Christmas – Learning With My Boys

Christmas Tree Teepee

This year I really wanted to make a Teepee Tree for my girls to play in. The idea is that the kids can play inside of the Christmas tree for a month and then Santa puts the gifts inside of the Teepee on Christmas morning.

I really had no idea how to build it, and I couldn’t find any satisfactory directions. So I decided to go at it one step at a time (which took much longer than I wanted and was very much frustrating at times).

I started by purchasing a 5 foot Teepee. I put together the Teepee and saw that it was saggy since I wasn’t able to attach the corner stakes that go into the ground that hold it firm.

I decided to get some 1/2 inch PVC pipe to form the bottom boarder of the inside of the teepee. Since the teepee is 5ft x 5ft I made the PVC square, but the corner pieces that hold it together add about and inch on each side; so I had to cut an inch off of my 5 foot pieces.

Next I folded the flaps back, but I needed something sturdy to attach my garland to. So I got 2 six foot pieces of PCV pipe and a three foot piece to form a triangle door for my Teepee. I attached the six foot pieces to the three foot piece with 90 degree corner pieces. (The PVC pipe is much cheaper at Lowes or Home Depot.)

I used zip ties to attach the triangle PVC to my 5 foot square PCV. I also zip tied the top of my PVC triangle to the top of my teepee poles.

I used 250 feet of green Christmas garland for my teepee. I place the first row of my garland all the way around the teepee, securing it in the 4 corners with a safety pin where the tent stake goes through.

After the first wrap or two around the entire teepee, I needed to wrap the garland around the PVC triangle opening to my teepee every time I came around to the front to create the opening.

I noticed that the garland was sagging, so I used binder clips on the corner teepee poles to hold the garland tight.

I continued wrapping the garland back and forth around the teepee using the clips on the corners until I got to the top of where I wanted the door opening to be.

The PVC triangle doorway was showing quite a bit of white pipe through, so I wrapped some smaller pieces of garland around it to cover the pipes.

I then started wrapping the garland all the way around the teepee top to close up the top of the door.

I had extra garland and the top of my tree looked a little scrawny, so I used the rest of my garland and wrapped the top part of my tree t more times. Then I wrapped the top of the teepee poles with the last bit of garland.

For the lights, I just zig zagged them back and forth on the side of the tree that showed. I used the binder clips that were already on the tree to keep the lights in place. When the lights got to the top of the tree, then I could wrap the lights all the way around the tree.

We decorated the tree and put a tree skirt in the bottom of the tree.

The girls liked to take their stuffed animals into their Christmas tent.

Merry Christmas!

Here are some of my other Christmas DIY posts:

DIY Christmas Fruit Basket & Crafts

We made a variety of different DIY gifts this year for Christmas. We made Christmas carol canvases and fruit trees. We also made little Christmas bulb trees to put in the fruit basket. These were so fun to make with the little girls.

DIY Christmas Bulb Tree

We made these little Christmas trees out of 1.5 inch Christmas blubs. I made about 30 of these because I wanted to keep a few for myself. We put the trees in the teacher fruit baskets with nuts, pine twigs, and chocolates.

I got a 1×2 board and cut it at 5 inches (you may need to cut yours longer if you have larger bulbs). Then I found some old letter blocks in the basement to use at the tree stand. I got black spray paint and sprayed all of the wooden pieces.

Once the spray paint dried for 24 hours, I used wood glue to glue the block to one side of the board. Then I used my hot glue gun to glue 4 bulbs along the board, be sure to place the ornament hook in the back of the tree. Then I glued 3 bulbs on top of the 4, and 2 on top of the 3, and then 1 on the very top of the tree.

I had some gold sparkle cardstock and I used my start punch to make a star to go on top of the tree.

I just loved the way these turned out and they were small enough to fit in my fruit baskets perfectly.

Teacher Fruit Baskets

We made these Christmas fruit baskets for teachers, coaches, car pool drivers, neighbors, pastors, and coworkers.

I found these baskets at the consignment store. I wanted to use bigger basket for my coworkers, and I love the way that they turned out.

I needed about 10 smaller baskets for my sons teachers and coaches. I always save the Velveeta Cheese boxes for the past 10 years or so. I had about 30 of them, so I glued them together in threes and then wrapped them with Christmas paper. Then I stuffed the bottoms with brown packing paper to help hold the fruit up.

Next I added tissue paper and I went out to our yard to get some sprigs of evergreen tree. I placed my Christmas Bulb Tree in the middle and added the fruit around it. I wanted to stick with red and green fruit, so I chose red and green apples, pears, kiwi, and limes.

Next we added small pine cones, mixed nuts, cinnamon sticks, mini candy canes, and Ferrero Rocher.

Last, I placed our family Christmas card in the box and wrapped it with cellophane wrap. I used tiny clear elastics to hold the cellophane closed and added a Christmas ribbon around it.

I took about 7 baskets to church pastors and friends as well. For their baskets I found these super cute boxes at the Dollar Tree and placed the tissue paper inside. Then I added the pine twigs, my Christmas Bulb Tree, fruit, and nuts.

Finally, I placed our family Christmas card in the box and wrapped it with cellophane wrap. I used tiny clear elastics to hold the cellophane closed and added a Christmas ribbon around it.

I used a large bowl from the Dollar Tree to make these last two baskets for our neighbors. I placed a Christmas candle in the middle and used up the rest of my supplies for these.

Here is our family Christmas picture that I put in the cards with the fruit baskets.

Kids Christmas Carol Canvas

The girls made Christmas canvases for their Grandparents gifts. We used 11×14 inch canvases and put Christmas Carols on them. The girls used different shades of green acrylic paint (Hunter Green and Spring Green) to paint the entire canvas.

After the paint dried, I printed out some old Christmas Carols and used Mod Podge to sponge brush it onto the canvas. I put the Mod Podge under the carol and on top of it.

After that dried, the girls used gold sparkle paint to paint the boarder of the carol paper.

Last we used red Dot Daubers to make the groups of 3 dots around the painting.

Then I hot glued a fabric holly leaf to the top of the canvas.

I really love how they turned out, and the girls grandparents loved them as well.

Here are some of the other DIY Christmas posts…

Thanksgiving Gingerbread Nativity -24

Every year we make gingerbread houses on Thanksgiving. We made a Nativity scene with graham crackers and gum drop people. We used coconut for the hay and animal crackers with candy canes as well. We tried something new this year, using peanut butter instead of icing; but it wasn’t sturdy enough so the gumdrops kept falling over. Next time we will have to add some powdered sugar to the peanut butter to thicken it up.

We also got this Gingerbread Train to try.

Homemade Apple Cinnamon Play Dough

We made some homemade Apple Cinnamon Play Dough, it is included in my Teachers Pay Teachers Fall Fun Autumn Preschool Pack. I also laminated the Apple Tree Orchard Play Dough Mat that is included in the pack.

Ingredients:

1 Cup flour
1/3 Cup salt
2 Teaspoons cream of tarter
2 Teaspoons Apple Pie Spice
1 Cup water
1 Tablespoon oil
Red food Coloring

Directions:

In a small saucepan, mix together 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP vegetable oil and a few drops of red food coloring.
In another small bowl mix together 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup salt, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice.
Turn the stove on medium heat and slowly mix your flour mixture into your water mixture.
Continuing mixing until the color is fully blended and the playdough begins to pull away from the saucepan. The batter will be lumpy but as you stir the playdough begins to form and sticks to itself.
Place the playdough on a piece of parchment paper and allow it to cool a bit.
Once it’s cool to the touch knead for a few minutes until soft.

Here are some of our other Thanksgiving Gingerbread posts:

And here are some of our other Family Holidays:

8th Grade Class Auction Project

Each year our school does an auction fund raiser. Each class makes a collaborative art project and an auction basket. My 8th grader’s class worked together to create a wooden Christmas ornaments for the school fundraising auction this year.

Collaborative Christmas Ornaments

I had each child a wooden circle with a whole near the top. Then they decorated their hand with paint markers in a Christmas design. After they decorated them, we put twine through the whole and added a wooden bead or bow.

Dinner Menu Gift Cards/ Auction Basket

We found a chalk board that said “Weekly Menu” on it. Then strung twine back and froth across the front to hang gift cards from. We used tiny wooden clothes pins to hang the cards.

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DIY Cinnamon Christmas Candles

I made these Cinnamon Stick Candles for Christmas gifts. Each year we give small gifts to all of teachers, coaches, neighbors, coworkers, and our church pastors along with our family Christmas card and photo.

Supplies:

I used the hot glue to attach the cinnamon sticks to the outside of the candles. Some taller candles needed two rows of cinnamon sticks, one above the ribbon and one below. Then I glued the twine and ribbon around the candle and added the holly and jingle bells.

Each year we take a Christmas photo to put in our cards. This year I had the kids dress in their Christmas pajamas!

Merry Christmas!

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Gingerbread House Tradition -23

Our family Thanksgiving tradition is making Gingerbread Houses. This year we used a Wilton House Kit with the icing and candies.

We use the icing like the glue to hold the gingerbread house together. Then once it was pretty sturdy, we used the glue to attach the candy decorations.

This is a tradition that my little sister and I started when we were teenagers. I have continued it with my kids (and sometimes their cousins) for over 20 years now.

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Christmas Fireplace & Crafts

Christmas Fire Place

I wrapped diaper boxes and pizza boxes in brown packing paper. Then I mixed red and black paint and used a sponge to put it on the paper to look like bricks.

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree

Gingerbread Christmas Tree

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
¾ Cup melted butter
¾ Cup sugar
½ Cup Molasses
½ Cup water
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp ginger
1 TBS Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 egg

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients.
Once dough begins to form, dust generously with flour.
Cover dough with plastic and chill for 4 hours.
Dust surface with flour and roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.
Use a cookie cutter and place pieces on sprayed cookie sheet.
Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Christmas Day Snacks

Fruit Dip Wreath

Fruit dip is made with cream cheese and marshmallow cream.

Vegi Tray Wreath

Vegi ranch is made with sour cream and a ranch packet.

Toddler & Baby Christmas Photos

She’s such a toddler… all over the place!

Such a sweet 9 month old.

I love how she put her toes together and her hands behind her head.

Future Best Friends

Check out how I created my fireplace from diaper boxes at my Christmas Fireplace & Crafts post.

Christmas Cookies

We made cookie boxes for our teachers and coworkers this year.

Chewy Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
2 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 tea baking powder
12 tea salt
1 tea Vanilla
Colored Sugar for Rolling

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sugar Cookie Swirls

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Butter
1 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
2 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 tea baking powder
12 tea salt
1 tea Vanilla
Red and Green Food Coloring
Christmas Sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cream together butter and sugar.
Add egg and mix well.
Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
Divide into 3 portions and dye 1 portion red and another portion green.
Chill for 1 hour.
Roll out the 3 doughs and stack them on plastic wrap.
Roll them up into a cylinder and chill for 1 hour more.
Take off the plastic wrap and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Roll slices in the sprinkles.
Place cookies on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Almond Joy Cookies

Servings 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS:

1 14 oz bag sweetened coconut flakes
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped lightly salted almonds
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl combine coconut, chocolate chips, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk.
Stir until combined.
Scoop out dough with a cookie scoop onto prepared baking sheet.
Moisten the tips of your fingers with water and shape into discs. Pat the tops flat.
Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tips of coconut are just starting to turn golden brown.
Let cool on baking sheet.
Store cookies in an airtight container.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Servings: 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup crushed candy canes
1 cup white chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl beat together the butter, shortening, white sugar & brown sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
Add in the vanilla extract & peppermint extract, then mix in the eggs 1 at a time.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and mix in the flour, baking soda & salt.
Mix in the crushed candy canes & white chocolate chips.
Form the dough into balls about 1 tablespoons and place 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then continue cooling on a wire rack.

Gooey Red Velvet Cookies

Makes 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¼ cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsps baking powder
¼ tsp salt
8oz of softened cream cheese
4 tbsps of softened butter
1 egg
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp red liquid food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a bowl mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and put to one side for later.
In another larger bowl cream the butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth. Then beat in the egg and the food coloring.
Add to this mixture the dry ingredients you set aside earlier. Mix it all together until dough is formed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave the dough to chill for around 2 hours.
Place the powdered sugar into a small bowl. Separate the dough into 1 inch balls and roll each ball into the powdered sugar. Place dough balls onto a greased baking tray.
Bake cookies in an oven pre heated to 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Leave cookies to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled store in an airtight container. They should keep for 3 days.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Servings 36 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
4 packages hot cocoa mix
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 Cup mini marshmallows

INSTRUCTIONS:

Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Gradually beat dry ingredients into butter mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop 2 tablespoons dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; remove to wire racks and cool.

Gingerbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups flour
¾ Cup melted butter
¾ Cup sugar
½ Cup Molasses
½ Cup water
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp ginger
1 TBS Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 egg

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients.
Once dough begins to form, dust generously with flour.
Cover dough with plastic and chill for 4 hours.
Dust surface with flour and roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.
Use a cookie cutter and place pieces on sprayed cookie sheet.
Bake 350 degrees for 8 minutes

Milk Chocolate Nut Melts

INGREDIENTS:

Milk Chocolate Chips
Chopped Nuts
Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
Put the chocolate in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
Spoon the melted chocolates into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and place in the chopped nuts.
Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Melts

INGREDIENTS:

Dark Chocolate Candy Melts
White Chocolate Candy Melts
Crushed Candy Canes
Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
Put the chocolate in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
Spoon the melted chocolates into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and place in the crushed candy canes.
Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Christmas Candy Melts

INGREDIENTS:

Red and Green Candy Melts
Tiny Christmas sprinkles
Candy Molds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a cup of water in a small sauce pan, and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to simmer, and place a glass bowl on the sauce pan.
Put the candy melts in the bowl and keep stirring for several minutes until smooth.
Place a piping bag into a large glass and fold the bag over the edges of the glass.
Spoon the melted candy into the piping bag and twist the top of the bag.
Cut off the tip and squirt into the candy molds and sprinkle in the Christmas sprinkles.
Refrigerate for half an hour and then pop them out.

Peppermint Bowls

I just cut out the red portion of 1 bowl and then placed it onto the other bowls one at a time while I spray painted them red. Then I wrapped them with clear wrapping.

Christmas Fireside Family Photos

Merry Christmas!

Lots of teens and tots in our family photo this year! The toughest part of family time these days, is matching the schedule of these kids going every which way. They are all involved in so many activities I am sososososo proud of them all.

I set up my props in the backyard by our firepit and picnic table. I used vintage sleds, firewood, checkered tablecloth, wooden guitar, and some evergreenery.