In the run up to Christmas…
Things the family can make and do together brilliant for rainy or chilly days and as an alternative to the TV

Gift tags
The obvious starting point for these is last year’s cards and children of all ages can set about cutting out the images they want to use (safety scissors recommended for the under sevens), then it is a quick punch to create a hole and a little ribbon, wool, or string to thread through… easy peasy. Older kids may prefer to take an A4 piece of card and mark it out into sections – easy to get 21 tags from a sheet – three across and seven down – and to customise each one for the recipient. The more artistic might cut their cards into meaningful shapes – like surfboards – and apply glitter, sequins or small beads with glue…

Calendars
You can buy small booklets which contain the year’s dates to glue to the bottom of your home made calendars. These can be bought at local newsagents and stationers. Simply take a sheet of stiffish card, a pot of glue and a pile of old magazines, catalogues and postcards and set the children making themed collages that will appeal to each recipient on their gift list. Or the more artistic amongst them make decide to paint or draw a picture instead … or if you have lots of spare family pictures then these will look great arranged in the space… Older kids may opt to choose as seasonal symbol for each month… The design can be as simply or as elaborate as they wish to make it. Remember your finished calendars can be landscape or portrait depending on the “artwork” you wish to use and any colour card can be used to form the background. When finished Punch a hole in the top and thread a ribbon or a piece of string through so that each calendar can be easily hung up and displayed. It is a good idea to get your children to sign their masterpieces too.
These home made calendars will have pride of place for a whole year and will brighten up every day.

Greetings cards
In these greener days a lot of us have decided that it is too wasteful to buy and send dozens of cards but whilst we can curtail our lists there are certain relatives and friends who would be hurt not to receive a card from us. An ideal opportunity to get the children making these cards from whatever materials you can lay your hands on. Organised households will keep aside large pieces of card for just such purposes – think cereal packets, the packaging that comes with shirts and other clothing, old chocolate boxes etc..
They can stick their artwork onto this card so as to hide any advertising symbols etc and enjoy making cards from all sorts of materials. Pieces of fabric, braid, lace, leaves, magazine pictures, and their own drawings or paintings… There isn’t a grandmother in the land who wouldn’t relish receiving a card made specially for her by a grandchild… so much better than the costly shop bought alternatives!

Christmas treats
Home made gingerbread, shortbread, cheesy or herby biscuits, bouquets made from fruit (yes, edible fruit), vegetable crisps, mini cup cakes, home roasted nuts & seeds, tiny sandwiches cut into special shapes… head for the kitchen and make your own very special Christmas treats which are lovely as gifts as well as a delight to share with your guests. Let the kids take pride in serving up foods they have made themselves…
There are lots of reliable recipes for all manner of things… We’ve included some basic ones on page 17. All you will need for most of them are some simple store cupboard ingredients, some shaped cutters (you may be able to borrow these from a friend if you don’t have them, or buy a few from the local hardware/ kitchenware shop as they’ll be a good investment for children’s parties and other special occasions), a little patience especially when it comes to adding the decorations, and somewhere safe and airtight to store the treats until needed.
Think star shaped shortbreads – some plain, some chocolate or carob flavoured, gingerbread people, trees, snowmen – finished with simple icing – punch a hole into any of these and you could even hang them on your tree on Christmas Eve ready for eating on Christmas Day. Think yummy savoury biscuits cut into stars, octagons or small rounds fi nished with sesame seeds, caraway seeds or poppy seeds or crushed nuts… Think platters of treats that you can trust to have been made with good ingredients and with appeal for all your guests. Think delicious alcohol free drinks for the drivers and abstainers and children and lashings of warm hospitality…

Christmas Stockings
Before you rush out to buy any Christmas gifts take a look in your wardrobe or rag bag for any fleeces or fleecy tops that have passed their best. They will make brilliant Christmas stockings.
Simply cut out a boot shape – using the template on this page and stitch, leaving the top open. You can use a simple blanket or tacking stitch and it is easy enough that most kids can do this at the table themselves with a large needle and brightly coloured wool, ribbon or string – whatever you have lying around unused. Then seek out some shiny or contrasting fabrics – ideally of the type that won’t easily fray - and cut out letters to spell the recipient’s name or initials, or symbols you know will appeal. A child’s colouring book will offer up lots of simple shapes that you can also use as templates – go for simple ones like holly leaves, moons or stars, surfboards or trees. These can be pinned in place then sewn on with beads or buttons added for extra decoration. Add a braid or ribbon trim to the top as well as a simple loop for hanging the stocking up and, there you are, a custom made Christmas stocking for every member of the family. These look fantastic hung in a row from your mantelpiece or from the banisters… or pegged up to hang in vertical rows either side of the fireplace… No doubt the children will also want to make one for the family dog or cat too… and why not?
It is easy to make mini versions as well to hang on the Christmas tree – and these be either sewn or glued together…
Home made stockings are a brilliant idea for children who want to make something special for their grandparents… and to get everyone around the table doing something fun together (and helping the smaller children). Whichever age group they are for they can be customised and filled with simple, inexpensive traditional gifts that will appeal to the recipient. Don’t forget the addition of a few nuts and a satsuma or an orange … or perhaps a paper twist of old fashioned sweets… The rest is strictly down to your imagination and wherewithal.