Christmas Crafts

Salt Dough Ornaments

To make the ornaments, you will need 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 3/4 cup water, a bowl, a rolling pin, cookie cutters or a knife, a toothpick, aluminum foil, a cookie sheet, a paintbrush and acrylic paints (optional), and decorative string or narrow ribbon.

1. Mix the flour, salt, and water in a bowl. Knead the dough until it is soft but not sticky.

2. Roll the dough until it is about 1 centimeter thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters or knife (ask an adult to help). Using the toothpick, make a hole 6 millimeters in diameter near the top of each shape.

3. Place the dough shapes on an aluminum foil-covered cookie sheet. Bake at 135° Celsius (275° Fahrenheit) for about two hours. Check the shapes periodically—they are done when they are completely dry. Smaller or thinner ones will take less time. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.

4. If you want to, decorate the ornaments with acrylic paints. When the paint is dry, put a length of string or ribbon through the hole, and tie the ends together to make a loop for hanging.

Christmas Card Bookmarks

For each bookmark, you will need scissors, a Christmas card, a hole punch, and 50 centimeters of red or green yarn or ribbon.

1. Cut out a picture or strip from the Christmas card.

2. Punch or cut a hole at the top of the picture or strip.

3. Fold the yarn in half; then fold it again and cut the single loop (where the two loose ends are). Push the double loop through the hole in the bookmark; then thread the cut ends through the loop and pull them to make a tassel (see the photograph above).

4. Make several bookmarks and give them to relatives, friends, teachers, or anyone else to wish them a merry Christmas!