Find Joy In An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Have your holiday activities become too predictable or commercial? You can bring back the joyful and simple holidays of yester-year. These activities will help you find joy in an old-fashioned Christmas.
Holiday Cooking - Instead of the traditional turkey for dinner, cook some sort of wild game as the main dish. If that doesn’t appeal to you, try cooking the turkey or ham in a different way. For the side dishes and dessert, consider preparing a few old family recipes. This is especially significant if they are heirloom recipes or you have older family members at your celebration. Want to try something that is a little more adventurous? Try your hand at making plum pudding and don’t forget to add the coin.
Warm Beverages - Instead of coffee, prepare several varieties of hot tea. If your family or guests don’t usually drink hot tea, consider purchasing single-serving variety packs. This will allow people to try different flavors and varieties. You may also choose to offer hot apple cider, with a dash of cinnamon and one clove in each cup. Serve the drinks with warm apple tarts, sugar cookies (biscuits), scones, or gingerbread.
Old-Fashioned Decorations - While you’re in the kitchen, make cinnamon scented ornaments (see recipe) with the kids. These are especially cute when gingerbread men or holiday cookie cutters are used. The ornaments are easy to make and the scent helps to put everyone in the Christmas mood.
Trimming the Tree - Place your Christmas tree where you normally would, but save the trimming for Christmas Eve. Gather family and friends around, while you make popcorn or cranberry strings for the tree. Remember to hang the handmade cinnamon ornaments which were made several days before. As a final touch, add a star, angel, or bow to the top of the tree.
Christmas Stories & Readings - After you trim the Christmas tree, gather your family around, dim the lights, and share a special Christmas story or reading. To get the children involved, have one of them choose a favorite holiday book from which to read. For an even more old-fashioned setting, read the Christmas story straight from the bible.
Handmade Gifts - Celebrate your old-fashioned holiday by making at least one handmade gift for everyone. Children’s gifts could include doll clothes, handmade soaps and bubble bath, scarves, clothing, beaded jewelry, wooden toys, games, and candy. Handmade gift ideas for adults might include soaps and bubble bath, scented candles, scarves, socks, hats, crocheted or quilted blankets, and candy. If you aren’t a crafty kind of person, consider giving everyone a special card which contains activities you will do with or for them.
Wrapping Paper - Long ago, most people didn’t have access to colorful wrapping paper. In fact, most gifts weren’t wrapped at all. When a gift was wrapped, it was usually in brown paper, similar to the paper bags we have now. This year, get a roll of plain brown or white paper (or paper bags.) Let the children decorate the plain paper with crayons, markers, glue, stickers, etc. When the decorating is finished, allow the children to wrap a few gifts in “brown paper.” Oh, and you can’t use tape when wrapping. Back then, you had to tie a string around the package to hold the paper on.
If you need to slow the pace of your holiday season, you can find joy in an old-fashioned Christmas. As everyone participates in the fun activities, several things happen. They become more aware of the importance of family and that simple traditions can bring the most joy. Last but not least, they discover that memories are the most valuable gift.
Happy Holidays!
Cinnamon Scented Gingerbread Ornaments
Would you like to make special holiday memories with your family? Do you need activities to help you recreate an old-fashioned Christmas? This old-fashioned cinnamon scented ornament recipe and the display suggestions may be just what you’re looking for.
Ingredients:
3/4 to 1 c. applesauce (not chunky)
1 (4.12 oz.) bottle ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. ground cloves
1 tbsp. ground nutmeg
whole cloves (eyes - optional)
1 bag cinnamon candy dots (mouth - optional)
various decorations
Alternatives:
Instead of adding ground cloves into the dough mixture, you can use whole cloves to create a face for a gingerbread man. Before the ornament dries, simply push a whole clove into the dough where you’d like. You can use the cloves to make eyes, nose, mouth, buttons, etc. You may also like to add cinnamon candies for decorations.
**DO NOT use cinnamon candy if you intend to oven-dry. The candy will melt.**
Instructions:
Mix applesauce and cinnamon together to form a very stiff dough. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. In each ornament, make a hole, large enough to insert a ribbon or string for hanging. Carefully place ornaments on a rack to dry. Let air dry several days, turning occasionally. You may prefer to bake the ornaments in the oven at 150 degrees for 5-6 hours. Please make sure the ornaments dry slowly. If they dry too quickly, the edges tend to crack.
Display Ideas:
- The traditional way to display these ornaments is to hang them on the Christmas tree. There are also other great ways to display these sweet smelling holiday accents. Here are just a few ideas for you.
- Crochet a chain-stitch garland from red or green yarn. Attach the ornaments to the chain. Drape the chain over hooks, which are located at the edge of the mantle or on a door. You can also use as accents on your artificial fir or holly garland.
- If you use gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutters, add a hole in the middle of each “hand.” When dry, connect the ornaments in paperdoll style. Thread a narrow but sturdy ribbon in the holes. Tie a tight bow in the ribbon between the figures. Hang on the mantle, a door, or anywhere you’d like.
- Arrange ornaments in decorative tins. Occasionally take the lid off to release the cinnamon scent into the room. Consider placing these tins in several rooms in the house for a quick room freshener.
- To keep the holiday spirit going all day, place one or more of the ornaments in your car. You can add a couple in the back window, glove compartment, door pockets, under the seat, or even hang it from one of the clothes hooks in the back seat.
*Please note that these ornaments are not edible.
Spend time in the kitchen with your kids this year. Whether you choose to make the old-fashioned cinnamon scented ornaments in the shape of gingerbread men or other holiday symbols, your kids are sure to remember the Christmas you made ornaments together.
Recommended:
I have great childhood memories of making cinnamon scented ornaments with my mom. Sadly, the cinnamon ornaments don’t last forever. For this reason, I created a keepsake ornament based on this activity (pictured left.)
Click on the graphic to grab one of these gingerbread man ornaments as a keepsake reminder of the time you made cinnamon ornaments for Christmas.
Happy Holidays!
