Holiday Crafts: How to Make Sunny Citrus Ornaments

Citrus fruits have long been associated with the winter holiday festivals. Not only do they ripen just in time for the season, but their warm orange and yellow colors are reminiscent of the returning sun, the center of Solstice celebrations. For centuries, a nice basket of citrus fruit in their bright, colorful glory has been a gift well received.

Citrus fruit slices are like little bursts of sunlight to hang on a tree . They are vibrant solar colors and translucent to let the light shine through. Another great thing, is that they're easy to make, and just a few pieces of fruit will provide enough for an entire tree.

You Will Need:

Oranges or lemons

Cookie sheet

Wax or Parchment Paper

Paper towels

Knife

Step 1:

When slicing your orange, hold it so that navel/dimple is on the sides. Slice off the navel edge and discard. You should be able to see all the sections inside the fruit. Slice your orange or lemon about 1/4th inch thick. Try to keep slices uniform.

Step 2:

Place a folded dish towel on a baking sheet, and cover it with a piece of paper towel. Lay the fruit slices on top of the paper towel. Put another layer of paper towel over them, and another dish towel. Place another tray, or a cutting board, on top of them. Put a few cans or a pot on the top tray to weigh it down. This will help absorb some of the excess juice, thus lowering the drying time.

Step 3:

Set your oven to warm, or on it's lowest setting. Place the fruit slices on a wire rack in a baking tray. Don't overlap them- make sure there is room around them for the air to circulate.

Step 4:

Allow the fruit slices to remain in the oven for four to six hours, until dry. Turn them over occasionally, gently, with a tongs. If any are beginning to brown on the edges, remove them from the oven, lay them on a plate and let them air-dry the rest of the way.

Step 5:

When dry and cool, poke a hole in them and string a ribbon through them, or hook them on an ornament hanger. Hang them on your tree.

More Ideas:

- Brush them with a little clear glue, and, using your fingers, sprinkle a pinch of glitter on them.

- To help them keep for years, spray them with an acrylic clear sealer.

- sprinkle ground herbs, such as cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg, on your slices before baking. The herbs will give a brownish hue, but will make them smell wonderful, like mini pomanders.

- They're not just for trees; string them and hang them in windows, tie on ribbons to gift packages, or wire them to wreaths.

- Dry apples in the same way. Slice them straight down from top to bottom to get a perfect looking apple slice, or slice sideways through the center of the apple to get the "star" pattern that the seeds make.

- Prevent them from molding during storage by placing them in a dry place, such as the closet, as opposed to a garage or attic. Wrap them in absorbent material, such as paper or carbon, and all the better if you can keep some moisture-deterring products such as Damp Rid, or even a cup or charcoal briquettes (change every 1 to 3 months) next to the box.