The holidays are a great time to enjoy the company of the people you love. Decorating the Christmas tree...wrapping gifts...shopping...there is plenty to do and fun to be had! Last Christmas, I decided to help a friend come up with craft ideas to do with her children and spent an evening decorating and enjoying each other's company. The craft ideas were such a hit with the little ones that they will be repeating them again this year.

With a few simple items, craft projects can become a fun family activity. Allowing children to participate in this way makes Christmas a memorable time and starts a tradition that will be carried on through generations - Let the family Christmas Craft Party begin!!

Children's Personalized Christmas Cards

This easy project allows children to think of the people they love during the holiday season!

You will need:

• Christmas Cards - several varieties can be found on the Internet. I went to the local dollar store and got children's cards (Cinderella for the girl, Cars for the boy).
• Craft paint - Choose your children's favorite colors, Christmas colors, or those that match the cards. I let the children chose their paint color
• Paint brush or sponge

After you've picked your colors, have the kids roll up their sleeves! An adult should handle the paint and cards, so kids painted fingerprints don't wind up all over the place. Cover the child's hand with a layer of paint and help them press their hand onto the card.

Once the cards dry, allow the children to write personalized messages to whoever they want: Grandparents,aunts and uncles, teachers, pastors, etc...Make sure to put the date on the card. Not only are the cards cute, they become a keepsake to remember those tiny hands and sweet words!

if your child can't write yet, let them scribble in the card. You can add stickers, glitter, confetti - anything really. Just watch those little hands when they are covered with paint and wash up as soon as you are finished!!

Christmas Tree Streamers

This is a project that you can prepare and let your kids have at it! I have been making streamers like this since I was a kid (though back then, we only used popcorn). My issue with using popcorn is that you have to give the child a needle to push through and string...I do not give children needles or knives simply because when I said they are not toys, i meant it. With so many alternative choices, there is no reason to use a needle and thread. My favorite food item to use is macaroni but fruit loops, or apple jacks, will work.

You will need:

• Uncooked macaroni noodles (like ziti) and wagon wheel noodles
• food coloring
• yarn

First, dye the noodles different colors by dropping them into food coloring.If using ziti or another long noodle, cut in half before dying. Let them dry. Now place each color in a different cup, give the kids the yarn and let them string the noodles. That's it!

Paper Snowflakes

I've done this since I was a child as well. Fold your paper into eighths and cut out triangles or half circles and unfold. Decorate if desired. I like to spray with spray glitter (available at craft stores) for extra sparkle. Coffee filters also work with this project. Use a hole punch and attach a piece of yarn to the flake. kids can hang these off door knobs, or they can be hung in kids rooms for fun holiday decoration.

Homemade Play-dough Ornaments

This quick and easy recipe can be divided and mixed with assorted food coloring or left white to be painted.

You will need:

• 1 cup salt
• 4 cups flour
• water about 1 1/2 cups
• paint
• paint brushes
• glitter
• ribbon (to hang on tree)
• cookie cutters

Mix 1 c. salt with 4 c. flour and add enough water to make a soft dough (about 1 1/2 cups). Roll and cut with cookie cutters. Poke a hole in the top of each ornament and bake in oven at 350 for one hour.

Once cooled, let kids decorate their ornaments in any fashion they like. If you have a strict color scheme during the holidays (for instance, I had a friend who only used blue ornaments...different color blues but still) only give your kids the colors of paint and glitter that will match. When they are finished decorating, let dry and add ribbon through the hole at the top of the ornament. These make great gifts along with personalized Christmas Cards for Grandma!

Below are links to a few other sites that offer TONS more craft ideas for you and your kids! I also like to encourage my kids to get in the gift giving spirit by making homemade dog treats (or cat treats) for their animals. This is just another way to remind them to think of others during the Christmas season and enjoy making and giving gifts as much as receiving them! There is a link to my favorite dog treat recipes below. The spiced pumpkin treats are my favorite for Christmas because they smell so festive while baking!

More ideas:

• Make cookies for Santa
• Decorate Christmas stockings...don't forget your four-legged friends!
• Go Caroling
• Watch Christmas Movies - A Charlie Brown Christmas is always a favorite
• Make a wreath
• Make a candle holder by gluing a red candle to a cardboard circle. Hot glue peppermint candies around the candle and stack them to make a cute and simple center piece.
• Line the mantle with tinsel and Christmas lights for extra sparkle
• Create a Christmas Scavenger hunt. This was a favorite of mine as a child! Place an envelope on the tree with the first clue, directing the kids to the present - that has another clue attached to it! While the tree may look a little sparse with all the presents hidden around the house, this is a fun way to spend time together on Christmas morning.
• Make gingerbread houses. There are several varieties available these days that have the ginger bread already baked and cut into shape, so just decorate and enjoy!!
• Make gingerbread men
• Read a Christmas story

Be creative and enjoy each other at Christmas and all year long!