December has arrived: the most magical month of the year with that enchanted atmosphere and the first snowfalls!
Especially loved by the little ones, the month of Christmas stimulates a lot of creative ideas , perfect to make as a family during the holidays.
In these days the first snow has arrived in some cities, sweeping away humidity and smog and making happy the many children who eagerly await the whitening of the first roofs and gardens every year.
Snow gives everything on which it rests an elegant, magical and special atmosphere.
So why not take a cue and cover some pretty DIY Christmas decorations with snow? In this way it will be possible to decorate the house with little expense, involving even the little ones and having fun with them.
Snowflakes
Needed:
- colored cardboard
- cotton
- glue and scissors
- wire
Take a light blue or blue card and glue small cotton balls here and there, to simulate the effect of falling snowflakes. You can use it as a greeting card or, by cutting out a round shape and making a hole in which to pass a thread, like a nice decoration to hang on the Christmas tree.
Snowmen ... yes, but of polystyrene!
If the snow is late in arriving in your city, you can recreate it yourself!
With the help of the little ones, it is possible to make snowmen using simple polystyrene balls, available in hardware and DIY stores.
Needed:
- 2 polystyrene balls
- Cotton
- Red crepe paper
- Green tissue paper
- Cardboard
- Vinyl glue and scissors
- Skewer
- Buttons
- Black and orange beads
Pierce the two polystyrene balls with a skewer and then join them with a part of the latter. You can use a larger sphere for the body and a slightly smaller one for the head.
Cut a square from the cardboard and cover it with green tissue paper; it will serve to form the base; then fix the lower sphere with glue,
Cut a square of red crepe paper, fold it in the shape of a cone and secure it with a little glue: it will be the hat. Pay attention to the size, the ideal is to take it directly on the ball that represents the puppet's head. With a strip of red crepe paper, on which to make small cuts at the ends, you will easily obtain a small frayed scarf.
Then create a cord with some cotton and secure it with a little glue on the edge of the hat; on the tip, to create a small pompon, apply a ball instead. Apply, always using glue, some beads for the eyes (alternatively you can draw them directly on the polystyrene with a felt-tip pen) and the buttons on the lower sphere. For the nose you can use a long orange bead (or make a small cone with orange paper to apply with plenty of glue)
These little puppets are perfect to use as a Christmas dinner place card or to use as cute holiday decorations.
Christmas landscape
Children always have a lot of imagination and often need a way to express their ideas and creativity in a more free and complete way. Even if the current situation is difficult, it is possible to provide them with a way to distract themselves with a Christmas theme: it will give them the impression of actively participating in the preparations like every year.
Needed:
- Colored cards
- Markers
- Cotton and cotton pads
- Glue and scissors
Using colored cardboard as a base, make a drawing representing a landscape: houses, children, snowmen, Christmas trees, gifts and all that the imagination suggests. Then glue cotton pads, cotton balls and the like to recreate the soft effect of freshly laid snow on roofs, trees and surfaces.
They can be hung from the ceiling, the bookcase, the walls or the refrigerator, for a party atmosphere in every corner of the house.
A centerpiece ... with snowballs
Do you have a single Styrofoam ball? No problem. It will triumph as a centerpiece in the middle of branches, pine cones and glitter.
Needed:
- Salt up and coarse
- Polystyrene balls (preferably of different sizes)
- Large containers (supermarket trays are fine)
- White, gold or silver glitter
- Vinyl glue, long skewers and brush
- Hot glue
- pine branches, berries, Christmas baubles, pine cones or ribbons
Pour the vinyl glue into a container and, inserting a ball on a skewer, swirl it carefully in the glue to cover it entirely. If in any area it is missing, add it with the brush.
Let a little glue run and then rotate the sphere into another container where the two types of salt and the glitter (in this case white) have previously been poured. Allow to dry perfectly (it may take up to 24 hours) and finally glue small pine branches, pine cones and Christmas balls of the color of your choice to the snow-covered balls.
In this way you will get a beautiful and refined centerpiece, perfect for brightening up the party table and giving it that extra touch.