Doing crafts around the holidays is as old a tradition as stuffing a Douglas Fir in your living room. Popcorn string tree garlands and cut out stars were all what most had to make the season festive, and even many gifts were hand-made. The hobby of craft projects has suddenly become stylish in the past few years, no doubt spurred on by the popularity of Pinterest and DIY blogs. And I think after decades of mass manufacturing and consumer culture, people are more charmed than ever by creative handiwork!
We’re jumping on the craft wagon and hunted the internet to give you our favorite holiday crafts to do as a family.
Snowflake Table Runner
This project seems pretty fool-proof and will be a real conversation starter with your holiday guests! Use felt and cut out diamonds to arrange them into snowflakes. The How To even includes a template.
Animal Christmas Ornaments
Turn your tree into a menagerie with repurposed plastic animal toys. Sometimes they have packs of these at dollar stores or look online to buy in bulk. Glittery gem toned paint turns the critters into unique holiday ornaments.
Poinsettia Garland from Recycled Bottles
Can you believe these beautiful flowers were once water bottles? Any craft that recycles materials is a winner in our book!
Fabric Light Garland
Even younger kids can get in on the action with this simple yet statement making garland. Use a string of lights or even just a long ribbon and tie gorgeous strips of fabric. Try to keep a color theme or make a pattern for maximum impact.
Elf Holiday Card
Put the “elf” in selfie with these irresistible handmade greetings. Have your kid draw an elf’s jacket, pants, hat, shoes and hands on different colored construction paper. Cut out the pieces and glue on a card to make up the elf’s body. Draw additional elements like buttons and a shirt collar. Cut out the face from a front-facing photograph and paste it on the body. The result may end up being pretty hilarious!
Button Holiday Card
If you are going to send out hand made holiday cards this year, you are better off keeping it simple as you will likely have to make many. This design doesn’t take a lot of effort but the result is stunning. And buttons are easy on the wallet too!
Personalized Mugs
I’m of the opinion that you can never have too many mugs! To make this handmade gift, buy inexpensive white mugs at IKEA and use sharpies or those glue paint pens to decorate the mug with your holiday themed doodles. This is another good one for grade school kids.
Chocolate Mouse Ornament
“Not a creature was stirring….”
I can’t get enough of this ingenious use of Hershey’s kisses. You don’t even need instructions to make this; it looks so easy. One thing I’d add is a little pink pom pom for a nose!
Snow Globes
Yes! Another amazing use for mason jars! Kids will get a big kick out of making their own snow globe and picking the items to include in the scene. I also saw an awesome idea on My Sweet Greens for presenting a gift card. Glue the (plastic!) gift card to the lid and fill the jar with water, tiny ornaments and sparkly confetti to make a snow globe card holder! Sure beats an envelope.
Pine Cone Characters
The little guys in the picture require an advanced level of crafting but you don’t have to be a pro to decorate pine cones! Collect pipe cleaners, little pom poms, glitter, yarn, buttons and felt and bust out the glue gun! How adorable are these little skiers?! I think their heads are ping pong balls.
Happy Crafting!
The mouse craft is perfect for kindergarten kids! The buttons ones are cute too! Will have to try as I have a bunch of them leftover from another craft. Have done the mugs. They are nice to have kids make one every year and see how they have progressed in their art skills. LOL
These are adorable!! Which to try first??
LOVE the craft ideas!! the poinsettias and Elf Cards are adorbs!!
Love the button card and candy mouse idea. 🙂
My favorites are the Button Holiday Card and Pine Cone Characters