“Christmas Workshop,” Friend, Dec. 1989, 22–23, 31
Christmas Workshop
Sock Holders
You will need: plastic safety rings off milk bottle lids, lightweight yarn or embroidery floss, scissors, metal ring that comes apart (optional).
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Wash rings and turn inside out.
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Cut 12″ (30 cm) piece of yarn or floss. Holding one end to ring with thumb, wrap evenly around ring.
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Tie yarn ends together; trim.
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Put pair of socks through ring like napkin through napkin holder. Rings are washer- and dryer-safe.
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Several Sock Holders can be slipped onto metal ring.
Cherry Chocolate Cookies
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milk
1 jar (16 ounces/454 g) maraschino cherries, drained
chocolate icing (recipe below)
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Mix sugar, butter, and vanilla together; stir in flour, salt, and milk.
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Form tablespoon of dough around cherry in ball shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 12–15 minutes.
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Let cool. Dip top of cookie into chocolate icing.
Chocolate Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 tablespoon shortening
2–4 tablespoons milk
Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Cinnamon Christmas Tree
2 cups baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
vanilla icing (use chocolate icing recipe on this page, replacing cocoa with 1 teaspoon vanilla)
sugar sprinkles (optional)
red cinnamon candies
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Stir together baking mix and milk. Knead dough 20 times on lightly floured surface.
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Roll dough into 8″ x 14″ (20 cm x 36 cm) rectangle. Spread butter evenly over dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon together; sprinkle over butter.
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Starting at narrow end, roll up dough; cut into 1/2″ (1.3 cm) slices.
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Arrange slices in shape of Christmas tree next to each other on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425° F (220° C) for 15 minutes.
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Frost tree while still warm; decorate with colored sprinkles and candies.
Penguin Fridge Freshner
You will need: one large white plastic egg that pulls in half, black acrylic paint, large darning needle, orange felt, eyes (can be made of felt), craft glue, pliers, baking soda.
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Paint egg to look like penguin, leaving white parts unpainted. Let dry completely.
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Have adult use pliers to heat needle on stove, then melt 5–6 holes near top of penguin for ventilation.
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Trace pattern for feet and beak on orange felt. Cut and glue to penguin. Glue on eyes. Let dry.
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Open penguin and measure 1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda into bottom half. Replace top half and place penguin in fridge to keep it smelling fresh.
Chipped Beef Cheese Ball
1 package (2.5 ounces/71 g) chipped beef, shredded
1 package (8 ounces/227 g) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
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Blend all ingredients, saving some chipped beef to cover finished ball.
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Refrigerate 20 minutes.
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Shape into ball, then roll into saved chipped beef; chill. Serve with crackers and/or vegetables.
Holly Wreath
1 package (10 1/2 ounces/298 g) miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon green food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups cornflakes
red cinnamon candies
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Melt marshmallows and butter over low heat; remove from heat.
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Quickly stir in food coloring and vanilla.
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Add cornflakes; gently mix until just coated.
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Grease hands, and shape mixture into large wreath on greased waxed paper. Optional: Make several small wreaths instead of large one.
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Decorate wreath with cinnamon candies for holly berries. Refrigerate until firm.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
1 cup peanut butter
2 sticks butter or margarine, softened
1 pound (.45 kg) powdered sugar
8 ounces (227 g) graham crackers
1 cup chocolate chips
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In large mixing bowl, blend peanut butter and butter until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar.
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Using rolling pin, crush graham crackers on waxed paper, then stir into mixture.
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Press into greased 9″ (23 cm) square pan.
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Melt chocolate chips in pan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Spoon over mixture, and spread evenly with knife.
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Refrigerate until firm enough to cut.
Frosted Candy Canes
1 can white or chocolate frosting
candy canes
colored sprinkles
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Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
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In saucepan, stir frosting over low heat until it is melted; remove from heat.
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Dip each cane into frosting, place on waxed paper, and immediately sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Let stand until dry.
Christmas Salad
lettuce leaves, cleaned
1 can (16 ounces/454g) jellied cranberry sauce, sliced
1 package (3 ounces/85 g) cream cheese
fresh parsley
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Place lettuce leaf on each plate.
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Add round slice of cranberry sauce.
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Cut about 1″ (2.5 cm) cube of cream cheese, form into triangular-shaped Christmas tree, then put in center of cranberry sauce.
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Stick several small springs of parsley into cream cheese; it will look like a tree with snow on it.
Santa Sack
You will need: two paper lunch sacks; white construction paper; 1/2″ (1.3 cm) Styrofoam ball; lightweight cardboard; red, white, and black paint or crayons; paintbrush; craft glue; scissors; stapler.
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Put one sack inside other one.
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To make arms, cut half-way down sides of sacks along fold lines. Bend down, then glue together.
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Paint sack red. Paint on black belt. Let dry.
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Cut out two mittens from lightweight cardboard. Paint black. When dry, glue to ends of arms.
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Cut round face out of white construction paper. Glue onto top half of sack. Cut white construction paper into about 35 strips 1/2″ (1.3 cm) wide and 2″ (5 cm) long. Glue to face for beard and hair. Curl strips by wrapping around pencil.
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Flatten one side of Styrofoam ball. Paint red and let dry. Glue onto face for nose, then paint mouth and eyes on face.
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Cut triangle out of white construction paper, paint red, then glue to top of head for hat. Cut hat brim from white construction paper and glue in place.
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Fill Santa Sack with goodies, and staple sides closed.
Illustrated by Shauna Mooney; Photos by Philip Shurtleff