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10 Easy and Fun Christmas Activities for the Family {Plus a Gift Guide for Everyone on Your List}

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These activities are fun to try with your children or grandchildren and they don’t take a lot of planning and they won’t break the bank.

Hello Fluster Buster Friends! I’m Sharon from Adoring Creations. I’m excite to be guest posting for Robin today!

As a homeschooling mom, I always try to come up with fun, daily Christmas activities to do with my kiddos. This can get expensive and time consuming, but I have discovered a few hacks along the way that I’d love to share with you.

Stick Cross Ornaments

I have seen these done with Popsicle sticks but I think it is so much more fun to use sticks you find yourself. Simple put the sticks together to make a cross and warp the yarn around it and criss cross the yarn until the sticks are firmly in place. Continue wrapping the yarn and alternate sides until you have a diamond shape. Tie it off in the back and you have a beautifully handcrafted piece of art.

Orange Clove Activity

What kid doesn’t love poking things into citrus? ha! I will simmer these for w beautiful Christmas smell after displaying them for a few days.

Faux Gingerbread Graham Cracker Houses

To do this craft you need a box of graham crackers, some white icing and some candies for decorating. I like to make cream cheese icing for this, as it makes the little houses a tasty treat.

*I am sorry I do not have any photos for this one, as we have not done this activity this year.

Quick and Easy Salt Dough Ornaments

A super simple activity that will keep the kids busy for hours.
Whip up a quick batch of salt dough or cornstarch salt clay, then use your cookie cutters to make some beautiful and unique Christmas ornaments.
3 Ingredient Salt Dough Recipe
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup water
Knead all ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Easy peasy! When you have your ornaments made, bake at 200 until the dough is firm.

Candy Cane or Shepherd Staff Ornaments

I used my grandmothers beads and jewelry wire to make a beautiful keepsake ornament but you could easily use a bead with a larger hole and pipe cleaners.

Christmas Cookies from Store Bought Dough

How cute are these 3D cookies?

I like to buy the tube of sugar cookie dough and let my kids roll it our themselves. It’s just easier sometimes to eliminate the step of making the dough during a very busy season for us. I do love a good homemade sugar cookie but sometimes I need to accept that in order to do all things we want to do I just have to simplify any way I can.

Wassail and Cranberry Orange Bread

Wassail is one of my absolute favorite Christmas treats. Do you have those goodies that just make Christmas for you? Ever since I was a little girl I remember looking forward to my grandmother’s wassail. It just wasn’t Christmas without it.

Wassail Recipe
In a large pot add equal parts:
Apple Juice
Cranberry Juice
Pineapple Juice
Orange Juice
3 Cinnamon Sticks
1 teaspoon cloves

My grandmother also added brown sugar to taste but I like it without. Simmer for about 30 minutes to an hour and serve piping hot in a Christmas mug!

As a special Christmas treat for my, I like to serve freshly baked cranberry orange bread along side of a nice warm cup of wassail.

Cranberry Orange Bread
1 box Krusteaz Cranberry Orange Mix

Names of Christ Paper Chain

We have not done this yet this year and I cannot find our previous chains, which makes me a little bummed, but I like the idea of making them again. We did make these signs to hang all over the house 4 years ago and they have held up well.

We write the names from Isaiah 9:6 on strips of paper and staple or glue them together to make a meaningful paper chain to hang anywhere.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ~Isaiah 9:6

Jingle Bell Necklace Craft

You can buy holiday craft kits or purchase the items separately from your local craft store or Dollar Tree.

Handmade Gifts for Teachers and Friends

My children have been making these bath products and candles for several years to sell at our local kid craft fair. We love participating in this event and highly recommend that you encourage your child to seek out a kid craft fair to participate in near year.

It teaches them the skills they need to run a business and each year my kids learn a little more about what it means to be an entrepreneur.

DM me on Instagram for these super secret recipes. 😉

And now for a quick gift guide…I know it can be hard to know what to buy for growing kiddos and teens so I hope my list is helpful to you! Most of the items are gifts we have purchased so if you know my littles, please shhhh 😉

Gift Ideas for Your Little Girl

Gift Ideas for a Big Girl

Gifts for a Growing Boy

Gifts for a Teen Girl

Gifts for Husbands

Joint Gifts That Would Be Fun

Gifts for Your BFF’s (or Me)

What activities are doing this Christmas season? We’d love to see what you’ve done. Snap a pic & tag it on Instagram with @FlusterBuster and @adoringcreations

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Comments

  1. These are fun and easy to make crafts or treats! I was looking for some ideas to share with my grandkids. We are having a craft day Friday.

    #inspirememonday

    Reply

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