) I remember one time when I was little we put on a homemade christmas. We made all of our ornaments and other decorations. We made popcorn strings and homemade cookies shaped in stars and hung on the real tree. I've been thinking about doing this again with my kids but I don't know what else to do besides the popcorn and cookies. Can anybody give me any ideals?

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 25, 2001

Answers

My kids liked making paper garlands to hang both on the tree and from the doorways. One year we didn't have construction paper so we used the bright colored pages from magazines. We doubled the paper strips and they turned out very colorful.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

Try stringing cranberries. Just use a needle and long piece of thread. Very old fashion tradition in New England.

Take care!

-- J. Lanning (quiltjude@iwon.com), September 25, 2001.

We usually make paper chains, the kids enjoy that. We also collect pine cones and decorate them with glitter or paint them silver or gold. The kids also like to make snow flakes out of white tissue paper and you can tape them up to the windows. We also make a Christmas scene out of construction paper. ie. a big christmas tree and decorate with paper arts and crafts stuff the kids make. We tape it up to our pantry door. For wrapping paper we use brown paper and decorate with sponge painted prints of xmas trees etc.... Also, check out the library they have good books with great ideas.

Anita

-- anita (anitaholton@mindspring.com), September 25, 2001.

We make little 'packages' out of used match boxes! Use left over wrapping paper (I use end rolls of unprinted newsprint for all my wrapping needs) and small pcs. of ribbon! One year I gathered small pinecones, acorns, sweetgum balls, hickory nuts and sprayed them silver--atached fishing line to each one by tiny eye-hooks or glue and use them in garland,wreaths or on the tree. If you have chickens that have beautiful feathers --gather the feathers and glue them to a ball or insert them into a clear ball! Look in trees and bushes for old bird nests--add a few small plastic eggs and place toward the center of the tree!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), September 25, 2001.

Cut gingerbread shapes out of a brown paper bag, double thickness so the shapes are exactly the same size, run a small bead of glue around the shape (not glueing the head), place the two shapes together. After the glue has set stuff the gingerbread man with cotton balls through the head, decorate with markers, crayons, glitter, sequins, whatever you fancy, drizzle (paint) icing on with paint, paper punch a hole in the top of the head, thread a piece of yarn through the hole to use as a hanger. This project was done with a class of 20 kids (7-9 years old). It easily took an hour with that size group.

-- Polly (oakridge@northnet.org), September 25, 2001.

We allways have an "old fashoned" Christmas. Last year we melted crayons between wax paper and cut out Christmas shapes, tied on colorfull scraps of yarn and they were beautifull! Our family has great fun with the Christmas thing these past few years since we started a new tradition. ALL family gifts are to be either homemade or something that you have had in your house that hasn't been used for at least a year. (We do buy or make small gifts for the little kids) We never know what we will get and opening up gifts are a blast. One year I got an old toolbox filled with assorted tools and odds & ends. I have used that box every since. Half the fun of doing Christmas this way is rummaging around finding silly or usefull things for the others. One item has make it to 3 houses now in the past 3 years. Wonder who we will send it to this year...... Christmas should be fun, not a strain on finances.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), September 25, 2001.

r.h. We have ornaments made from cinnamon and applesauce. Rolled out and cut into shapes and dried. Each year we use an emery board to sand the edges lightly and they smell wonderful.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), September 25, 2001.

Thought I had posted this but seems I did not.

Years ago I made tree ornaments out of calico in the shape of trees, bells, stars, gingerbread men, etc. I stuffed them with fiber fill. We still use them on the tree and for the past few years my youngest has done the cranberry and popcorn garlands (after Christmas, we put the garland out for the birds).

I have also made ornament out of bread dough. Make your dough and form into whatever shape you want, make sure to poke a hole in the top big enough to thread string or ribbon through. Bake and let dry for a few days then shellac.

My youngest loves to make patchwork clothes and I have asked her about making some patchwork ornaments this year.

If I remember correctly, there used to be a recipe for a type of clay on the back of Arm and Hammer baking soda. Did this when we were involved with scouts. You could make ornaments and the kids can paint them and glue on glitter, etc.

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

I'm so glad this came up! For years we did the handmade Christmas thing_I love it, Then, somehow our extended family (both sides) got away from it-everyone had jobs, which meant they have money, but not much time. Last year I worked a lot and we "bought Christmas". It was terrible, besides being horribly expensive-this year we are back to Homestead Christmas!!!!!! -On homemade ornaments-I love to go into thrift shops and prowl in the needlework section-often you can find christmas projects that people have started and not finished-I bought, for 35 cents a needlework kit with wonderful felt figures and sequin trim-I'm doing those this year. I think on an earlier posting someone said you can use juice lids, gluing a picture from old Christmas Cards or Magazines then putting trim or glitter around the edge. I'm saving my lids for that now.

Anyone have any interesting ideas about gifts? I love the giving of old household items! Does anyone have any favorite Christmas recipies/traditions, they would like to share?

-- Kelly (markelly@scrtc.com), September 25, 2001.

My mother used to blow all the eggs we used for several weeks before Christmas, and dry them. Then we would spend a day painting and decorating them -- using scraps of ric-rac, lace, ribbon, glitter, sequins, and anything else our imaginations came up with. Once in a while we'd make a careful hole in the side of one, and insert a little scene or tiny bird or something. Glue a string on top, let dry, and add to the tree! They did have a casualty rate, but aren't as dangerous when they break as glass ornaments.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 25, 2001.

Being "artsy-fartsy", I tend to do theme decorations. One year, it was "White Christmas" and since store bought stuff would have been prohibitive, I bought a few cans of spray snow and didi most of the rest of the deco by hand. The prettiest ornaments that came out of it were little fans that hubby and I made. We cut out rectangles of heavy white paper (about 4 or 5 inches by about 10 inches), glued glitter onto the field and lace scraps onto the edge. When they were foled up (pleated) into fans, they looked absolutely wonderful. We hung them with bent paperclips and from even a small distance, they looked like something you would buy in an upscale shop. We were really pleased. Using different lace, glitter (silver and gold), and a few other deco techniques, we made a whole lot of matching but not identical fans.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

Some other ideas for ornaments: Press Queen Anne's lace flowers. Make a 6-inch loop of ribbon and glue to the back of the flower. Cover the glued ribbon end with the papery flat pod from a money plant if you have one.

Tie cinnamon sticks together in a bunch and hang on the tree.

Peel oranges in a spiral. Cut the spiral into square pieces (about 1/2-inch on each side). Thread with a wire and push close together. Twist the ends of the wire together to make a small circle (3-4 inches in diameter. Hang so orange pieces dry completely. Tie a small bow at the top, and you have a fragrant little wreath to hang on the tree. You can also just dry the long spirals from the peeled orange, and hang them on the tree.

Dry okra pods that got too big on the plant to eat. You can spray them with gold or silver paint, or paint them like Santa Clause with the long pointed end being the beard. Put a hook through the top.

Collect pine cones and spray the tips with white or gold paint. Can also be painted to look like Santa Claus faces. Best to dry in the oven on low to eliminate any bugs that may be in them.

-- Katherine in KY (KyKatherine@Yahoo.com), September 25, 2001.

A few years back I made Santa ornaments out of okra pods. Use the stem part as top and pointed end as end of beard. The colors were dark red trimmed with off white and the skinny face like I call old world Santa. I got the idea out of organic gardening magizine. The same issue also had small round gourds panited with a cheery round face santa. Fun topic Sherry

-- sherry (chickadee259@yahoo.com), September 25, 2001.

For gifts, what about taking the tubes from paper towels, cutting them into 1 or 2" rounds, gluing on pretty ribbon or such and Viola!, napkin rings.

Years ago, my oldest made these as gifts, different designs for the different holidays. There were wonderful. They held up very well and is something even little people can do. All you need is ribbon, rick rack, glue, glitter, or whatever. The imagination takes over.

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

I always make the big Christmas day "feast" at my house...we have at least 12 people..up to 25 or so. Last year I wanted to make an ornament for each person to take home with them. I bought the clear glass balls...the frosted ones..at a craft shop (they were on sale and very inexpensive) and used a gold paint pen to write each persons name on one and tied a pretty ribbon bow at the top around the hanging loop. Then I used circles cut from toilet paper tubes and covered with foiled gift wrap to sit them on, and put one at each place at the table. This year I plan to do the same, but with a different color scheme or shape. They were a big hit, and only took one evening to do.

-- Jenny Pipes (Auntjenny6@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

Probably 90% of my ornaments are handmade from years back even.

Half a walnut shell filled with cotton, cover the cotton in calico. Take grey felt and cut out a mouse pointed face, long tail, little ears. Pink felt little ear inserts. Black bead for nose, hand sew on with black quilters thread, knot the quilters thread for whiskers, hand up with gold thread. They are little mice sleeping in walnut beds.

If you have gum ball trees, gather the gum balls when they fall, take off the little stem. With a hot glue gun...glue tooth picks snapped in half into each of the little indentations. Now spray with silver or gold paint, dip in glitter.

I love anything crocheted, last year my best friend had a tree done all in homemade angels, truly lovely. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

Anyone ever hear of something called "Shearenschnita"? I don't think that's how it's spelled but that's what it sounds like.:) My mom made a bunch of short garlands years ago and we still use them. They are strips of paper folded like a fan(pleated), with something drawn on the top one like an angel or gingerbread man, etc... Then with small sewing scissors, it is cut out, making sure the drawing goes right to the edges so they will all be connected. Then when you unfold the paper, you have a row of angels(or whatever picture you drew).

-- Rebekah (rebekah_swinden@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

My kids take empty toilet paper tubes and color them and put faces on them and then attach small squares of cloth to the tops with a rubber band and you have shepherds. Same can be done for angels with different tops.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), September 25, 2001.

I just saw this at a "ritzy" shop for 45$ they had a white styerfoam wreath covered with white "down" feathers! It was beautiful---but $45.00? If I knew some one with geese I would make my own!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), September 25, 2001.

What a great thread! I have been collecting antique ornaments most of my adult life, but hadn't used them because the kids were small, and well, whats the point if your going to be afraid of the kids being near the Xmas tree, right?! So last year was my first 'fancy tree', all antique, no homemade, no toys, no old school ornaments-the "kids" (all grown) were devestated! So, I picked up a yard sale fake and put it on the screen porch with all of 'their' stuff on it. Problem solved! If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

When you were kids, like back in the 60's did you make angels out of the big old telephone books. Folding down each page in half, and then spray painting them, styrofoam head, wings, halo. I used to think they were the most beautiful things. Now at 44 I know just how really ugly they were, applaud Mom for making such a fuss! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001.

Japanese oregami- paper folding can make wonderful ornaments, and lightweight. Try your library. A great craft to do with kids, scouts, friends.

One person I know has a tree decorating party each year. She provides food, paper, scissors, glue, string, popcorn and cranberries, etc. All her guests make ornament to put on the already lighted tree. The guest think up wonderful things!

-- seraphima (gardener@com.post), September 25, 2001.

I don't have time to read all of these right now so I hope I'm not repeating someone else's idea, but this is an idea we came up with a few years ago. We use milk filters, but coffee filters would work also. Cut the filter into snowflakes or other Christmasy shapes. Color with non-waterproof markers. Dip one edge into a bowl of water, and the water will wick up and the colors will flow.

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), September 25, 2001.

I recently did some research on antique/authentic Christmas ornaments for a magazine piece. From what I read, the very oldest Christmas traditions involved hanging fruit, candy, and nuts-edible treats for the children-on the tree. That is why so many later ornaments resembled those shapes. Sometimes the small nuts or candies were placed in little inverted paper cones that were highly decorated.

If you go this route, just remember NOT to store any of these decorations for next year. It would be like hanging out a neon sign saying, "Mousies welcome!", and I'd bet they would make a mess of all the rest of your decorations also. I speak from experience as my Mother made some salt dough ornaments one year and a couple accidentally got put away with the rest. The following year, my little brother and I decided that it was no accident that the Grinch kind of looks like a member of the mouse family!

-- Lori in SE Ohio (klnprice@yahoo.com), September 25, 2001.

I have always made ceader wreaths and grapevine wreaths for house and all the out buildings on are farm as long as my wife and I have been married and that has been 25 years . Indiana Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnz.com), September 25, 2001.

In Sweden (where I grew up) they hang garlands of tiny Swedish paper flags on the Christmas trees, and straw ornaments--hearts and stars made of straw, tied at joints with red yarn (like embroidery yarn). Also gingerbread cookies (again mostly stars and hearts) decorated with white royal icing; poke a hole with a toothpick to put fine red ribbon through for a hanger. Home made paper heart shaped baskets filled with candy and nuts. I love this--they hang sparklers in the branches (gotta have a fresh tree for this:o) and light them when everyone is gathered. Oh, mostly people put the tree up the day before Christmas and the tree is ALWAYS a real one. Never saw a fake Christmas tree 'til I came to the States. Everyone puts a large sheaf of wheat ouside tied to a post for the birds. When having a Christmas party have snow ball lanterns outside--make pyramids of snowballs, put candle in middle--this is so beautiful, as the whole pyramid glows! (Can't do this in Texas). Besides these things, I also like garlands of popcorn and cranberries strung together. Lots of fresh boughs of cedar up on the tops of upper kitchen cabinets, above windows etc. Lots and lots of strands of white lights up there too.

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), September 25, 2001.

Thanks everybody for all the great responses. I think I'm really going to enjoy this coming christmas by using a lot of these great ideals. My kids love to do craft work so I'm sure they are going to enjoy an old fashioned christmas. May God bless each and every one of you who responded to this post.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), September 25, 2001.

Project # 1: Take ripe walnuts in the shell. Carefully open shells along natural seams. Remove nutmeats. Glue halves of shell together placing a lengthe of gold thread at the top so the knot is glued inside to hang it later. First use hobby enamel paint to paint the shell a solid color. Let dry. Then dip your finger in gold or silver paint and only highlight the ridges on the shell with the metallic paint. Let dry. Looks like they're made of blown glass when hung in the tree.

Project # 2: Take a chunky pine cone about two or three inches in length and well opened. Tip the cone with white paint and dust while wet with iridescent glitter. Let dry. Make little bread dough teddy bears or purchase the little velvet ones about an inch high at the craft store. Glue them to the base of the cone and add a string anchored under the little bear's butt to hang it with. A little lace or organza can be used under the bear if desired to add more color. Look really cute when hung in the tree and the glitter really sparkles as the cones turn in the slightest breeze.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), September 26, 2001.

I use grapevines to make minature wreaths and glue on acorns and add ribbon for the tree ornaments also make large grapevine wreaths to hang outside and add hickory nuts, etc. with bow and lights.

-- Lynn(MO) (mscratch1@semo.net), September 26, 2001.

This isn't so much a Christmas ornament, but more of a homemade Christmas gift. We went to the local building store and bought plain white tiles (I think the were about .40 each), I then used tempra paing (abt. .44 cents at Walmart), painted the kid's handprints which they pressed onto the tile. The variations on this are endless, especially if you have older children (they could paint something, a Christmas scene, etc.) I then sprayed it with a clear spray, and viola, trivets! The grandparents just loved them, and they were the perfect gift for "those who have everything"!

I should add on one of them my son used bubble wrap to paint the background and then put his handprint on top of it. It made a really neat effect. We used a clothespin to hold the bubble wrap so it wasn't too messy.

Have fun!

-- briches (vesely@webtv.net), September 27, 2001.