ShareThisThe holiday season is in full swing; there's no escaping those city sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style. What better way to get into the spirit than to dress up your own home for the season?
For inspiration, you will want to look at all of the lovely holiday editions of the parenting magazines and the TV specials currently featuring holiday craft lessons. But if those leave you thinking to yourself (a) I wish I were that creative, (b) I wish I had the time and energy to do one or two of those things and/or (c) I wish those materials weren't so expensive, we say -- don't give up before you've even started! It is possible to do a craft project with your children even if you're short on time, energy and money.
Sarah on "Be Realistic":
Don't hold yourself to an impossible standard. We don't know many people who have enough time or energy to be as detailed and savvy as the crafters in the magazines and on television shows. Nor should you feel one iota of guilt for buying pre-packaged kits that have instructions and all pieces included. These kits can save you time and money when you consider that you won't have to search all over the store for items and won't waste any money having to re-do a craft gone wrong. It's also important that you remember the final products don't have to be pristine. This is an opportunity to spend time with your children enjoying the spirit of the holiday season, not trying to live up to an idealized, airbrushed reality. Your kids will remember the fun times spent with you, not the grand finished product. In fact, the hilarity of a project gone disastrously awry can be the stuff of holiday lore for decades to come. So give yourself room to fail and have some fun.
Alicia on "Plan for Crafts Saturday":
Have fun! We encourage you to go crazy with glitter, glue and everything in between. Dedicate an hour or two this Saturday morning (or afternoon, or evening -- whatever fits your schedule) to hang out with your kids, getting ready to celebrate the holiday season with some creativity. Stick to the basics at the craft store if you don't already have supplies, such as fabric glue, Elmer's glue, glitter, pipe cleaners, scissors, feathers, markers and foam. It's also your best bet to have some ideas in mind before you enter the crafter's lair (i.e., your local large, overwhelming crafts store). This will also help you keep costs down if you pick out the best deals from the newspaper ads before you get to the store.
In that spirit, here are three ideas to get your holiday crafts buttoned up:
1. Freshen Up Older Ornaments
Put a fresh face on old ornaments. Adorn old ornaments with glitter to jazz them up, or take plain bulbs and make snowmen's faces or happy Santa's. Glitter also looks sassy on a dreidel, but be sure to leave the tip alone so it still spins.
2. Make Decorative Chains
Make decorative chains for your Christmas tree. Strings of cranberries and popcorn add a burst of natural flair to any tree. All you need is a needle, some thread, a bag of cranberries and some popcorn (enough to string and eat). Colorful construction-paper chains are a great way for smaller children to add their decorating touch to the tree. Simply cut a stack of colorful construction paper into thin (approximately 1 inch) strips. Glue the end of one and join it with the other end to make a circle. Interlock additional circles to create a chain. They look great long or short -- so whatever the attention spans of your kids, they can contribute something.
3. Enlist Your Tech-Savvy Teens
Use your tech-savvy teens to help you create some scrapbook pages before the holidays, so your scrapbook will be ready when holiday pictures are developed. Teens are great at creating unique page layouts, so put their creativity to work for you. Come New Year's, you can enjoy pasting in pictures together, remembering the great things you did together this year.
(The writers are co-founders of Buttoned Up, a company dedicated to helping stressed women get organized. Send ideas and questions to yourlife(at)getbuttonedup.com. For more columns, go to scrippsnews.com.)
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