Construct a Christmas tree using paper rolls...

The finished result.

       You can craft many lovely ornaments using recycled cardboard tubes. This little tree is a popular craft that also makes use of scrapbook papers. You could use scraps of wrapping paper as an alternative to purchasing more expensive papers.

 Supply List:

• white school glue
• coffee stirring stick
• one decorative Popsicle stick
• two toilet paper rolls
• masking tape
• decorative scrapbook papers (Christmas themes)
• wire hook for hanging
• Mod Podge

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the toilet paper rolls length wise.
2. Curl these cuts lengthwise around a pencil and apply masking tape to hold the new shapes. Remove the pencil.
3. Cut these smaller tubes into lengths that together form a inverted V shape tree.
4. Cover the tubes with decorative papers and white school glue.
5. Line up the tubes and glue these onto the coffee stirring stick.
6. I cut a wider Popsicle stick to glue onto the trunk. 
7. Wrap a wire through the top tube to create a hook for hanging.
8. Decoupage the entire ornament using Mod Podge to seal the surfaces.

Left, the toilet paper tubes cut lengthwise. Center, wrap the tube around a pencil and then remove
 the tube after shaping it. This make uniform tubes. Right, the narrow tubes are then cut to form
 a Christmas tree before gluing the tubes down to a coffee stirring stick.

 More Ornaments Made from Recycled Tubes:

• 3 Ideas for Christmas crafts using recycled tubes from Ecobrisa DIY
• 4 Christmas ornament crafts by craft crazy Genius

The Children's Day

Mary and Baby Jesus by k. grimm

        "I am very glad that the holiday is always recognized as belonging especially to the children. There is a charming Christmas sermon which is a "plea for childhood," which calls Christmas "the young child's festival." It is by Dr. Henry W. Bellows, and I wish I could send it all to all the Readers. It begins by an amusing description of the pilgrimage in our time of the Wise Men at Christmas, who may be seen in every street, with their gifts in their hands, following the star till it comes and stands over the place where the young child is. The young child with his mother draws over each of our homes the star which wins our following and determines our stay.

       And the children, even the baby in arms, return the gifts to the Wise Men. There is nothing so charming, nothing in after years so precious, as the Christmas gifts which the little ones have made with their own hands. The little boy has trained his fat fingers to the needle and the thimble, that he may make a pocket pincushion for his mother, and long after the little boy is called to the Larger Life, that pincushion lies among her dearest treasures. It is so good to have the weeks before Christmas all preoccupied with thoughts for "the others." A blessed preparatory festival!"

Kids version of the Christmas story with help from REMEDY

How to Assemble a Pom-Pom Bauble

The finished pom-pom bauble.

       This ornament craft is perfect for little ones to hang on the lowest branches of a family Christmas tree. It won't break and it's soft to handle. However, it takes an older child or adult to make it, if you should use a hot glue gun as I did here.

Supply List:

• pom-poms in rainbow colors
• aluminum kitchen foil
• masking tape
• wire
• hot glue and hot glue gun

Step-by-step instructions:

• Crush a Christmas bauble shape using aluminum kitchen foil. Make it any size you like.
• Twist and attach a wire for hanging the bauble and tape this on the top of your aluminum form.
• Cover the aluminum ball completely with masking tape. This will help the glue adhere to the surfaces correctly and also protect the glue gun from contacting the metal surface and causing the project to heat up.
• Now glue the first set of pom-poms next to each other around the middle of the bauble. (see photo)
• Then proceed to add another row of pom-poms in a different color and so on until the entire bauble is covered.
• Hang from the children's Christmas tree this ornament that won't break if it falls!
  

Far left, aluminum foil ball shape. Next, covered in masking tape.
Center, the first row of pom-poms is applied with hot glue.
Far right, the next two rows are added.

Non-breakable Christmas Ornaments:

• DIY non-breakable beautiful Christmas ornaments
• DIY Christmas Tree Ornaments. Glue Gun and Scrap Fabric

Make a Popsicle stick top hat for the tree...

Finished top hat made using craft sicks.

       Top hats on Christmas trees are as old as Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." This one is made by cutting a large Popsicle stick into 3 equal parts, then gluing these side by side. For the brim of the wooden top hat, glue two thinner sticks next to each other and then the top part of the top hat to the brim. Glue an additional cross piece on the backside of the top hat to give the ornament strength. Paint the entire hat black and then trim it with a paper ribbon and some Christmas berries and twig. Glue a ribbon on the backside to hang your Victorian top hat to the Christmas tree.

Supply List for One Top Hat:

• one large Popsicle stick
• 3 thin Popsicle sticks
• red paper for top hat ribbon
• twig and red berries for trim
• ribbon for hanging

See Also Top Hats, Top Off More Christmas Trees:

• Make a Snowman Top Hat Tree Topper
• How to make snowman hat ornaments from empty k-cups 
• Charles Dickens On Christmas
  

DIY Clothespin Airplane for The Christmas Tree

Our finished toy plane also has stripes on it's wings.

       What little child wouldn't love to craft a vintage Popsicle stick airplane for the Christmas tree like this one?

Supply List:

• thin Popsicle sticks (6 per plane)
• one wooden clothes pin
• wooden parts for the propeller 
• wood glue
• acrylic paints
• String for hanging
• utility scissors or hack saw to cut the Popsicle sticks

       Look at the photos below to determine the places to glue the sticks in order to shape an airplane. You can also hang the wooden plane using transparent fishing line to make it look as though the little plane is actually flying through your Christmas tree!

Left the propeller can also be made using similar shaped buttons.
Center, see the side view of our little wooden plane.
Right, the back side view of the ornament.

More Versions of Popsicle Stick Airplanes:

• 4 different model airplanes by Jesus Crafts
• A Fleet of Fighter Planes made from Wooden Craft Parts
• This vintage plane is for teen wood crafters...

Handmade Pastillage Christmas Ornaments

Pastillage ornaments: horse, rooster, cherries, Santa

         These handmade Christmas tree ornaments were crafted by Eugene Frohse from St. Louis Mo. He was born in Russia in 1873; he immigrated to the United States when he was 17 years old. Because he died in 1976 at 102 years of age, I'm assuming that the ornaments I have were crafted sometime in the 1950s or 60s. The color of the pastillage is amazingly vivid after all these years! 

       I purchased this collection from an estate sale and only one of the ornaments was broken. The original price tag, the description and recipe were included on the box. You can see more of his work online.

• Vintage 1950s Eugene Froshe German Sugar Ornament - Dog on bed 
• For a pastillage recipe go here.
• How and when should you use pastillage and what is the recipe?

See More Collections of Ornaments:

• A German bee's wax ornament collection here
• Vintage turned wooden ornaments here
• A collection of woodland themed ornaments that I hang on my tree

Two dogs made using Pastillage. Made to display on trees during the holidays inside bakery.

Pastillage or inedible icing ornaments: cat, goat and squirrel.

Give more of yourself...

Wise men seeking The King...

       Do you all remember that when the Wise Men came to the saintly stable and unpacked what they had on the backs of their camels, they gave gifts - gold and frankincense and myrrh? The old proverb is that myrrh was to purify the stable, that gold was a fit offering to a king, and that frankincense was for the worship of God. I do not know whether the Wise Men were wise enough to think this out, but I know they gave the best they had, and I like to remember it. For many, many years, as Christmas time came around, I have told my Sunday-school children in our church what presents the different creatures in the courtly stable gave - how the sheep gave wool for Mary Mother to knit into stockings, how the cows gave milk for Mary Mother to drink and to give to her baby, and how each of the hen biddies brought an egg, because she had nothing else to bring; how each one brought the very best he had. And in all this we see the great lesson, a present which is worth anything carries with it a part of the giver. It is his time, perhaps; it is his careful thought, perhaps; it is his money, perhaps - but it is a part of himself.

       One of my dearest friends, and one of the best friends of the country, the late Senator Hoar, used to say that Christmas Day was not fully celebrated for us unless the minister at church had read Milton's Christmas Hymn:

It was the winter wild,
While the heav'n-born child
All meanly wrapt in the rude manger lies; 

Nature in awe to him
Had dofft her gaudy trim,
With her great Master so to sympathize.

       It was the Council of Nicae which fixed the winter solstice, and the days when the sun begins to return to the world, as the time for celebrating the birth at Bethlehem of the Sun of Righteousness. Those people knew a great deal more about it than I do, and for my part, I am very glad that my Christmas holidays come when every day is longer and brighter and gives more hope for daily life. E. E. Hale

Milton's Christmas Hymn

Snowmen With Children on Antique Postcards

       Fun, restored antique Christmas cards with children and snowmen playing in the snow together. Some holly, old farm houses, brooms, pipes, and old-fashioned clothing also pictured. Have fun crafting with these and mailing them to your friends and family!

Three little boys looking for a snowball fight.

Four children circle a snowman who wears a crown of holly.

A little miss shares secrets with a snowman.

"May joy and happiness be your's at Christmas"

Snowman with sick broom and admiring female fans.

Paint a cheerful Christmas bell for the tree

Left, a simple wooden flat of a Christmas bell. Right, copy a swirly design on top
to give the bell more interest.

       Classic bell shapes are common enough around the holidays. Add more interest to these bell designs by including a peppermint clapper inside and painting a fancier pattern about the bell.

• Color "Ding Dong, Christmas Bells Are Ringing"
• Read About the Liberty Bell and Other Bells
• Listen to "What The Bells Say..."
• I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

You could also include a bit 
of glitter on your version
as well, to dress up 
this design.

Paint a gingerbread boy for the Christmas tree

Left, the simple wood cut of a gingerbread boy.
Right, a drawing of how he might look.

       Every child's Christmas tree should have a gingerbread man or woman. Hopefully, some of these will be edible! This version has a giant bow and swirly icing trim on his sleeves. He's a bit silly but what can you expect of cookie people?

• Color the sweet little gingerbread girl and boy...
• Color my Gingerbread Angel "Peace Among Men"
• Learn how to craft a gingerbread castle for your American Girl dolls
• Watch a video about the Gingerbread crafts from Northern Croatia

If you can't think of how to trim
a gingerbread boy, copy our 
version here and add a 
few of your favorite
candies.

How to paint a laser cut dragonfly...

Left, the unpainted dragon fly. Right, I've added a bit of green and white paint.

       Sometimes laser cuts have very little surface to paint but every little bit helps to create an entire collection of ornaments, even with very simple additions like these. Hang this dragon fly above a frog or lizard on the tree to create a humorous scene. Laser cuts allow for lighting on the tree to shine through their lacy cut openings, thereby, creating texture and interest of a different kind in your display.

• "Bless The Lord" dragonfly coloring page
• Read about 10 must have insect books for the classroom

Paint a rocking horse for the Christmas tree

Left, the blank wood cut of a rocking horse. Right, a drawn interpretation.

       I think rocking horses are by far some of the most common wood cuts I've seen. Certainly there are dozens of ways to paint them and here is just one more way... I used reds, greens, yellow and black for the children's version of this old-fashioned toy.

• DIY a Christmas Candy Cane Wreath + Rocking Horse for a dollhouse
• Read a short story about "The Wooden Horse"
• Color-by-number: a Rocking Horse
• "R" is for rocking" alphabet coloring page

Young children may wish to include a few spots
on a rocking horse just like this one.

How to paint a laser cut wooden feather...

Left, first layer. Center, second layer. Right, third layer of paint.

       Three steps to paint a laser cut feather for our children's tree. Start with a base coat of one dark color. For the next layer choose a related color that is lighter in shade and paint long, thin strokes with a fine tipped paint brush. The lines will be darker in some places and lighter in others. Next use a bright white to highlight with thin strokes in select parts of the feather. Brush the wooden feather with Mod Podge to preserve the colors and hang the ornament from the Christmas branches.

1. Draw a penmanship feather fan...
2. Color the face of a clown with a feather in his cap
3. Older children or adults may enjoy coloring all of the intricate feathers in this bird designed coloring page!
4. Search the Bird Index at Thrifty Scissors for feathers

How to paint a laser cut wooden bike ornament

Left, unpainted laser cut bicycle ornament. Right, the finished painted version.

       You can paint a wooden flat of a bike using very fine paint brushes. The spokes of the wheels above where painted using several colors: yellow, grey, red, and silver. I chose red for the bike's overall body and painted an open weave basket attached at the front. Maybe I will glue on a few Christmas packages to the rack over the back wheel to emphasize that it is a Christmas ornament? If I do this, I'll post the further design alterations below.

• I absolutely love this quilled bicycle ornament! from SERRV International
• Embroidery of a vintage bicycle from Flamingo Toes

Paint a funny little lamb for the Christmas tree

Left, the purchased wooden flat lamb ornament. Right, a drawing for students to copy.

       This funny little retro lamb would look cute on any childhood tree. Especially if painted by that child on a cold wintry night while listening to Christmas stories and eating lots of cookies. When our kids were young this was one of their favorite activities and they each had a tree of their very own in their bedrooms to decorate however they pleased.

• Color Mary and her little lamb too... 
• Read how Jesus tenderly watches His flock
• "I know my sheep..." coloring page
• "The Little Lamb" tract (vintage) from The Religious Tract Society 1799

This is just one way you could paint your own little lamb.
Give her "suggested" curls with a pattern on top of a
pink or blue background color and don't forget to add a
ribbon or colorful sash to her neck!

Paint a retro airplane for the Christmas tree

Left, the purchased wooden flat of a vintage airplane. Right, my drawn design for you to copy.

       I purchased this wooden flat ornament in a local hobby shop. It is a funny little plane with attached wings, propeller, cockpit and horizontal tail pieces. I've drawn a pilot to steer the plane inside it's cockpit. You may draw a pilot just like mine if you'd like and paint his plane bright colors for your Christmas tree.

• Search The Transportation Coloring Page Index
• Learn how to craft a paper monoplane

 

This painted pilot has vintage suit and cap with goggles.

Paint a few snowflakes for the Christmas tree

This wooden flat snowflake will be painted with many greens and blues using acrylics.

   

Oh, there is a little artist

Who paints in the cold night hours

Pictures of wee, wee children,

Of wondrous trees and flowers.

The moon is the lamp he paints by,

His canvas the window-pane,

His brush is a frozen snowflake;

Jack Frost is the artist's name.

I chose to follow the contours of this snowflake using pinks and purples.

       Snowflakes don't need to be white only. You can paint them in any color or shade that you like to match your collections on the tree. I've included one in cool blues and greens here and the other in pinks and lavenders. Students may follow the outlines of each snowflake or draw an abstract web of shapes within shapes in order to create multiple opportunities within each snowflake for color.

• Sing and mime "Snow Flakes"
• Read about Snow Flake Bentley and download 6 sided snowflake patterns

These snowflakes are painted but they would also be interesting decorated
 using colored glitter to fill the spaces.

Paint a polka-dotted puppy for the Christmas tree

I purchased this wooden flat at my local hobby store.
I've drawn a few spots on his fur for painting.

       Not many young children receive purple, polka-dot puppies beneath the Christmas tree. But, you could realistically hang a few among the Christmas tree branches if you'd like. Folks who like to craft with these wooden flats at Christmas time are welcome to use my design here to apply to similar wooden flats, if they choose . . . to do so. This colorful house pet comes with a bone shaped tag on his silver collar and a mischievous expression.

Above is my finished interpretation of "how" to
paint this purple polka-dot puppy.

More About Dogs From Our Blogs:

• The Story of The Dog...
• Craft A Paper Doll Dog Show!
• A letter about a new dog 
• Color a dog family ready for play...

Paint a peppermint striped kitty for the Christmas tree

Sample woodcut may be purchased from craft suppliers. I've drawn my own design here
to help folks "imagine" how to paint this peppermint cat for a Christmas tree.

       Sometimes it is hard to imagine just what a peppermint Christmas cat might look like on your own. So, I've included one of these unusual species here! You may copy my version or use it as a starting point to think of your own. This one has a cute heart charm hanging from her collar. She is a red, white, and pink striped tabby and her favorite thing to do is hang around the branches of a Christmas tree, of course.

The painted version of my peppermint cat.

Retro Hollow Egg Ornament Craft

The original vintage, diorama egg ornament from the 1970s.

Supply List:

• Styro Foam egg
• gold twine
• straight pins (short)
• wooden figure
• acrylic paints: pinks, blues, whites, gold and flesh color
• white fur
• tiny white silk flowers
• white school glue
• wax paper
• hot glue and hot glue gun

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Hollow out your styrofoam egg just enough to give it room for the wooden figure. Try to keep the walls thick; use a metal spoon to carefully remove the unnecessary foam.
2. Now carefully pin the gold twine about the backside of the egg. 
3. You may add small amounts of white glue to help hold the twine in place. Let this dry thoroughly on top of wax paper.
4. Paint the wooden angel figure as you like.
5. Glue gold braid onto the angel's head.
6. With hot glue line the interior of the egg with scrap white fur.
7. Hot glue the angel figure inside and the tiny white silk flowers.
8. Pin on a wire hanger to the top of the diorama egg ornament and decorate the tree.

Print and Draw Candy Cones and Santa Claus

Vintage Christmas cut-outs by Barbara Hale.

       Kids can print and cut-out cute Vintage paper ornaments and paper cones to hold candy by Babara Hale.

I sniffed a jolly woodsy smell
As I came in today.
It was a great big Christmas tree,
I'll trim it right away.

 

Directions for Christmas Cut-outs:

1. Click directly on the printable to download the largest possible size and print on a home computer.
   
2. Paste the entire printable sheet on a piece of green or red paper.
3. Cut out Santa Claus.
4. Punch a hole in his cap where the white dot is.
5. Tie a piece of red ribbon or string through the hole and hang on your Christmas tree.
6. Cut out the flat designs.
7. Paste the edge A-B along the dotted line on the tab B-C.
8. Paste the edge E-F on E-D.
9. Past G-H on H-I.
10. Tie a string through holes punched in the candy cones and fill with popcorn or candy.

       Now that you've cut and pasted things for Christmas, try drawing this funny little Santa Claus as he walks across our page...

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 - draw a series of circles to lighten his steps and dress him as he goes!

Description of Coloring Page: Santa receives a present too, Christmas gifts, appreciative children, a boy and a girl surprise Santa

Santa, here's a surprise for you

'Cause we like giving presents too.

A gift for Santa on Christmas day

Proves turn-about is fair play!

        Don't forget to drag the png. or jpg into a Word Document and enlarge the image as much as possible before printing it folks. If you have a question about this coloring page, just type into the comment box located directly below this post and I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can.

 

More Links to Santa Claus:

• Mary Lou and Santa Too!
• Another progressive drawing of Santa Claus
• 12 Magic Changing Paper Dolls Restored!
• Mr. St. Nicholas

Christmas by Eleanor A. Hunter

Restored vintage postcard of angels with instruments and church.

 

Christmas
by Eleanor A. Hunter

The rounded hills in quiet lay;
The Shepherds watch were keeping;
Clothed in soft fleece, in warmth and peace,
Their gentle flocks were sleeping.
No sound was there in earth or air,
Through wind-swept, star-lit spaces;
O'er field and hill the wind blew chill,
And o'er the shepherds' faces.

When suddenly through parted skies
A wondrous light was beaming,
And crowds of angels filled the air
From out heaven's portals streaming;
Abroad their glorious wings they spread,
Their throats with song were swelling;
In garments bright, with looks of light
The shepherds' fears dispelling.

Ah, long ago that song was sung,
Of "Glory in the highest,
Good-will and peace to all mankind,"
When heaven to earth drew nighest,
Because that night the Lord of Light
Came down to earth a stranger,
Was born within a stable old,
Was cradled in a manger.

The brown-eyed cattle watched His sleep,
The shepherds sought and found Him,
Led by the Star that shone afar,
The wise men knelt around Him;
Spices and gold they brought of old,
With joy rich gifts left with Him;
And you have too, my golden head,
A little heart to give Him.

'Mid crash and clang of Christmas bells
That ring so loud and cheerly,
Forget not that He cam a child
Because He loved you dearly.
Give sweeter kiss, give closer clasp,
Give gentler Christmas greeting,
Remembering Him whose blessed name
It is you are repeating.

Weave a paper heart basket for the tree...

Scandinavian woven heart baskets for hanging.
Alternatively these may also be made using
felt instead of paper.

   Scandinavian, woven heart baskets would look lovely on a Christmas tree or given as gifts for Valentines Day. Stuff these with chocolates and exchange them anytime of year...

Supply List:

• two contrasting papers: red and white
• scissors
• white school glue
• candy

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut a rectangle of each color 2 1/2" x 9" inches.
2. Fold each so the short edges come together.
3. Draw a line 1 1/2 inch from the open short edges and parallel to same.
4. On the line just drawn place dots 1/2 inch apart on the closed edge just opposite and connect corresponding dots by straight lines.
5. Cut from closed edge along lines just drawn.
6. Place the two rectangles at right angles.
7. Begin to weave the first double strip of the white into the red strips.
8. Open the red and let the white pass through the double.
9. Next, open the white and let the red pass through the white double. 
10. Open the white and admit the red. Continue until the end of the strip is reached.
11. Allow the woven strip to push along to make room for the second strip of the white, which is woven from the bottom. It starts out opening the white, allowing the red to pass through Continue until the strip is woven.
12. Push the woven strips along to make room for each new one. Continue along until all the white strips are woven. 
13. Round the corners of the rectangles and turn the basket as shown in the illustration. 
14. Add handle of paper.

More Links to Woven Paper Baskets:

• How to make beautiful Danish heart baskets 
• Norwegian paper baskets

Embroider a Hungarian Matyó Heart Ornament

The Matyó heart that hangs on
 my sister-in-law's tree.

      The Matyó embroidered heart is still popular in the decorative textile arts of Hungry and a perfect traditional ornament addition to any Eastern European Christmas tree.

Supply List:

• a variety of embroidery floss in many colors
• large embroidery needle
• white or ivory felt
• needle and white thread to match the felt color
• cotton batting stuffing
• scissors
• a soft lead pencil or a washable marker

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut two identical heart shapes from felt or wool. Set one of the aside for the back. You may choose to keep this one blank or to embroider it as well so that the ornament may be seen from either side if you like.
2. Use a soft pencil to draw your floral image directly onto the felt. You could use a washable marker for this if you prefer.
3. Thread your embroidery needle and proceed to fill in stitches till the flower motifs look complete.
4. Now pin the right sides of the heart facing each inside and sew a straight seam around the hearts leaving a small one inch hole.
5. Turn the felt heart inside out and stuff it with cotton batting.
6. Use an invisible stitch to close the hole.
7. Attach a ribbon or gold twine for hanging the ornament from the Christmas tree.

More traditional Hungarian designs for embroidery.

More Related Content:

• We (heart) old world Hungary holiday traditions 
• Heartfelt and Simply Lovely
• Folk heart
• Embellished Matyo in Pinks and Reds
• Embellished, Beaded Hearts by Beedeebabee

Christmas in Budapest

Find puzzles, cut paper-chains, learn rhymes

Find the Visitor
by Helen Hudson

Now at this merry party,
Around the Christmas tree.
The boys and girls are gathered
All dancing merrily.

A well loved friend is present
His yearly call to make.
And very soon you'll spy him
If on sharp look you take!

This paper chain of candles and wreaths would look elegant on any tree. You can even cut it for a window decoration!
 

       Download and print out the pattern below. The dotted lines indicate where the image will be folded to continue the tree silhouette seamlessly after it is unfolded. The number of images "linked" together in one continuous chain is determined by the length of the paper being cut. Use a very thin paper to make your cutting easier. Cut away the areas indicated by the design. (see image above and read text on the pattern below. This paper-cut may be used as a border around a Christmas bulletin board in a classroom or as a paper chain for the Christmas tree if you like.

Pattern for a wreath and candle chain.