Sunrise Creations Blog

Nothing says Christmas is coming like a handmade card or decoration lovingly made by a child at child care or at school.  Or even better, at home!

Simple homemade decorations will not only add the personal touch to your home, but also make great gifts for friends, neighbours and teachers, and the person who drops in unexpectedly who you forgot to buy something for!

A visit to a craft shop will be fun.  Find little eyes, and cutouts to decorate flat sticks and they become characters to hang on your tree. Add a cardboard hat and a bead for a nose and every one will be unique.

A very simple but effective project for your Christmas table are Candy Cane napkin rings, that can be made inexpensively and to match your own personal decor with the help of kids aged 4 and up.  How exciting for a little person to see their handiwork being admired as the guests sit down to dine together.

A simple florists ball can be decorated without fuss and yet still produces a stunning result.  Just add plastic or paper flowers and stick them onto the ball with a craft pin.  Add a ribbon at the top and it's ready to hang.

Christmas crackers or Bonbons are another great project for children young and old, and can be as cheap and cheerful or extravagant as you wish, both in their decoration and the trinkets you include. Scratch Lottery tickets, chocolates and pens are popular inclusions on the cheaper side; with pen knives, cufflinks or costume jewellery good options should you feel more generous.   Christmas Crackers can serve a dual purpose as place cards, and can be personalised with sayings, jokes or a memory you share with the lucky recipient.  What an individual and thoughtful addition these would be at your dining table.

Paper garlands, Homemade gingerbread tree decorations or a gingerbread house, a family wreath for the front door, cards and wrapping paper or whatever takes your fancy. Christmas decorations can be made to suit any budget, skills and age group, and are a wonderful tradition to start or continue with your kids in preparation for a visit from the big man in the red suit!

Gingerbread men might have originated within the court of Queen Elizabeth the 1st, but you don’t need to be royalty to enjoy this tasty and decorative Christmas treat.  You don’t even need to be a grown up.

Baking and decorating Gingerbread men, and ladies too of course, make tasty baubles for the Christmas tree, a great gift for the teacher or the neighbours, and a fun activity for kids of all ages, after all, everyone is a kid at Christmas?

If you are a traditionalist, you can’t go past an old fashioned gingerbread cutter with basic decorations, but don’t be afraid to funk it up a little if you are more modern in your taste. You can decorate or dress your gingerbread people to represent family members, a cookie version of the popular ‘My Family” stickers if you will.  Royal icing in white is the most popular decoration, but you can colour the icing, or use dried fruit, silver cachous, chocolate buttons or just about anything you like to make your tasty little family come to gingerbread life.

The dough can be cut into any shape you like, and stars are popular as well as festive. Ninjabread men are a tongue in cheek version of the old favourite, and great for the family with active little ninja’s. 

If you don’t have a family recipe or favourite cook book to consult, thousands of versions can be found online.  You are sure to find one that takes your fancy.  You might like to try the Gingerbread Men recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly.

Making and decorating gingerbread as a family is a fun tradition you can start at any age, and a priceless memory to create for your kids that outlasts the lolly high and plastic toys.