Christmas trees are a relatively modern cultural phenomenon. Although traditions like gift-giving and caroling go back several centuries, the tree is a newer way of celebrating a long-standing holiday.
Every year it seems as though department stores find increasingly expensive ways to market glittery ornaments that break easily or quickly go out of style. Instead of trying to keep up with the latest tree decorating fads, why not try a few old fashioned ideas of your own?
1. String a few edibles. Grandma and Grandpa used to thread popcorn as garland for the holiday tree. Sometimes they used cranberries or other dried seeds for something different. Use your imagination to create meaningful decorations like these with the kids. Ask the oldest members of the family for ideas from their past. Try stringing buckeyes, dyed sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. Or you can buy the look-alike kind to save a few hours of effort.
2. Stitch quilting pieces. If you like to sew, patch clothing, or quilt, use leftover fabric pieces to make pretty ornaments. Plot a simple design, like a four-inch diamond pattern, or buy one from the fabric store. Stitch two types of fabric together for your design. Add backing of a solid fabric and quilt the piece with cotton batting if desired. Add buttons or rhinestones for glitter, and thread and hooks for placing on the tree.
3. Make your own angels. Cover empty toilet paper rolls with pastel paper or paint them in soft colors. Visit a craft store to buy inexpensive doll's heads with hair, and glue these to the painted cylinders. Shop for angel wings that also can be glued, or make your own from aluminum foil. Hang your pretty angels on the tree boughs for a home-made and special quaint effect.
4. Showcase the family. Cut five-inch ornament shapes from construction paper. Make computer copies of favorite family photographs and glue a different face on each "ornament." Use a needle to pierce a hole at the top and string thread through the opening for placing the ornaments on the tree.
5. Give thanks. Have each family member write several different things that he or she is grateful for, using calligraphy, on bulb-shaped pieces of cardboard (like that from a shoebox) that have been painted and covered in glitter. Use thread and a hook to suspend these from the tree boughs at proportional levels.
6. Attach ribbon to apples, oranges, and pears to dangle these from the tree. You also may wish to include unshelled nuts, buckeyes, and artificial fall blossoms to create the image of a fall or winter garden. Use artificial snow if desired, but don't let anyone eat the fruit that is on the tree. Avoid bananas, as these may add a tropical air.
If you have paper, cardboard, crayons, markers, scissors, and imagination, you can make some pretty decorations that the family will enjoy for years to come. Browse a few home decorating magazines for ideas or make whatever catches your fancy!
