Crafty Christmas decorations
Have fun and save money by making chains and baubles with your children
Wrapping paperchains
Use old Christmas or birthday wrapping paper, or dig out scraps of unused wrap that aren’t big enough for a gift. Cut these into strips 2cm wide and about 15-18cm long, then start a series of paper links and glue or sticky-tape them together.
Christmas card baubles
Cut circular shapes out of old greetings cards (colourful scraps of other card will do). Make one cut into the centre of each shape. Interlock two circles by slotting the cuts together to create a bauble shape. At one end where the two circles’ edges cross each other, make a pinhole and thread through a loop of ribbon or cotton to hang it with.
Berry hangings
Get cheap or free sweepings of holly and mistletoe from your local florist. Hang small twigs of each in an alternating pattern along a thin length of white or silver ribbon, then hang this across windows to catch the light.
Paper candles
Cut the card middles of kitchen towel rolls in half. Cut a large square of red tissue paper and place a matching square of yellow tissue paper on top. Wrap the card tube in the paper, rolling it at an angle (yellow paper on the inside) so you are left with enough hanging off one end to twist into a flame shape. Glue the paper to the card. Leave the yellow paper sticking up and fold the red back down to look like melted wax. Glue a ring of gold paper round the bottom of each candle.
Pass it on – Personalised crackers
Cut rectangular strips of a pretty paper about 5cm wide and just long enough to fit round the middle of each cracker. Along the two longer edges, glue ribbon or lace, then in the middle in posh writing add a guest’s name. Fit around the cracker and glue in place.