A great project for the holidays is to make a family Christmas tree wall-hanging. Not only is it a great activity for the family, but it will hang on the wall as a cherished family heirloom.

CHRISTMAS FAMILY TREE WALL-HANGING

Materials Needed

  • 1 (24″x48″) neutral cotton rug

  • Pencil

  • Contact paper

  • Acrylic paints: Green Pearl, Teal Pearl, Bright Red

  • Plastic plates

  • Sponge brushes or cut sponges

  • Puff paints or permanent markers

  • Yardstick

  • 1 yard of rope or ribbon for hanging

  • Artificial holly, jingle bells, narrow ribbon

  • Glue gun

  • Optional: stencils

Wear old clothes and protect your work area with a drop cloth or newspapers. Draw a large tree-shaped triangle lengthwise on the rug. Cut contact paper into enough circles or ornament shapes for each family member and place them decoratively on the tree.

Pour green and teal paints next to each other on a plastic plate. (Using two colors adds depth and texture to the tree.) Have each family member dip his or her hand in the paints. Starting at the bottom, fill in the tree design by stamping handprints onto the rug with the fingers fanned out and pointing down from the top of the tree. Move up the tree, using smaller handprints near the top. Help younger children by holding their wrists while they stamp their handprints.

Remove the contact paper. Cut sponges the same size as the contact paper ornaments. Dip the sponges in red paint and stamp ornaments onto the rug in the outlines left by the contact paper. When the paint is dry, stencil or paint your family’s last name, the date, and family members’ names and birth dates.

Cut a yardstick to fit across the top and hot glue it to the back of the rug. Glue a rope or ribbon hanger to the top. Tie small bows or narrow ribbon and hot glue them to the ornaments. Trim with artificial holly and jingle bells.