Wood Christmas Projects for Adults
Producing handmade Christmas gifts and decorations allows woodworking adults to express their creative side. Many projects only require a few hours of work time, yet can provide many hours of joy to the recipient. Consider projects such as ornaments, yard art and nativity scenes that invoke the Christmas spirit and provide a personal touch to the holiday season.
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Yard Art
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Many people enjoy decorating their yards with Christmas art and lights. Adults who enjoy decorative painting can customize their wood yard art, adding their own creative touch to the project. Purchase a 4-by-8-foot sheet of ½-inch thick plywood. The Lowe's website (see References) has a pattern of a snowman you can transfer onto the plywood. Cut the pattern from the wood with a jigsaw. Sand the edges. Paint it with primer and then with latex paints as desired. Add a support system to display the snowman by cutting a 3-foot long by 2-inch wide piece of plywood. Center the strip on the back of the snowman shape 3 feet from the bottom. Attach the strip with a 3-inch strap hinge with 1/2-inch screws.
Ornaments
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Make patterns using cookie cutters or clip art images, magnified on a copy machine if necessary, on tracing paper and then transfer them to scrap wood pieces of ¼- to ½-inch thickness. Cut the shapes with a scroll saw and then sand all edges. Drill a hole through wood near top of the ornament for hanging. Apply primer and latex paint. The Christmas Projects website suggests using a decorative touch such as dimensional glitter paint or loose glitter and glue to add interest to the ornaments.
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Memory Box
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Small mementos such as ticket stubs and matchbooks often get lost or buried in odd places around the house. A wood memory box can keep these items from getting damaged or misplaced. For the top, bottom and sides, purchase ¾-inch thick pine wood. Cut pieces for the top and bottom 3/4 by 5 5/8 by 9 1/4 inches, for the sides 3/4 by 5 5/8 by 2 3/4 inches and for the front and back 3/4 by 3 1/2 by 9 1/4 inches. Glue the side, front and back pieces to the bottom; nail together when dry. Attach the lid with hinges. The Canadian Home Workshop website suggests adding decorative leather handles to the sides. Adding a lock can protect treasures from curious kids.
Nativity Scene
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While some painted and festive nativity scenes appeal to children, a primitive wooden nativity scene might appeal to adults who enjoy a simpler style of decoration. Purchase ½-by-16-by-36-inch pine. Use tracing patterns to make designs as shown on the Melodies Plus website. With a scroll saw, cut out the pieces and sand smooth. Paint the nativity as desired or varnish with polyurethane to protect the wood, or use antiquing medium if desired. Glue a star to the manger with wood glue.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit planing a table top image by leemarusa from Fotolia.com
