FAMILY Spend this special time of year with all your loved ones

Easy holiday gifts, made by kids

These easy-to-make gifts will please everyone on your child's list

By Jacqueline Nunes

Holiday lantern

These beautiful decorations will fill your home with Christmas light, or a make special gift for a teacher.

Ages: 5 and up

You'll need:

  • jars
  • tissue paper
  • white glue
  • sponge brush
  • ribbons, lace and other decorations

1. Lay down sheets of newspaper for easy cleanup.

2. Tear the tissue paper into small pieces. Set aside.

3. Using the sponge brush, coat the outside of a jar with white glue.

4. Before the glue dries, place the pieces of tissue paper onto the glue until the jar is completely covered.

5. Using the sponge brush, coat the jar and tissue paper with white glue. Dab gently so you don't tear the tissue paper.

6. After the jars have dried, start decorating! Use the ribbons and lace to personalize the lantern for someone special.

7. Place a votive candle in the jar and light it.

Tips

  • Use recycled jars, or search through your local second-hand shop for inexpensive glassware.
  • For a stained-glass effect, cover the jars with different-coloured pieces of tissue paper.

Cookie basket

The sweet-tooth on your holiday list will love a basket of these homemade cookies, baked with love by you and your child.

Ages: 5 and up

You'll need:

  • your favourite cookie recipe or search our Recipe File
  • a basket
  • tissue paper
  • scissors and glue
  • ribbons, lace and other decorations

1. Gather together the ingredients to make a batch of your family's favourite cookies. Your child can help by measuring out the ingredients, mixing the batter and greasing the cookie sheet.

2. Once the cookies are in the oven, it's time to decorate the basket. Use ribbons, lace and other decorations to make the basket beautiful.

3. After the cookies have cooled, line the basket with tissue paper and place the cookies inside for a yummy gift for family and friends.

Tips

  • Use icing to decorate and personalize the cookies.
  • Help your child write out and decorate the recipe, then tuck it inside the basket with the cookies.

Picture-frame ornament

Add a cute face to any Christmas tree with this special ornament – Grandpa and Grandma will love receiving this gift.

Ages: 3 and up

You'll need:

  • coloured craft foam
  • a cute photo of your little one
  • string or twine
  • scissors
  • glue
  • stickers, sequins, ribbon and other decorations

1. Cut two identical-sized squares out of foam sheets.

2. Cut a smaller square shape out of the middle of one of the foam squares to make a picture frame.

3. Kids can place the photo between the two foam squares so it shows through the cut-out from step 2.

4. Cut a short piece of string or twine and place the ends between the two foam squares, so it forms a loop for hanging the ornament on a Christmas tree.

5. Glue the two squares together.

6. Decorate! Use stickers, sequins and other decorations to make your ornament special.

Tips

  • Attach two or three picture frames together using string to create an ornament with photos of the whole family.
  • Don't forget to write the year on the back of this holiday keepsake.

Snowflake necklace

Your child's friends will love to wear these festive necklaces, especially when they're wishing for a white Christmas.

Ages: 5 and up

You'll need:

  • pipe cleaners
  • scissors
  • ribbon or string

1. Cut one pipe cleaner into four identical sized pieces.

2. Hold two of the pipe-cleaner pieces in an X and twist them together, starting at the middle of the X. Stop twisting before you reach either end. The ends of the pipe-cleaner pieces should form a V.

3. Repeat the step 2 with the other two pipe-cleaner pieces.

4. Twist two pieces together at the centre. Trim the ends so they're all the same length.

5. Tie a ribbon or piece of string around the centre of your snowflake to make a necklace.

Tips

  • Make lots of pipe-cleaner snowflakes and tie them to a long piece of string to make a garland that you can hang from the mantle or around the Christmas tree.

Personalized keepsake box

Give the babysitter or your child's big sister this special box to hold all of their valuables.

Ages: 3 and up

You'll need:

  • unfinished wood box (check out craft stores and dollar stores for bargains)
  • acrylic paint and paintbrushes
  • aluminum foil
  • glue gun
  • fabric scraps, ribbons, lace, sequins, buttons and other decorations

1. Plug in the glue gun in a safe place. Lay down sheets of newspaper for easy cleanup

2. Pour dime-sized amounts of acrylic paint – as many colours as you'd like – onto a piece of aluminum foil.

3. Using the paintbrush, cover the wood box with paint.

4. While the paint is drying, spread out the fabric scraps and decorations.

5. Start decorating! You can add glue to the box while your little one chooses decorations to paste on. (Always use caution with hot glue.)

6. Leave to dry overnight.

Tips

  • Personalize it by using alphabet cut-outs to spell the gift recipient's name.
  • For an extra surprise, tuck a gift certificate or another small present inside the box.

Originally published in Todaysparent.com, December 2008