From the joy of Christmas past to Christmas present

When we are children, Christmas is a time of magic and excitement and the  weeks leading up to it are full of  delighted anticipation.

Many baby boomers will have similar memories of the typical post-war, suburban Aussie Christmases.

Real conifer trees, simpler decorations (often hand-made), family gatherings, church for many, and a traditional hot Christmas lunch feast were all very much a standard for those days.

Who remembers rushing out in the street to check out who had received a new bicycle, scooter or roller skates?

Our gifts reflected the trends: cowboy/cowgirl dress-ups, Tonka trucks and dolls (the advent of Barbie and GI Joe) and games including Test Match, Kerplunk! and Mouse Trap.

And then we grew up … and Christmas just didn’t feel the same.

Until along came our own children and all that delight and joy began again, albeit in a different shape.

Our trees became a bit fancier perhaps, with more sophisticated ornaments – though still with those wobbly ones made by little hands  at school.

The trend in gifts changed: Tamagotchi, Atari and Nintendo game consoles appeared but also the crazes such as Cabbage Patch Kids, Teddy Ruxpin, Care Bears and the Rubik’s Cube.

And then our kids grew up …  and Christmas just didn’t feel the  same – again.

With our grandchildren, the magic can begin all over, thank goodness.

We can start to make new memories, create traditions, tell old stories and give the greatest gift of all: more precious time.

With Christmas approaching, we have an ideal opportunity to enjoy relaxed time with the grandchildren.

So, why not try some ‘slow living’ crafts with your grandies this year and create some new special memories?

Pretzel garland

Materials: knot pretzels, twine or ribbon (red or Christmas-themed looks effective).

1. Use at least two metres of twine or ribbon.
2. Simply thread ribbon or twine through one segment of each pretzel and loop around.
3. Space your pretzels evenly.

Traditional popcorn garland

1. Pop your corn. This is a fun, shared activity to start with. You can talk about why the corn kernel explodes, as well as safety in the kitchen.
2. Stale popcorn works best, so leave your popcorn in a container for at least a day.
3. Use about two metres or so of thread. Tie a good-sized knot in one end.
4. Choose popcorn with a ‘fat’ middle to make it easier to push the  needle through without the  popcorn breaking.
5. Slide the popcorn gently to the end of the string.
6. The key to success with this is patience and being gentle. Definitely a ‘slow living’ activity.

Christmas cupcake liner crafts

WHO knew cupcake liners are for more than just baking? Try folding and adding colour for easy decorations.

Materials: cupcake liners – plain, coloured or patterned, glue, craft/pop sticks, felt or gel pens, twine/ribbon or pipe cleaners.

Optional: stickers, sustainable sequins and bio glitter.

Flatten or fold. Those pictured above are self-explanatory and easy enough for even the littlest fingers to make, although they may need a little help.

For more challenging cupcake  liner craft, why not try  honeycomb baubles?

1. Take 12 cupcake liners, flatten and fold in half.
2. Put a dot of glue in the middle to keep the halves together.
3. Stack them together, using a dot of glue top and bottom of each until you have all in an even pile.
4. Fold a length of twine (as long as your cupcake stack plus enough to hang) in half to make a hanging loop.
5. Glue the twine along the flat, folded edges of the liners.
6. Fold the first and last liner together and glue. Dip edges in glitter for pizzazz.

Nature’s gifts

USE some of your foraged materials to make natural garlands or bunting, or glue them onto circles of card to make wreaths.

1. Collect your chosen materials, making sure seed pods are fully dry.
2. You can paint and glitter them or leave them natural.
3. Tie your thread around stems or use needle and thread to pierce softer items.
4. Space your items to create a pleasing effect.

While you work on your crafts together, take the time not only for instructions but to tell those stories of Christmas past – times when you or your own children were little.

You may even have stories of  your own parents’ childhood Christmas celebrations.

Most of all, you will not only be making sustainable decorations, but also creating those special memories that you and the children will treasure.

Books to read together

LOOKING for some lasting gifts for your grandchildren? Books are always a great idea and we have some wonderful titles this year.

0-2 years: Little Bee’s Year of Blooms – Sarah Jane Lightfoot (Affirm Press)

Follow Little Bee’s buzzing around the neighbourhood gardens and streets with this super-cute board book, with its sculptured pages and combination of plants and insects.

3-7 years: Tomato Sandwich – Caroline Magerl (Walker Books Australia)

Ottily has decided that today will be magical. She pulls on her fairy dress, waves her wand and asks for a fairy cake. Instead, dad gives her a  tomato sandwich.

8-14 years: Landovel Trilogy – Emily Rodda (Allen & Unwin)

An epic ‘three-parts-in-one’ fantasy quest, from one of Australia’s leading children’s literature legends.

Biodegradable bunting/garlands

Materials: foraged treasures, recycled strips of fabric or ribbon, food items such as pasta bows, cinnamon sticks, dried citrus slices, pretzels or popcorn (plain popped), rosemary sprigs, twine or raffia, large-eyed needle  (plastic ones available for small fingers) and cotton thread, plus glue.

Optional: paint and bio glitter.

TAKE the grandchildren for walks in parks, in the neighbourhood or along the foreshore to forage for some interesting bits and pieces. These could include seed pods from she-oaks and poincianas, gumnuts, tiny pinecones or spent banksia pods, interesting twigs and small pieces of wood, shells, leaves or dried honesty pods and other flowers.

Paper chains

1. Recycle any colourful paper such as magazines, catalogues or even old and worn-out picture books.
2. Cut evenly into strips of desired length for each ‘link’ of the chain.
3. Loop and glue the first link.
4. Feed another strip through the first and glue that one.
5. Continue until the chain is the desired length.