Decking the Halls for Christmas:
                                DIY Decorating Tips for the Entire Family

You can't help but catch a little bit of that “Christmas Cheer” every year.  Whether it’s those magical, creative holiday displays at a store near you or those filled-to-the-brim toy circulars that retailers send out, people everywhere join in the spirit and joy of Christmas. Perhaps it’s time for you to drag out your box of Christmas decorations from the attic or basement. Decorating the home for the holidays has always been one of the most exciting parts of the season, in my opinion.  So why not gather the family together for a little decorating fun?

Here are some simple holiday decorating projects that you and the kids can enjoy together. Please Note: Parental supervision is required for all of these activities.  Do not place any of these decorations near heat.

1.) Creative Garland Ideas: Homemade garlands are a great way to dress up your holiday tree display and they can be made in several ways. One easy and fun idea is to use puff paint, fabric markers, stickers or whatever you have around the house to decorate some purchased plain red or white wide fabric ribbon.  Be Creative!  Each person can add their special touch to sections of the ribbon until you all meet in the middle.  You’ve just created a family treasure and tradition.

Making a popcorn garland is another fun idea to try. Simply pop some unbuttered, unsalted popcorn and string the popped kernels together using a needle and thread.  The trick is to string more than you eat! 

Whatever type of garland you decide to make, be sure to install your Christmas lights first.

2.) Make Your Own Ornaments: When it comes to making your own Christmas ornaments, start looking for supplies in your backyard. Pine cones are a great natural item to use for your Christmas decorations.  Selecting pine cones with a top stem will make

adding a tree hanger for display the easiest.  My favorite way to decorate pine cones is to apply a non-toxic paste or clear-drying glue and then sprinkling with silver, gold or dazzling snow glitter. How festive! Another way to decorate  pine cones is to dab acrylic white paint on the edges here and there to create the illusion of a dusting of freshly fallen snow.  You may also paint your entire pine cone in a solid color.  Gold metallic, silver metallic or white are all beautiful color choices.  Tying a bright ribbon on the stem is the perfect finishing touch.

Another great idea for homemade ornaments is using crayon wax! Using an inexpensive cheese grater or crayon sharpener, shave off a little wax from some of your crayons (red, green and white for Christmas).  Place the crayon flakes on a piece of wax paper in layers.  Place a second piece of wax paper over the shavings.  With a paper towel placed on top of the wax paper, rest a hot iron on top of the paper towel (be careful not to leave it on long enough to burn) until the shavings melt together. Make sure the wax paper has created a seal around the crayon shavings, otherwise all of the shavings will fall out. After the wax has cooled, you can cut around the outside edge with scissors, creating fun, colorful shapes

like trees, stars or wreaths.

3.) Make Paper Snowflakes: Making snowflakes out of white computer paper is probably the easiest and most stylish way to decorate your space for the holidays!  Have each member of the family create a design that can be duplicated.  Encourage your kids to be as creative as they can be!  Ask them to color their creations and then string several paper snowflakes together to make a garland!

4.) Graham Cracker Gingerbread House: Who doesn't love to build a homemade Gingerbread house! Simplify the process by substituting graham crackers for the gingerbread. Using graham crackers as the roof and walls, bind the crackers together with white frosting.  To make a sturdier

“gingerbread” house, add a bit of cream of tartar to your frosting to act as a hardening agent.  After setting the walls and allowing the icing to dry, add the roof and then decorate to your heart's content. This would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of any extra Halloween candy. Oh, and don't forget to landscape! Dye some coconut shavings green and make a front lawn. Cut some marshmallows in half and make little stepping stones. Delicious fun for the entire family!

With plenty of family-oriented craft projects for the holiday season, you can fill the house with homemade Christmas cheer!