How to Throw a Party for Kids and Birds

Even kids can fall prey to the winter doldrums. Lift their spirits - and yours - by making a Christmas tree for your neighborhood's feathered residents.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Raw Suet
• Bird Treats
• Bird-shaped Ornaments
• Breads
• Cocoa
• Cranberries
• Jelly
• Lunch Meats
• Peanut Butter
• Popcorn
• Shelled Sunflower Seeds
• cider

1. Choose a tree to decorate.

2. Gather ingredients for a bird banquet: suet, sunflower seeds, cranberries, popcorn, peanut butter and pinecones.

3. Spread it all out on a table and give the kids whatever help they need for the following steps.

4. Stick sunflower seeds into the clumps of suet.

5. Stuff peanut butter into the pine cones.

6. String cranberries and popcorn into garlands.

7. Arrange all the goodies on the tree.

8. Serve the kids a lunch of their favorite sandwiches with hot cider or cocoa.

9. Give each child a bird-shaped tree ornament to take home.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use either a living tree or your recently expired Christmas tree. In the latter case, remove all the trimmings (especially tinsel and icicles, which critters are prone to eat, often with fatal results) and tie the trunk securely to a fence or another tree.
• Throwing a party for neighborhood kids is a great gift of time for busy parents during the holidays - or in the aftermath of the holidays.