Easy Christmas Crafts to Make

A large amount of money is spent during the Christmas season for decorating homes and trees. If you don't have a lot of money to spend on decorations, why not try making your own Christmas crafts? With just a few inexpensive supplies, you and your children can soon be sitting at a table working away. Once finished, these homemade Christmas crafts can be used to decorate your home or be given as Christmas presents to friends and family.

Things You'll Need

• Pine cones
• Craft glue
• Foam brush
• Ground cinnamon
• Scissors
• Typing paper
• Cookie cutters
• Glitter
• Toothpick
• Ribbon

Instructions

Easy Christmas Crafts to Make

1. Collect the pine cones. Arm yourself and your children with bags or baskets. Go outside and pick up pine cones. You can also buy them at craft stores.

2. Prepare the pine cones. Turn the faucet on and rinse all the pine cones. Lay them on a cookie sheet and turn the oven to 200 degrees F. When the oven is heated up, set the cookie sheet in the oven and cook the pine cones until they open up. Any bugs living in the pine cones will be killed during this process. Take out of oven and let dry the rest of the way.

3. Make the scent. While waiting for the pine cones to dry completely, pour the ground cinnamon into a big zip-lock bag. You can also use other spices with the cinnamon, like nutmeg or ginger. Take the craft glue and put some in a bowl, adding the same amount of water to the glue. Stir together.

4. Scent the pine cones. Use the foam brush to apply a coat of glue mixture. Next, drop a pine cone into the cinnamon-filled bag and shake. When the pine cone is coated, take it out and set it aside. Do the same to the rest of the pine cones. Put them in bowls and place in different rooms to fill your home with the scent of Christmas.

Easy Christmas Decorations to Make

1. Use cookie cutters. Pick out which Christmas cookie cutters you want to make shapes from. Take a cookie cutter and trace its design on a sheet of typing paper. You can use scissors to cut out the shapes or a craft knife and a rubber mat.

2. Separate the glitter. Use a toothpick to poke a hole through the top of the cutout. White, red, gold or green glitter works well for a Christmas theme. Pour each color of glitter into a separate bowl.

3. Apply the glitter. Spread craft glue on one side of the paper cutout and press into the color of your choice. Put glue on the other side and add glitter to that side. Thread a ribbon or ornament hook through the hole and hang in your windows or on the Christmas tree.