“Christmas Workshop,” Friend, December 2022, 38–39

Christmas Workshop

Here are some special gifts you can make this Christmas!

Champurradas

These cookies are from Guatemala! Here’s a recipe you can try at home.

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 pinch salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

sesame seeds (optional)

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
In a different bowl, mix the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs one at a time.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir until combined. Then cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into balls, then press them flat. If you want to add sesame seeds, brush the top of each cookie with egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.

Cut strips of paper, about 8 1/2 inches (21.5 cm) long and 1/2 inch (1 cm) wide.
Loop one end of a paper strip around like a ribbon.
Tuck the tail of the paper into the loop, like a knot. Pull tight, but be careful not to rip the paper.
Press the knot flat and tuck the little tail into one of the folds.
The knot will have five edges.
Now wrap the rest of the paper around the shape. It should easily fold in the correct direction.
Tuck the very end of the tail into one of the folds.
Carefully pinch each side in so that the star puffs up. Keep making as many stars as you’d like!

You could fill a bag or jar with these stars and add a nice note to cheer someone up!

Make your own Nativity out of paper plates! These are instructions for Mary and baby Jesus. Next make Joseph, angels, shepherds, and Wise Men!

Fold in one side of a paper plate at an angle.
Fold in the other side at the same angle so that the plate looks like a triangle.
Cut out a paper circle for a head. Draw a face on the circle.
Tape, glue, or staple the head in place at the top of the triangle.

Illustrations by Mark Robison