Fun Holiday Craft: Pomanders

I love making Pomanders, they simply smell amazing.  If you do it right they last for years (I have one that is 15-years old!), and they make lovely ornaments for your Christmas tree.  Check out my YouTube video on this craft.

All you need are oranges, sturdy-round toothpicks and lots of whole cloves (approximately 1-ounce per medium-sized orange).

Simply poke the toothpick into the orange and then fill the hole with the long side of the clove.  Hang in a warm dry place for several days to allow it to become fully preserved.  A great and easy craft for ages 3+.  Two tips: make sure that at least 50% of the orange is covered in cloves if you really want the clove oil to preserve the orange, and if you have sensitive skin you may want to wear thin gloves because the clove oil can be a little irritating if you break the skin.

Simplifying and Giving Meaning to Holiday Gifts

There is something about upholding traditions that makes even the most distasteful tasks enjoyable.  For instance, every year we rent a Christmas tree, the SAME Christmas tree, from LivingChristmas.com.  Our tree is not a beauty by any means, but Paco Noel (that’s the name we gave him) is family!  And even though he looks a lot like Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree, we love having him visit every year.   After all, it’s tradition!!  This article comes up with an ingenious solution to create a family tradition of fewer gifts.  The tradition is 4-gifts per family member: something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read.  Check out the full article for the impetus behind this idea.

http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/relationships/rekindling-family-christmas-spirit/