Here at Gooseberry Patch, it's almost NEVER too early to start celebrating the most merry holiday of all...we love Christmas!
Today, we're sharing some tips to get you in the spirit. They're all from our new cookbook, Homemade Christmas, now available as an eBook!
Take the whole family to select and cut a Christmas tree...an old tradition that's worth keeping. A hearty breakfast of hot oatmeal will fortify everyone against the cold. Have hot cocoa waiting in a slow cooker to chase away the chill afterwards...with candy-cane stirrers just for fun!
Surprise brunch guests with a muffin tree. Attach mini muffins to a tall styrofoam cone with toothpicks until the cone is completely covered. Try this with doughnut holes too...yummy!
Create a festive garland from Christmas cards to hang above the buffet. Simply punch a hole in the top corners of the cards and thread them onto a strand of ribbon.
A vintage holiday tea towel is a quick & easy wrap-up for small gifts. Place the gife in the center and bring the corners together. Secure with a length of ribbon and you're done!
Tuck silverware into plush red mini Christmas stockings to lay on each guests plate...how festive!
Share the Christmas spirit with a good winter deed...shovel the driveway and sidewalk for a neighbor. When you reach the doorstep, be sure to knock on the door and wish them a happy holiday!
Quick, easy handmade napkins...there are so many cute holiday fabrics that you'll want to make lots! Cut four 18" squares from a yard of cotton fabric. Turn in each edge 1/8 inch and press, then turn and press again. Stitch close to the folded edge...pretty and useful!
Consider sending postcards instead of ordinary Christmas cards. They're fun to send, don't take long to write and cost less to mail. Pick up some nostalgic old-time reproductions or make your own postcards using scrapbooking supplies. Either way, they're sure to be remembered.
A gift card is anything but ordinary when tucked into a handmade felt envelope. Simply cut two small rectangles of felt wiht pinking shears and glue or sew toether on three sides. Add the recipient's name in glitter paint...how special!
Create a whimsical one-of-a-kind wreath from old Christmas cards. Start with a wreath-size circle of foam core or heavy cardboard. Clip out images like angels and Santas from cards to cover the wreath. Glue in place with craft glue, overlapping some and adding on tiny bows, pom-poms and other accents as you go. How clever!
For a pretty yet super-speedy centerpiece, wrap chunky pillar candles in a length of glitter wide ribbon and fasten with double-stick tape. A great way to use all those snips of extra ribbon too!
A gift of a casserole dish or a small kitchen appliance that's anything but ordinary! Tuck in several handwritten recipe cards featuring some yummy ways to use the gift...perhaps even a couple jars of special spices or seasoning mixes.
Use favorite cookie cutters for all kinds of crafting! Trace around them onto brightly colored paper for placecards and gift tags...add a dash of glitter for sparkle. Make simple ornaments too! Just trace onto doubled felt and cut out. Blanket-stitch together and stuff lightly...so cute.
Make quick & easy "snowballs" to tuck into the Christmas tree or nestle in an evergreen centerpiece. Simply cut snowy white quilt batting into narrow strips and roll it into balls. Add a pinch of frosty glitter, if you like.
In need of a tree skirt? A jolly vintage Christmas tablecloth with its brightly colored images of Santas, elves or carolers is easily wrapped around the tree for a bit of old-fashioned holiday fun.
Need a way to keep the kids busy while they're waiting for Santa's big day? Show them how to cut snowflakes from folded paper, then let them scatter a blizzard of snowflakes around the house...on the tree, down the banister, even taped to gift-wrapped packages.
Snap up some pretty Christmas tins at tag sales this year! With a quick scrub and a fresh lining of parchment paper, they're as good as new. When the holidays roll around, you'll have plenty of containers to fill with homemade goodies for gift giving.
The next time you pick up the Christmas cards in your mailbox, why not skip in a sweet treat for the letter carrier? You could even tuck in a gift card for a nearby coffee shot...how thoughtful!
Be a cookie elf! Wrap up plates of cookies to leave secretly on neighbors' doorstops...be sure you don't get caught and leave a note inviting them to "elf" someone else in the neighborhood!
Start a new family tradition. December 26th is Boxing Day, when gifts would be given to those less fortunate. It's a good day to gather up toys, clothing and housewares that are o longer needed but are still good. On the 26th, deliver them to local charities as a family!
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