1) Pick up jigsaw puzzles at garage sales (the more colorful the better). Then take popsicle sticks & make a triangle shape (hot gluing them together). Then hot glue the jigsaw pieces on the popsicle sticks (as wide as you can, leaving enough space in the middle to attach the child's picture to the back) then cut out posterboard in the same size as the triangle & hot glue it behind the picture. Attach string or ribbon to hang this ornament to your tree. 2) Buy inexpensive crayons, hot glue them together in bunches of 5 or so, tie a bow around the bunch and then hang them with additional ribbon or string. 3) Get clear ball-type ornaments & gently stuffed them with icicles (tinsel). The eraser end of a pencil worked great to stuff the icicles down the hole. They are beautiful! 4) Get a styrofoam ball, about 2 - 2 1/2" diam. Put some glue on a paper clip & insert it in the top of the ball for a hanger. Then decorate. Paint with glitter paint, glue on "jewels" & tiny shells, ribbons - all kinds of stuff. 5) Rudy Puppet Trace the child's hands (with fingers spread open) on some brown const. paper. Glue these on the bottom (closed end) of a brown paper lunch sack. This becomes the antlers. Add eyes, mouth, and a small red pom-pom for the nose. 6) Rudolph the red nosed reindeer candy cane ornaments/gift decorations For each reindeer you will need: 1- candy cane per person (your choice of color/flavor) 1- brown or any festive color pipe cleaner (for antlers) bring under *neck* of cc & twist to tighten V shape then each side can be bent to Z shape (if desired) 2- sm.google eyes (available at craft stores) Glue to the curve of the cc just after the *antlers* 1- sm. red pom-pom (for nose) Glue on the end or just above the end of the cc *optional: red or other festive colored thin ribbon (for bow tie) and a small jingle bell to be tied onto the ribbon (you may need to hot glue the bow & jingle on) Clear glue or a hot glue gun (works the best). 7) Rudolph Xmas Card Holder Take a gallon milk jug and cut off the top section right below the handle. Cover with brown paper (use grocery paper bags). Trace the childs hand and place on the back of the container. On the front draw eyes & Mouth and attach big red pom-pom for nose. Place Xmas cards in. 8) Candle for parents gift Take a baby food jar. Tear different colored pieces of tissue. paper. Cover the jar using a paintbrush with glue diluted slightly with water & attach the pieces of tissue paper. Throw a few sprinkles of gold or silver sparkles. Add ribbon around the top and place small votive candle in jar. Before making test candle size with baby food as not all jars are the same so the candle sometimes won't fit. 9) A few really simple ones.... -cut out a christmas tree shape (fairly large) and let the kids use fingerprints for ornaments -a collage tree...glitter, buttons, beads, fabric scraps, whatever you can find(works good for wreaths too) Let each child bring a box of little goodies from home to share or put on their own. -make your own dough and make christmas ornaments & then paint them -get a large roll of carft or butcher paper. Make sponge cut outs of stars, ornaments, etc, & let the kids make their own wrapping paper -On a white hand towel, use fabric paint and do the kids handprints. Write with fabric paint "See, I DID wash my hands" you could do red & green hand prints & make these little christmas towels to set out for guests. 10) Glue small pretzels into a circle. When dry thread a ribbon in and out of the pretzels. Tie a bow on top. 11) Just tie three bells together and make a pretty bow on top. 12) Angel-Paint old fashioned clothes pin white. Paint knob on top like a face. Cut out wings & glue to back. 13) Glue star mint candies to lid of jar. Fill jar with candies for parent gift. 14) Cut out 4 triangle tree shapes. Fold each one in middle. Glue together. Add secquins or holes punched from colored paper for decorations. Cut out circles or heart or even angles & to the same as the tree for different ornaments. 15) Glue two perfectly shaped triangles together to make a six pointed star. Cover with macaroni shapes, or glitter, or both. 14) Cover toilet paper roll with colored paper. Add colored leaves around the bottom & a flame to the top. 15) Cover a pine cone with glue & glitter. 16) Christmas game: Smell game Pass jars under their noses & see if they can identify the smells; evergreen, ginger, candy canes, christmas cake, eggnog, candles, etc. 17) Cut out a circle probably the size of a margarine container, & cut out a circle in the middle big enough to place the child's photo in. Cover with puzzle pieces. Leave the puzzle pieces plain or spray paint them green to look like a wreath. Attach a small bow at the top. 18) Cut out a candy cane shape & let the children glue red & white pom- poms alternating to give the appearance of a candy cane. 19) Trace & cut out the childs hand on red or green felt. With fingers pointing down, place a small heart also cut out of felt (different color) & write to Mom & Dad or whoever, Merry Christmas Love the child's name & date. 20) Oscar the Grouch in his trash can Using 35 mm black film canister, Glue a green pom-pom in top of container, attach 2 jiggly eyes, & glue on top of canister to the top of the green pom-pom. Attach a small bow to top. 21) We did a really easy fun one today. I cut out big green trees out of giant tagboard and let the kid sponge paint ornaments. They had a blast, and the make a great decoration for the front door. 22) Playdough Menorah -playdough -birthday candles -large candles Let each child: 1. roll out piece of playdough and press to form base 2. place large candle in center and four small candles on each side of large 23) Wrapping Paper -blue paint -large pieces of white paper -plastic margarine lids -small Hanukkah cookies cutters (or basic shapes) 1. pour small amount of pain into margarine lids 2. let each child dip a cookie cutter into paint, stamp on paper, and then let paint dry. Children can take paper home to use. 24) Tasty Menorahs -bread -cream cheese or butter -carrot sticks -pretzel sticks -raisins Help each child: 1. spread bread with cream cheese or butter 2. arrange 8 pretzels as candles and carrot stick as large candle in center 3. use raisins as flames at ends of carrot and pretzel sticks 25) Drediels -pencils -glue -paint -paintbrushes -small milk cartons or boxes 1. fold tops of milk cartons down to make boxes 2. mix a little glue with paint 3. let children paint boxes 4. poke pencil through box from top downward so point is on bottom Poem: I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay. And when it's dry and ready, A dreidel game I'll play. (ideas from "Get Ready, Set, Grow!") 26) Christmas Puppets Supplies:Little Paper Bags, Glue, Crayons, Construction Paper, Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect. Get creative & make all sorts of Christmas characters. Make Santa Claus; make eyes, ears, etc, & then use cotton balls, felt, etc for the hair & beard. Don't forget the hat and red nose -like a cherry. You can also make rudolph, Mrs. Claus, elves...... 27) Paper Plate or Cereal Box, etc, Glue, Crayons Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect. If you are using cardboard, cut it into a circle about the size of a paper plate. Cut the center out of the paper plate or cardboard to make a wreath shape. Use various craft supplies to decorate. 28) Egg Carton Tree Supplies: Two Egg Cartons, Large Piece of Paper, Glue, Paint; Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, etc. Cup the egg cartons so you have one row of 6 cups, one row of 5 cups, and so on to 1 cup. Paint the outside of the egg cup green. When the paint is dry, glue them on a large sheet of paper as follows: Glue the 6 cup row on the bottom of the paper, just above that glue the 5 cup row, & so on until you have used all the cups. It should look like a triangle when you are done. Decorate with misc. craft items. 29) Styrofoam Ball Ornament Supplies: Styrofoam Ball - about 2 and a half inches, Glue, Paper Clips, Paint; Misc Craft Items - glitter, jewels, ribbons, etc. Put some glue on one end of a paper clip & push it into the ball, this will be the hanger. Paint and decorate as desired. 30) Gingerbread Man Supplies: Paper Grocery Bag, Glue, Crayons Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect. Cut a gingerbread man shape out of the grocery bag. Color or decorate as desired. 31) Plaster Ornaments Supplies: Faster Plaster, Christmas Candy Molds, Paint or Markers; Use the Faster Plaster & Christmas candy molds to make ornaments. Decorate them with paint or markers. Attach a hanger, pin backs, or magnets to the plaster mold. 32) Christmas Placemats Supplies: Paper, Used Christmas Cards, Glue, Crayons, Markers, or Paint Clear Contact Paper Cut the pictures from cards. Draw a picture on a piece of paper & this is the back. Then glue on the card pictures. Cover both sides with contact paper. 33) Yarn ornament Supplies: Wax Paper, Glue, Glitter, Yarn - various colors Cut yarn into various lengths. Dip yarn in glue & lay on wax paper, over lapping each piece. Let dry. Pull yarn off wax paper, attach a string to the top, apply glue & add glitter. Hang to dry. 34) Christmas Stockings Supplies: Construction Paper, Glue, Cotton Balls, Old Toy Catalogs, magazines Trace a picture of a stocking on construction paper and cut. Use cotton balls to trim the stocking on the top. Use catalogs and cut out pictures of what you want for Christmas, & glue to the stocking. 35) Christmas Trees Supplies: Construction Paper, Glue, Colored Cellophane, Crayons Cut out trees made of construction paper. Punch out holes in the tree. Have children glue colored pieces of colored celophane or construction paper to the back to cover the holes. This makes it look like lights on the tree. Turn over and decorate the tree with whatever they wish (crayons, construction paper bits, etc). 36) Santa Hat Supplies: Red Construction Paper, Glue, Cotton Balls Cut out a large triangle out of red construction paper. Glue on the cottonballs to make a white ball on one of the triangle tips, & glue cotton balls along the bottom edge to form the brim. You can also cut out two triangles & tape or staple them together to make a hat to fit the child's head. 37) Ice Cream Cone Christmas Trees Supplies: Ice Crean Cones - Sugar Cones, Green Frosting Misc Candy Items Take a sugar cone, turn it upside down & spread with thick, green frosting & add sprinkles & candies on to decorate it. 38) Christmas Tree Mobile Supplies: Green Construction Paper, Glue, Tape, Crayons, Yarn; Misc Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, ect. Cut a large Christmas tree shape -triangle- out of green construction paper. Cut the triangle into one inch wide strips. Lay down the strips in the order you cut them out, with the strips laying about an inch apart. Tape a long piece of yarn onto the back of the strips. Use a scrap of brown construction paper to cut out a pot & tape it below the tree; cut off any excess yarn hanging below the pot. Decorate the tree as desired. 39) CHRISTMAS SNOWFLAKE ORNAMENT Using craft sticks spray paint them white.Or the children could paint them white.I like to use the cut out craft sticks for this project. Now glue 3 of the sticks together to form a snowflake design.Start by making a "X" shape with a dot of glue in the center of the sticks. Now lay the next stick horizontally on top like this> ---- . Now let the sticks dry. The children now apply glue & white glitter.Glue a paperclip to the top of the stick to use as a hanger. Add a green or red ribbon to the paperclip. 40) Hand-y Christrmas Trees To make a tree, press a child's hand into green tempera paint. Keeping the fingers & thumb close together, press the hand on a piece of white construction paper, making the tree, leaves and branches. Cut out a trunk from brown construction paper and paste on. Cut out a foil star, or yellow star and attach to top of tree. 41) Snowballs Take a styrofoam ball & place on an egg carton or other stand to prevent rolling. Paint the surface that is showing with thinned white glue. Then put white & blue tissue paper squares into the glue. Sprinkle sparkles sparingly. Then turn the ball over & complete the other side. with glitter, stickers, paint, or small candies. 42) Wreath Ornaments Use green tempera paint to paint seven 2 1/2 in. wide pieces of paper towel or toilet paper tubes. When the paint is dry thread a pipe cleaner through all the tubes & twist to secure them together. Cut out at red paper bow, & glue it to the wreath. Thread a piece of red ribbon through the tube on top & tie to make the hanger for the ornament or wreath. 43) Sparkle Snowmen Snowmen can be painted using a mixture of white glue, water, & paint & then sprinkled with glitter. 44) Voltive Candle Holder Purchase clear plastic cups (8 oz.). In a small margarine tub pour white glue & dilute with water. Tear red & green tissue paper into small pieces. With a paintbrush let children paint the glue mixture onto the outside of the plastic cup then put tissue pieces on top of glue. Have them cover the entire cup. Let dry. Now a tea light candle can be placed inside & when lit shows the Christmas colors beautifully. 45) Hands and feet reindeer Trace the child's foot an brown construction paper (brown grocery bags also work great) Trace both hands on a different shade of brown paper. Cut out (older children can probably use a safety scissors & do much of this part-especially the foot, but younger children will need you to cut out most peices) The foot tracing becomes the reindeer's face, the hand tracings are attached at the top for antlers. color or paste on facial features of your reindeer.To make reindeer, trace the child's foot (with shoes on) & have them cut it out & glue it to a piece of paper. Trace their hands, with fingers splayed, & cut them out, too. Then glue the hands to the top of the foot (head), add eyes & a red nose.