Take a Moment to Make a Memory: Fun Christmas Crafts

It is that time of the year again--the Christmas season is upon us.  That means decorating, shopping, cleaning, and celebrating all on top of all the stuff we already have to do.  I hope your holiday preparations are going great and that you are taking a few minutes to experience the JOY of the season.  Today's post includes activities that are simple and easy and won't take too much of your time. In a just a few minutes, you may make a memory that lasts a lifetime or start a beloved family tradition. Here are some ideas:

• Paper snowflakes: These are beautiful and easy.  Once you teach your kids how to make these, they can be busy for hours because no two paper snow flakes ever turn out alike. :)  The creativity is endless. If you aren't sure how to do this or are a little rusty learn how to make them here.
• Make Christmas cards: Children will love to create hand made cards for their friends, teachers, and loved ones.  They can use crayons, markers, paints, googly eyes, stickers, and scrapbook paper--whatever you have on hand.
• Recycle old Christmas cards: Use old Christmas cards to make book marks or Christmas collages.  To make a book mark, cut the cards into one inch strips and put a string through the top.  To make a collage, cut out words or pictures from old cards and glue them on a piece of paper in whatever design you would like.
• Make a Nativity Season diorama:  You can print pictures to color here. Let your children design a manger scene and backdrop inside a box.  They will love displaying this!
• Puffy Paint Window Clings: Who doesn't love festively decorated windows?  Get designs and instructions on how to make  your own window clings here. These are very easy and even the littlest hands will enjoy making the designs!
• Craft Stick Activities:  Hours of entertainment can be found in a box of craft sticks and a bottle of Elmer's glue.  Kids can create Christmas trees, snowflakes, picture frames and more.  Here's a great tutorial for craft stick Christmas tree ornament.  
• Play snow: Whip of a batch of this snow for kids and they will love you.  It won't melt or freeze their hands so that is a bonus too. 

I don't know about you but my kids always want to do Christmas crafts.  They would do them everyday if they could.  This is a list of fun and easy crafts that require few materials.  If  you have a few free minutes, you can enjoy doing these with the kids.  If you don't, many can be done on their own too.  Most of them are made with materials you probably have on hand!  

Please take a minute to enJOY the season.  As I was watching my husband and 10 year old daughter the other day, I was reminded of the day he carried her in our home the first time.  10 years goes by so fast--that's 10 Christmases we've had together.  I want to make sure this Christmas season I take a moment to make a memory.  It's not hard, it's not expensive, and unlike the exciting toys, fancy wrapping paper, and sweet treats, it will last a lifetime.