Spreading Christmas Cheer Part 1

The boys are so excited for Christmas - it's really fun this year. They get it now. Santa is C-O-M-I-N-G! So to keep them busy with excitement this is what we have been doing various activities together.

We made wreaths. The boys wanted to hang it on their doors to show Santa that they have Christmas spirit - which I thought was too cute.

Just construction paper, glue, glitter and any beads you have laying around.

I found this mitten kit at Target for a buck. Brant loved it and added it to his door for all to see.

Mason hung his wreath right above the couch. He also picked out this light bulb garland for a $1 at Target and I think it looks adorable hung on the wall. 

Best part of this wreath project for me was to let the boys decorate the house they way they wanted to. I love hearing them get excited about their ideas and seeing them feel proud about how everything turned out. 

Homemade Popsicle Snowman ornament

Got Popsicle sticks?

You can line up about 7 or 8 sticks, squeeze some glue at the top and then place a stick across them. Let it dry. Then start making your snowman. 

We used black construction paper for the hat but you can use felt, leftover material, etc. Mason picked out the ribbon and pom-pom for the hat. We originally had black pom-poms for the mouth but switched it out for a pipe cleaner instead - use whatever you have though. Glue a ribbon on the back to make an ornament. 

It makes a cute, homemade gift.

Reindeer Craft Project Gone WRONG!!

I saw these reindeer pinecones in a catalog and thought I can make that!

Well as it turns out... I, uh, can't. 

But Brant looked at the pinecones and started making a tree out of it. Pom-poms for ornaments and pipe cleaners for lights. I thought that was so creative!! Way to save the day Brant!!

Ice Cream Cone Ornament

Since my boys get so excited about ice cream, I thought we could make ice cream cone ornaments. This project is cheap and easy to do with the kiddos.

I bought a pack of sugar cones from Target for $1.25. 

Glue your ribbon to the inside of the cone first so you can hang it on the tree.

I wanted to use that fluffy, fiberfill for the ice cream part but I didn't have any on hand so I just used a large pom-pom. 

We glued a small red pom-pom for the cherry and then sprayed it with adhesive and rolled it in glitter.

I put the cone in a small saucepan with a paper towel on the bottom so it could dry standing up.

Homemade Cinnamon ornaments

LOVE this project!! I ran across it in an old Disney Family Cookbook I have from the 90s. I have a costco-sized cinnamon container so finding 3/4c of cinnamon wasn't any trouble for me. Just a heads up.

Recipe:

1/2c applesauce
3/4c (3oz) of ground cinnamon
2 1/2 TBSP Elmers glue

This will make 5-6 ornaments

Mix together in a bowl

Roll into a ball with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge for at least an hour and up to 2 days.

I dusted my surface with cinnamon so it wouldn't stick and rolled it out to about 1/4 inch thick.

Cut out desired shape with cookie cutter.

We used a straw to make a hole at the top.

I put them on a cooling rack and let them air dry for 2 days in Jaxons closet away from Maley madness. You could try to speed up the drying process by using your oven (set on warm) but since mine runs hot I didn't want to chance them breaking.

Rice Krispie Snowman

These Rice Krispie snowmen were fun to make with the boys - thought I would share.

The boys love measuring stuff out so this was a perfect treat to make with them. Mason couldn't believe we were "cooking" marshmellows!

We still have Halloween candy hanging around - I save the taffy stuff for these kinds of family projects. 

I microwaved a Tootsie Roll to soften it and rolled it out to make a hat. I used an orange Starburst for the nose (microwave to soften and roll out). I cut up a Twizzler to make a scarf, and used black licorce rope for the eyes and arms. The buttons are just ready-made frosting squirted on. The snow is cotton candy.

Holiday Cheese Dip

This is a dip my mom used to make when we were growing up. It was a favorite then and I still crave it at family gatherings. The green and red specs make it nice for the holidays. SUPER easy, especially if you are in a pinch and need to quickly whip something together. 

In a bowl mix together a brick of softened cream cheese, 1/4 TEASP of garlic powder, 1/4 TEASP of onion powder, 1/4 TEASP freshly ground black pepper and start with 1/4c of chopped green pimento olives (you can always add but you can't take away). 

All of these ingredients should be adjusted to your taste. I never know the potency of my dried herbs/spices so I start off small.

You can always roll this into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, refrigerate and coat the outside with your favorite nut. 

I have always eaten this with Triscuits but again serve with your favorite cracker.