| ting your Christmas tree for the holidays can be | | | | tree along with some stringed popcorn or |
| pleasant and exciting rather than nerve wrecking | | | | construction paper chains in place of the traditional |
| and expensive. This is especially true if you start | | | | metal garland or icicles. Another type of beautiful |
| early investigating the different types of | | | | handmade Christmas tree ornament is made |
| homemade ornaments your family can make | | | | from tin. Supplies for making them can be found |
| together. Many of these can be made with | | | | in a home supply and repair store, or a craft |
| minimal expense for the needed supplies to make | | | | store. You will need snips for the tin, and a |
| your tree personalized and unique. Never | | | | specialized hole-punch to make the decorative |
| underestimate that there are many different | | | | holes for the design. Thin sheets of tin are not |
| ways to decorate your tree, by using your | | | | expensive and can be bought rolled or in single |
| imagination and garnering a little patience you can | | | | sheets. This type of Christmas decoration would |
| decorate your tree with pride. A new tradition can | | | | probably work best for older children due to the |
| be created and joyfully experienced by deciding | | | | fact that a certain amount of hand strength is |
| that each year you will add a new type of | | | | needed for cutting and the use of sharp tin. |
| ornamental decoration to the family tree. One | | | | Ornaments can be made from craft balls. The |
| good place to begin adding to your tree's | | | | ball's hollow clear design allow for painting on the |
| decorations is with the left over Christmas paper | | | | outside of the ball and inside. Painting the inside is |
| products from last year. Unused or partially used | | | | as simple as filling it with paint and shaking. Allow |
| rolls of wrapping paper make new decorations a | | | | twenty four hours for drying. Stencil design |
| snap, especially if you're on a limited budget for | | | | patterns or free hand painting allow for any |
| this season. Paper can be measured to any size | | | | holiday scene to be painted on the outside. Dating |
| you desire, and then folded into the designs of | | | | your ornament is always a good idea too. There |
| your choice. Some popular shapes are stars and | | | | are many ways to make handmade decorations |
| delicate fan shapes. Attach to the paper by gluing | | | | for your tree; other options are beaded jewelry |
| a brightly colored ribbon, and if desired hang a | | | | designs. Most craft stores carry kits to make |
| hook through the ribbon. Also, beautiful origami | | | | decorations, but you can buy wire for jewelry |
| nature shapes such as birds from left over holiday | | | | and string your own beads. Kids can make cute |
| paper are another option. Old greeting cards can | | | | ornaments for the tree by using precut foam |
| be used to liven up a tree. Simply cut the back | | | | from a craft store too. Whatever type of |
| off the card and hole-punch at top and add a | | | | handmade ornament you decide to make it is a |
| ribbon, and cards may be cut into different | | | | sure bet that along the way you will make a lot |
| shapes and a light weight frame added to set it | | | | of good memories from interacting with family or |
| off too. Other crafty type projects can be | | | | friends, you may even find a lot of personal |
| created using Christmas cards by saving Mason | | | | fulfillment by reminiscing about Christmas days of |
| Jar type lids which have a flat underside. Cutting | | | | yesteryear. Handmade ornaments mean that you |
| and gluing felt can be placed on the underside | | | | care about adding a little of you to the holidays. |
| along with a beautiful card holiday scene, and add | | | | Traditions and keepsakes are a treasured thing |
| some yarn around the edge of the top and hang | | | | that are passed down to those that come after |
| on your tree. Other craft ideas which are | | | | you, so make sure to experiment and have lots |
| especially fun for kids are mixing flour and water | | | | of fun creating an ornament that you will be |
| and using a cookie cutter to create the holiday | | | | proud to hand down and display on your tree this |
| shapes. Ginger bread cookies can be hung on the | | | | Christmas season. |