Cole Harris
Christmas is right around the corner, but this year it might be a little different. If you previously went on vacations and such this time of year, then you may be feeling a little antsy about being forced to be home. Luckily, this is the perfect time to do some fun and creative projects with your kids.
Most of the time, children don’t really care what happens at Christmas as long as they get to spend time with family. You can use this as an opportunity to bond with them by making holiday items that you can use this Christmas. To give you an idea, why not try out these DIY projects.
Create Christmas tree decorations
A tree is never forgotten during Christmas. Whether it’s big or small, tree decorating is a favorite pastime of many Americans. Every household has its own way of decorating, which makes it a highly personal activity. If you want to deviate from the generic, store-bought Christmas balls this year, why not try making your own decorations.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of ornament balls. What some people do is print out pictures or use trinkets they have around the house. You can also cut out shapes and wrap them in a nice paper or put glitter on them. This is a great way to personalize your tree because you and your kids have free rein on what to put.
Design a wreath
Wreaths are iconic symbols of Christmas. Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to only use them once and throw them away. If they aren’t thrown away, they end up being stored poorly and become too damaged for use the next year. Another issue with wreaths is that they can collect pests that can infect your home the following year. This can be easily avoided if you stick to a more budget-friendly and hand-made option.
You can choose to make the base out of plastic sticks or cardboard instead of actual twigs. Sticks and tree branches have a habit of attracting bugs that feed on the bark. While it won’t be a problem at the time, that means that you might not be able to use them again because of the possibility of an infection.
Make holiday cards
Even in the age of technology, the greeting card industry continues to grow; unexpectedly, it is all thanks to younger generations. That means people still appreciate a nice holiday card now and again. You can make this practice even more meaningful by making the cards by hand.
Kids love writing and doodling stuff, so it’s something that you can include them in when making them. Your siblings and parents will definitely like seeing their cards, even if the handwriting is a little messy. All you need are some colorful paper and something to decorate them with.
If you want to make it less messy, some stores sell ready-made scrapbooking materials that need to be glued. You can buy rhinestone stickers or premade decorations.
Build hand-made gifts
If you are running on a tight budget this year, create something from scratch. Picture frames, bracelets, and other home accessories are great DIY projects. Money doesn’t have to be the deciding factor in gift quality, and people will love the idea that you made something by hand.
Depending on what kind of item you will be doing, you might need more heavy-duty equipment like glue guns or cutters. In this case, make sure that you handle carefully all the items that could burn or cut to avoid accidents. The kids can focus on decorating the easier parts.
Being at home this Christmas season doesn’t have to be boring. With your kids around to have fun and bond with, you can all get together to bring cheer to your home, using just your imagination and some beautiful materials.
