Make holiday crafting a family affair

Families gather frequently during the holiday season as everyone enjoys the feasts and festivities that are synonymous with this time of year. Families often bake and decorate together.

Now is a prime opportunity to bond with children over a table full of paint, glue, beads and other crafty supplies. The crafts made during the holidays often become cherished mementos that will be regarded fondly for years to come.

Here are some ideas to inspire holiday creativity.

Snowman family

Handprint crafts are popular among children. Adults and children can dip their hands into washable white paint and make a handprint stamp on a small canvas, wooden palette or even a terracotta flowerpot. Decorate the white fingerprints with black dots to look like the faces of the snowmen and paint on top hats and scarves.

Wine cork reindeer

Repurpose wine corks by crafting reindeer. Two corks make up the head and the body, and four vertically will make the feet. Stick on googly eyes and add a small red or black bead for the nose. Pipe cleaners can be bent to form the reindeer’s antlers.

Family garlands

This craft also makes use of handprints. Ask all family members to trace their handprints on different colors of construction paper or card stock. Cut out all of the paper hands, punch holes in the tops and then string a ribbon through. Decorate the Christmas tree or a mantle with this garland.

Miniature Christmas trees Paint the tips of gathered pinecones with green paint and allow to dry. Add white glitter or paint as “snow.” Glue the pinecones to wine corks that will serve as the tree trunks and attach a small wooden star to the top of the trees for the finishing touch. Decoupage ornaments Purchase wooden or plastic ball ornaments. Cover with small scraps of cut fabric or paper dipped in craft glue or Mod Podge and attach to the ornament in an overlapping fashion. Remember to add a string from which the ornament can be hung on the tree. Allow to dry completely before using.

Paper chain Advent calendar Cut strips of paper to make a link for every day of Advent. Advent begins on Sunday, December 1, 2024, and lasts until Christmas. The top link can be any design artists prefer, but those who need a little inspiration can consider a religious symbol, the face of a reindeer, a snowman or a Christmas tree. Hang the chain and then children can take turns ripping off a link from the bottom each day as they count down to the holiday.

Popsicle stick snowflakes Paint four popsicle sticks per snowflake in desired colors. Decorate with glue, pompoms, beads, or other trinkets. Add small, looped strings to hang the ornaments.