Recipes, crafts for Christmas
Being near the end of November, my mind is busy conjuring up fun-filled activities, gift ideas, recipes and plans for the holiday season. I am looking forward to having Christmas at our house this year, and I wish to capture some of the old-fashioned authenticity and genuine warm feelings.
Nuts and bolts, baked caramel corn and homemade candy are some of my old favorite recipes. Making tree ornaments, decorating Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses were also favorite activities when the kids were small. A new book called A Taste of Christmas has these recipes plus holiday customs from other parts of the world, menu plans and ideas for cookie exchanges, holiday open house and skating or ski parties.
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Christmas craft ideas
Here are some tips from this book for decorating Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses:
- If the gingerbread people or cookies are going to be used as Christmas tree decorations, use a plastic drinking straw to punch holes in the top of each cookie before baking. When baked and cooled, thread ribbons through the holes to hang the decorated cookies.
- Use royal icing or icing paint (recipes follow) to create imaginative and beautiful cookies to decorate your tree or a Christmas cookie platter or to give as gifts.
- Star or snowflake cookie cutters come in various sizes. Use a small star to cut out the centre of a large cookie star to create a delicate effect. Outlines and beads of royal icing, dotted with silver dragees (balls), can create decorative gingerbread ornaments.
- Put each icing color in a different piping bag.
- To make colored sugars, use 1Ú4 teaspoon (one mL) food coloring powder to one cup (250 mL) granulated sugar. Use a separate bowl for each color and add more food coloring for more intense colors.
- Sprinkle colored sugar on wet icing; after icing has dried, shake off loose sugar.
- To paint with icing, put royal icing in a small bowl and thin to heavy cream consistency with water. Use pastry brush for large flat areas or a small watercolor brush for detail on cookies or gingerbread houses.
I remember hunting for the perfect gingerbread house icing, and this recipe is it. This icing will dry out quickly, so keep it covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
Royal icing
3 egg whites 3
4 cups icing sugar 1 L
1Ú2 teaspoon cream 2 mL
of tartar
lemon juice or water, as needed
food coloring (optional)
In a deep bowl, beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gradually add icing sugar and cream of tartar, beating for about one minute more, until icing is of spreading consistency. Add lemon juice or water to thin icing, if necessary. Add more sugar to thicken.
- Makes about two cups (500 mL).
- To keep icing white, add a drop of blue food coloring.
- Keep white portion separate from icing to be tinted other colors. Use paste colors for the most intense look.
Icing paint
This icing paint recipe is a quick, easy and fun way for kids to decorate cookies:
4 cups icing sugar 1 L
1Ú3 cup water or 75 mL
more as needed
food coloring
Combine icing sugar and water, adding more water as needed to make a spreadable consistency. Divide icing into separate bowls and tint with food color paste. Add water as needed to improve painting consistency. Keep icing bowls covered. Yields two cups (500 mL).
Cinnamon ornaments
Here is a great craft idea for groups of children. To create ornaments with a wonderful holiday scent, use this recipe to make simple decorations:
1 cup cinnamon 250 mL
1 tablespoon 15 mL
ground cloves
1 tablespoon 15 mL
nutmeg
3Ú4 cup applesauce 175 mL
2 tablespoons 30 mL
tacky glue
In a plastic container, combine dry ingredients. Stir in applesauce and glue. Work mixture with hands for two or three minutes to form a ball. If dough is too dry, add more applesauce; if it is too wet, add more cinnamon. Knead the dough on a surface sprinkled with cinnamon. The dough should have a consistency like clay. Divide dough into four equal portions. Roll out dough to 1Ú4 inch (one cm) thickness. Cut dough with cookie cutters or omit the rolling and shape dough with your hands. Use a straw to poke a hole into the top of each ornament. Let ornaments dry completely before hanging.
Dough ornaments
Create Christmas dough ornaments to personalize your Christmas tree or Christmas parcels.
1 cup flour 250 mL
1Ú2 cup salt 125 mL
1Ú2 cup water 125 mL
acrylic paints and paint brushes
ribbon, cord or string
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and water to make a soft dough. Divide dough in half. Wrap one half of dough in plastic and knead remaining dough on a floured surface until smooth, about 10 minutes. Roll dough to 1Ú4 inch (1 cm) thickness. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or omit the rolling and shape dough with your hands. Place ornaments on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Using a straw, poke a hole into the top of each ornament. Bake at 250 F (120 C) for four to five hours, until completely dry. Let cool. Paint cooled ornaments and let dry. Use ribbon, cord or string to hang ornaments.
All of these recipes are from A Taste of Christmas written by Jacquie Schmit, Eileen Mandryk and Jo Wuth, three Campbell sisters raised in the farming community of Lamont, Alta. The book is available for $14.95 (plus $3 postage and handling) from Centax Books, 306-525-2304 or fax 306-757-2439. To order by mail, write: Three Sisters Publishing, 12234 – 49 St., Edmonton, T5W 3A8.
Practical gift ideas
- Denim – Aunt Sandra, Elrose, Sask., made Marla a blue jean quilt for graduation. What a treasure! It is practical, cozy and washable. Denim patch pillows that my mother made also match the blanket. The blocks for the blanket are the size of an opened-up Western Producer newspaper. Sew random-shaped denim pieces together with colored thread to make these blocks. Then sew up the squares to form a blanket. You can use a sheet or blanket as backing, or even line with quilt batting to make it warmer. Denim bags, purses and aprons are other gift ideas.
- Cross-stitch – Our oldest daughter, Jaime, does beautiful cross-stitch. She is presently working on a snowman family that will require two frames, when completed.
- Artwork – Paintings, pottery, handiwork, done by yourself or purchased with care for the receiver, can be the perfect gift.
- Photos – Photos are memories that last a lifetime. Photos blown up to the appropriate size can make great calendars, posters, or even the focus of the family or living room. I treasure the childhood photos my mom arranged in a photo album for me.
- Baking – Homemade toffee, peanut brittle, fudge, mocha truffles, or a variety of mouth watering Christmas delicacies can be arranged on a tray, in a basket, or decorative can and sent off to an eager recipient.
- Beverages – A gift of home-brewed wine or liqueurs wrapped in colored foil and tied with a big bow can be delivered early on your Christmas route.
- “A few of your favorite things” basket – This was one of the most enjoyed gifts for my husband, Don. Find an appropriate basket or Christmas container and fill it up with all of his/her favorite things.
- Books – I hope people enjoy receiving books as much as I enjoy giving them. Choose a book that suits the individual or family. The Cowboy Country Cookbook is a collection of authentic range recipes from Wrangler’s Chicken Wings and Sock Coffee to Fried Chicken and Biscuits.
- Subscriptions and memberships – Consider magazine and newspaper subscriptions, or memberships in an organization of the receiver’s interest.
- Gift certificates or passes to an event may be the appropriate gift for some people on your list. Consider long distance phone calls, hair care, massage.
- Tickets – Give tickets for an event that the individual may enjoy (ballet, theatre, or sports events), or even a season membership.
- Plants and animals – Be careful on this one to be sure the gift is suitable for the person.
The best gifts
For years, I’ve had a list of the greatest gifts of all. For your reflection, here it is:
- The gift of time – This is the most precious gift. Find innovative ways to spend time together with your loved ones.
- The gift of acceptance – Accept people for who they are.
- The gift of seeing the best in people – Expect the positive and you will see that.
- The gift of giving up a bad habit can be a joy to those around you.
- The gift of privacy – Give those you love the right to private thoughts and unshared feelings.
- The gift of self-esteem – Resist unwanted or unnecessary advice or help that may cripple a person’s self-esteem.
- The gift of teaching – Help someone you love learn something new.
- The gift of listening – Stifle urges to tell your stories before the other person has finished.
- The gift of fun – Enjoy life, relax and have a sense of humor.
- The gift of letting others give – Accept gifts in a gracious manner. Remember, the joy is in the giving.
