DIY Christmas Decorations

Do-it-yourself Christmas holiday decorations are a cheap fun way to spend quality time with your family. Sharing these DIY holiday craft projects with your kids is a great way to start a seasonal family tradition. Homemade craft projects can be turned into thoughtful gifts for Christmas or other holiday celebrations. The following are some favorite holiday craft projects I did with my kids as they grew up and hopefully they will carry on the tradition.

Candy Corn Christmas Ornaments

Items needed:
½ inch -1 inch Styrofoam Balls
Red & Green Toothpicks cut into halves
½ inch thick Red or Green Ribbon cut into 6 inch strips
1 bag of candy corn
Glue

Directions:
Place the candy corn onto the Styrofoam balls using a small dab of glue until the Styrofoam balls are completely covered. Take a piece of ribbon and insert through the top ball using a needle. Tie the end together with a dab of glue. Let each ball dry at least one hour.

Mini Lifesavers Christmas Wreath

Items needed:
Red & Green Mini Lifesavers
Red & Green Licorice Strings
Lace (optional)

Directions:
Cut the licorice into 5 inch strips and thread through the mini lifesavers until the string of licorice is full. Be sure to leave enough room on each end of the licorice to tie a knot. For a more festive look you can also thread a thin piece of lace in with the licorice.

Lifesavers Christmas Wreath

Items needed:
Red & Green Lifesavers
Red & Green Licorice Strings or ½ inch thick strands of rope
Red or Green ribbon (optional)

Directions:
Thread the Lifesavers through the licorice or the rope until full enough to make the wreath. Leave enough room at the end of each licorice or rope to tie a knot. If you don't want to use licorice, you can thread the Lifesavers onto a piece of red or green ribbon.

Christmas Fondant Cake

Items needed:
1 Box of Betty Crocker Cake Mix (any flavor)
1 Tub Betty Crocker Butter Cream Icing
Red or Green food coloring for the icing
2 Packages of Fondant either red or green

Directions:
Bake the cake according to the directions and let cool. Ice the cake with the butter cream frosting and let the icing set up. Next you'll be working with the Fondant. Fondant is what a cake decorator uses. It comes in many colors and is not sweet at all and it is edible. Fondant has the texture and feel of rubber but it really does have a good taste to it. It is placed on top of the entire cake. Roll out a piece of fondant until it is easy to handle and then cut out different shapes of Christmas decorations such as trees, Santa, reindeer and snowmen. Place these on top of the cake once the icing has set. Or you can roll out a piece of fondant and cover the entire cake with this instead of using the butter cream icing. Once you have rolled out the fondant into a 10 inch circle place the fondant on top of the cooled cake and use a flat wooden stick and smooth out the wrinkles in the fondant. Keep smoothing the fondant on using the stick and go around the sides of the cake smoothing the wrinkles and kinks out until the entire cake is covered with the fondant. Cut the excess off around the bottom of the cake using a sharp knife. Place the cut out decorations from the other piece of fondant on top of the cake.

Gum Drops Christmas Tree Ornaments

Items needed:
Red & Green Gumdrops
Craft Foam
Glue
Large needle & thread
Red or Green ribbon

Directions:
Cut out stars, snowmen, Santa & his reindeer, Christmas trees from the craft foam. Use a craft brush and apply a thin coat of glue on to one side of each side ornament and place gumdrops on to the glue until the ornament is covered with gumdrops. Let each side dry and repeat for the other side. Using a needle and thread insert a piece of ribbon through the top of each ornament and tie the end into a knot.

Gumdrop Christmas Trees

Items needed:
3-4 inch Cone shaped Styrofoam
Red & Green Gumdrops
Red & Green Ribbon cut into 7 inch lengths
Red & Green Toothpicks cut into halves
Red or Green ribbon
Glue

Directions:
Insert one gumdrop onto one half of a toothpick and then insert this into the cone shaped Styrofoam and continue until the Styrofoam is covered with the gumdrops. Make a hole through the top of the cone and insert a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie into a knot or glue the ends together to hang on the tree.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Items needed:
Styrofoam Shaped stars, Christmas trees, Santa, Snowmen, etc.
Elmer's Glue
Red & Green Glitter
Craft brush

Directions:
Use a craft brush and apply a thin coat of glue on one side of each Styrofoam shape and then sprinkle on the glitter. Let dry and repeat for the other side.