| Christmas is about family. Here is a collection of five | | | | to tie the jingle bell to a branch of your Christmas tree, |
| crafts that you can make as a family to teach the true | | | | or attach one to your child's shoelace to remind them |
| meaning and symbols of Christmas. Children will learn | | | | of the Christmas season. |
| to identify Christmas using their five senses: sight, | | | | Smell Activities |
| sound, smell, taste and touch. Pick and choose the | | | | Scented Orange Ornaments: |
| activities you think your family will best enjoy, and | | | | Materials Needed: several small to medium oranges or |
| spread them throughout the season. Start new | | | | tangerines, 1 bottle whole cloves, wire and cutters, 1 |
| traditions. Most importantly, use the activities to talk as | | | | inch (or thicker) ribbon, tied into a bow. |
| a family. | | | | Gently make a vertical surface cut at each quarter of |
| Sight Activities: | | | | the orange. Carefully poke the wire through bottom of |
| Make holly wreaths out of green felt or construction | | | | the orange and push through the top. Secure by |
| paper: | | | | twisting the wire into a circle, thus holding the orange in |
| Materials: paper plate, scissors, three shades of green | | | | place. Dry the wire with a paper towel if it got juicy. |
| felt or construction paper, old newspaper, glue gun and | | | | Push in cloves, thorny end first, along the cut grooves |
| glue (or craft glue), red beads (optional), 1 inch thick red | | | | of the orange. Slide the bow down the wire until it tops |
| ribbon tied into a bow (optional.) | | | | the orange, and fold back the wire to secure on a tree |
| Fold a paper plate in half and cut out the center. | | | | branch. |
| Discard the center piece. Make a pattern of spiny holly | | | | This ornament will fill your home with fresh citrusy, |
| leaves using old newspaper, and use a fabric pen to | | | | gingerbread smells and can also be wrapped to be |
| trace the shape on three different shades of green | | | | given as a gift. Gingerbread has been associated with |
| felt. (You can also use green construction paper.) Use | | | | the holidays since medieval times, when the crusaders |
| a glue gun or craft glue to attach the holly leaves to | | | | brought citrus fruits and spices back from the Middle |
| the paper plate ring, alternating colors. You can glue | | | | East. At first it was too expensive for anyone but the |
| red beads in triangular bunches of three to the leaves | | | | lords and ladies of the castles to eat. Today it can |
| if you want to add berries. Attach the optional bow at | | | | serve as a reminder that baby Jesus was the |
| the top or bottom of the wreath. | | | | prophesied king. |
| The holly wreath, hanging on a door or over an | | | | Taste Activities |
| archway, makes a fine visual symbol Christmas. The | | | | Decorate Christmas Cookies: |
| circle is a symbol of brotherly love. Demonstrate to | | | | Using your favorite sugar cookie recipe and a variety |
| your children how the circle never ends, just like our | | | | of cookie cutters, spend an afternoon baking up a |
| love for each other shouldn't end. In olden days when | | | | batch. Frosting, cake decorating supplies and candy |
| all other plants died under the snow, the holly stayed | | | | can be used for embellishment. Make a plate to take |
| green, giving hope that life would come again. The red | | | | to a neighbor, or hang the cookies on the tree. Of |
| holly berries represent Jesus' blood, which gave man | | | | course, you must eat a few! Cookies and apples were |
| hope of life after death. The bow is symbol of unity, | | | | used as the first Christmas tree ornaments in |
| which families feel at Christmastime. Red is the color | | | | Germany, where they came to symbolize the fruits of |
| of sacrifice. Talk about these meanings with your | | | | redemption. |
| children as you make the wreath. Every time they see | | | | Touch Activities |
| it hanging will be a reminder to them of the true | | | | Candle Lights: |
| meaning of Christmas! | | | | Candles have long represented Jesus Christ on |
| Sound Activities | | | | Christmas, and have been used on Advent wreaths, |
| Jingle Bells: | | | | lightstocks (Christmas Pyramids), Christmas trees, or |
| Ask your children to close their eyes. Move away | | | | single candles at the window. Light a candle and have |
| from them. Have them try to walk to you with their | | | | your children hold their hands up close enough to feel |
| eyes closed. Then repeat the activity, but this time ring | | | | the warmth. Although winter is traditionally a cold |
| a jingle bell. Bells ring out to lost sheep and guide them | | | | season, Christmas activities with your family bring |
| back to safety. Jesus is sometimes called the Good | | | | warmth into the heart. |
| Shepherd, guiding every child to safety. You may want | | | | |