December is quickly approaching, which means that you only have so much time to prepare for the winter holidays. If you want to craft gifts and decorations, you will need to start planning now so that your projects are ready for Christmas day. If you need some creative inspiration, here are three clever and thoughtful crafts to make for the holiday season.
Christmas Stockings
Instead of buying a stocking at the store, learn how to crochet a stocking to hang on the bannister or mantelpiece. For a classic look, you can easily learn how to do a monogramed stocking or a stocking in the shape of a reindeer or snowman. For more design options and instructions regarding holiday stockings, go to the crafting website Yarnspirations and sort your options based on materials or skill-level. The website is perfect for all your knitting and crocheting needs, so that you will never wonder what project you should start next.
DIY Advent Calendars
While it’s nice to purchase an advent calendar at the grocery store, it will pale in comparison to a personalized version. A personalized calendar has no limits to the treasures it can reveal: you can fill the calendar with premium chocolates, candies and assorted confections; or you can hide bigger treasures like toys, money and gift cards. If you are making this for an adult, you can even buy miniature liquor and wine bottles — a miniature bottle of Champagne would be a pleasant surprise on Christmas morning.
You can try to make an advent calendar in a similar fashion to the store-bought version, by using cardboard, paper and hot glue. For an easier design, you can pin numbered envelopes, sacks or small stockings to a corkboard with festive decorations. You can also place the gifts in small numbered boxes, then glue the boxes to a board in the shape of a Christmas tree, star or snowflake.
Tree Ornaments
Decorating the Christmas tree is a perfect excuse to break out your craft supplies: you can quickly cut elaborate snowflakes out of white paper, make garlands out of popcorn and thread, and turn ribbons into enormous bows. If you want to try something more challenging, you can purchase clear glass ornaments and style them for the tree. If you have any yarn left over from crocheting your Christmas stocking, you can make colourful ornaments by filling them with coils of yarn. Another beautiful idea is to paint the baubles and then coat half of them in gold leaf, so that they shine under the string lights. Follow your own creative instincts and embellish clear ornaments with whatever materials you think look best.
Christmas is the perfect reason to get out all of your crafting supplies and to start working on creative projects. You can crochet a personalized stocking to hang over the fireplace, assemble an incredible advent calendar to count down the holidays and decorate the tree with festive ornaments. Follow this list for creative inspiration so that your holiday season is full of joy and beautiful crafts.
