It’s beginning to look at lot like Christmas! And now, with Halloween and Bonfire Night done and dusted, the weather has turned colder and we’re officially allowed to crank up both the central heating systems and our plans to go full Crimbo! Eeeek!

I don’t care what anyone says. No matter how much you dread spending hundreds on stuff you don’t need, and food, and all that jazz, we definitely do it because Christmas is simply magical. It captures us from October onwards and gives some sparkle to our cold and dreary winter days.

You’re tired. But it’s OK, it’s Christmas. You’re skint. But it’s OK, it’s Christmas. You’re having a glass of wine straight after the school run. It’s OK. It’s Christmas.

Such a special time of the years deserves to be celebrated with crafting and all things creative. We’ve got Elf season coming up, and I’m even excited for that. Don’t judge me. Our Insta is going to be merry and bright!

That being said, there’s one thing that I’m absolutely not feeling.

Decorating the dreaded gingerbread house.

 

OH MY GOSH. Tell me I’m not alone on this one? I can’t be the only mum who finds it darn near impossible to piece together gingerbread with watery or clumpy royal icing (there’s no inbetween) and make a delightfully festive and equally delicious gingerbread abode.

My attempts always look like the Hansel and Gretel witch’s dwelling, after she’s been burnt alive and the house is left in ashes.

Gingerbread houses cum war zones aside, there has to be some other stuff we can decorate with the children in the run up to the 25^th December. Here are five of my favourite, and totally doable, Pinterest-worthy ideas.

1.    Christmas Bauble

The beauty in a bauble is that it can literally be any craft whatsoever… on a string. Just make some fabby Christmas creation with your youngster and thread a hanger through it. Job done. Literally.

2.    Christmas Cake

You might have to nip to M&S to make sure you have a reserve in play, you know, just in case, but Christmas cake decorating is the perfect way to spend an afternoon with your sprogs. Rank up the degree of difficulty depending on your baking skills. Mums and dads who are a dab hand in the kitchen can make fruit cake and chocolate yule logs from scratch. Parents who aren’t, well, no one will no. Nip to Asda. Stockpile all your decorating bits and bobs and let your children create their own snow scene. A chocolate log complete with perched robin is a traditional and easy-to-do festive favourite.

3.    Christmas Cards

Three options. Visit Santa with the children, go to the photo shop and reprint your snaps. Create photo cards. Turn a fantastic morning out into a crafty and productive afternoon at home. Alternatively, finger prints make for some unusual abstract reindeers and snowmen cards, or so I’ve seen online. Or, you could just nip to ELC or Tesco and buy a card kit. Like the rest of us.

4.    Christmas Wreath

If you want to make a wreathe with anything other than tissue paper, I suggest you attend a class before introducing eucalyptus leaves and holly to your children. You’re a better person than I am. For those of us that wish to stay sane, scrunching shades of green tissue paper onto an O-shaped piece of cardboard looks surprisingly brilliant. Adorn with pinned pinecones, dried orange rings, holly berry tissue paper balls, and any other Christmas decoration your DD/S fancies.

5.    Mini Christmas Tree

Mini Christmas trees can be picked up almost everywhere on the highstreet, in supermarkets, and in gardening centres for next to no cost. Pick one up and let your little one decorate their own tree for their bedroom. Mini baubles from Paperchase are slightly expensive, but fun and young, and definitely worth it if you reuse each year.

 

So with the cold weather on the way, stay in the warm and get crafting! You never know it might warm your soul too! 

 

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