The excitement that children associate with Christmas does not seem to diminish much in middle and late childhood. Even streetwise 15-year-olds have been known to go dreamy eyed over the thought of bringing home the Christmas tree! Here are some ideas on how to decorate your club and make festive presents for family and friends.
THINGS TO MAKE
Festive branch
You don't need to go to the expense of purchasing a Christmas tree. Why not find a large, twiggy branch? Place it in a big flower pot, using some soil and stones to anchor it in place, and put it somewhere safe. Don't forget to decorate the pot by either painting it with bright seasonal colours or wrapping it with shiny tin foil. Wind some Christmas lights around the branch and then let the children decorate it with some of the following ideas.
Hanging moons and stars
You will need:
* A clean foil dish or container
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Thread
What to do:
Flatten the foil dish, opening it out until you have a smooth surface, or alternatively cut out the bottom.
Draw moon and star shapes on the foil - the point of the pencil will leave a good mark - and cut them out. With a scissor point, press gently all round the edge to make a pattern. Make additional patterns on both sides of the foil using a pencil point. Then make a hole in the top of the moon and push through a loop of thread to hang the mobile. Repeat with the stars.
Finally, place the moons and stars on the branches of your tree.
Clay decorations
Clay is an easy material to work with and, if you use the self-hardening clay, it doesn't need to be fired in a kiln.
You will need:
* Self-hardening clay
* Poster paints and varnish
* Brushes
* Modelling/pastry cutters and knives (seasonal shapes are easy to obtain from kitchen shops) * Modelling tools
* Rolling pin
* Fine copper wire or thin ribbon
* Wooden board, if possible
What to do:
The best surface to work on is a wooden board. Take a small lump of clay and roll it into a ball. Using the rolling pin, flatten out the ball of clay on the board then, using either the cutters or the knife, cut out your desired shape.
Add some detail to the surface. For example, make a tiny swirl by rolling a length of clay with your hand until you have a long thin sausage shape.
Wind it into a spiral and stick it on to your clay decoration. If the clay starts to dry out, all you have to do is wet your finger and smooth over the crackto seal it again.
When you have finished adding the detail to your Christmas decoration, make a small hole at the top. This is needed for the small piece of wire or ribbon to hang your decoration from the branch of the tree.
Leave your design to dry and harden. When this is done you can paint and varnish the clay, then thread the ribbon or wire through the hole and tie it in a loop.
For a really stunning design, you could gild the surface of your decoration. Gilding paper and glue can be purchased from most craft shops.
Simply make a design with the glue, press down the gilding paper and remove it to reveal a gilded pattern.
Felt stockings
Children can personalise these easy-to-make stockings and hang them on their Christmas trees, or for small presents, a sweet can be popped into each one.
You will need:
* Felt - seasonal colours, such as red and green, or even glittery felt
* Needle and thread
* Glue
* Very thin ribbon
* Small beads
What to do:
Using two small pieces of felt, about 6cm square, cut out your stocking shape out twice. If the stocking is a present, draw the initial of the person it is being given to on a different coloured piece of felt and cut it out. If the stocking is for the maker, they can cut out their own initial. Sew or glue the initial to the one of the stockings. You can add more detail or sew beads on to this side of the stocking if you wish.
Sew the two stockings together, leaving a gap at the top. Then cut a small strip of ribbon, make a loop with it and attach it to the corner. Pop a sweet or some other small surprise in the stocking and hang it on your festive branch or Christmas tree.
You could also make a giant stocking from scraps of material sewn together and fill it with boxes before hanging it down one wall!
Clove studded orange
A clove-studded orange is easy and satisfying to make and will produce a fantastic aroma!
You will need:
* A small orange
* A length of red ribbon
* Cloves. If you buy these in bulk, it will be much cheaper
* Sewing pins
What to do:
Start by placing the ribbon round the orange as shown in the diagram.
Secure it in place with the pins and make a loop at the top. Now fill the spaces on the orange by pushing the cloves firmly into the surface of the orange. Carry on until the whole orange, apart from the ribbon, is covered.
Hang the orange above a fireplace or somewhere prominent for maximum effect.
HOME MADE SWEETS
Homemade sweets, packed in decorative boxes, make ideal presents at Christmas. Place the sweets in individual paper cases and make a sparkly box to pop them into.
Chocolate covered sweets
For chocolate-covered sweets, use good-quality plain chocolate. Break it into small pieces, put in a bowl and place over a pan of water. Stir the chocolate until melted, but don't allow the water underneath to boil or it will cause the chocolate to separate. Dip the sweets into the chocolate, holding between two forks. Allow the excess to drip off and leave to set on non-stick paper.
Marzipan sweets
Good-quality marzipan bought in blocks is popular for many sweets. You can buy it in different colours, or make your own shades by kneading pink, green or yellow food colouring into the mixture. Mould the marzipan into the required shape and cover with a dusting of icing sugar. Place the marzipan sweets in individual paper cases.
Peppermint creams
This recipe will make about 25 sweets.
You will need:
* 225g/8oz of icing sugar
* 1 egg white
* Peppermint essence
To make:
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and blend with enough beaten egg white to form a stiff paste. Add a few drops of peppermint essence.
Knead the paste lightly in the bowl, using the fingertips. Roll the paste out to 5mm thick, on sheets of non-stick or waxed paper. Stamp out 2.5cm rounds with a plain cutter and leave the mints to dry for about 24 hours.
When dry place in paper cases.
OTHER IDEAS TO BRING A TOUCH OF CHRISTMAS CHEER!
* Make mince pies and sell them, along with a selection of your sweets, to raise money for charity
* Design and make your own Christmas crackers
* Design Christmas cards. You could even turn this into a competition.
Approach local printers to print the cards and sell them to family and friends
* Run quizzes and competitions on Christmas and Christmas trivia
* Run music quizzes
* Make candles
* Create miniature snow scenes
* Weave holly wreaths
* Hold a Christmas party
AROUND THE WORLD
In other countries, Christmas is often celebrated with different traditions.
Portugal
People pretend that Father Christmas brings presents to children on Christmas Eve. The presents are left under the Christmas tree or in shoes by the fireplace. A special Christmas meal of salted dry cod-fish with boiled potatoes is eaten at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Russia
In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much.
Now Christmas can be openly celebrated either on December 25 or more often on January 7. This is because the Russian Orthodox Church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. Special foods include cakes, pies and meat dumplings.
Sweden
The most important day is Christmas Eve, when a special meal of ham, herring and brown beans is eaten. Many families give presents to each other on Christmas Eve and attend church on Christmas Day.
Germany
Father Christmas - 'Der Weihnachstmann'-brings presents in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve after people attend church. The presents are then placed under the Christmas tree and one person in the family rings a bell and calls everyone to come into the room. On Christmas Day, a carp or goose will be cooked.
