Before you take inventory of all the Christmas decorations you’ve accumulated over the years or run out to buy new ones, you may want to garner a few ideas from the neighbors. Take both daytime and nighttime drives through town to see what new decorating trends are going up. You may have less to purchase than you think if you use your creativity and adapt what’s out there to what you already have. But before you begin, make this feeding decoration for your nearest neighbors — the birds.
Christmas Tree for the Birds
Use a small evergreen tree or gather four to six 12-inch branches from evergreen shrubs. Tie them together in the center to form a “tree.” Attach enough wire or cord to the top to tie the tree to a fence or tree branch outside.
Decorate with stringed berries, bread cubes, marshmallows, popcorn, crackers, cereal, seed bells or other items birds will eat. Sprinkle all over with birdseed. Share your Christmas with the birds as you watch them eat the goodies.
Reindeer Antlers
When you go caroling this season, your group can be easily and readily identified if they’re all wearing these. Make a set for everyone in your caroling party.
1/2 -inch-thick foam
Electric knife
Brown spray paint
Puff paints with glitter
Holly leaves, red bows and other decorations
Measure the circumference of your face around the top of your head and under your chin. Using this measurement as a guide, draw an oval the circumference of your face on the foam. Draw another circle 2 inches larger around the first, and draw antlers on the top. Cut out the circle for the face and the antlers.
Spray-paint both sides brown and let dry. Outline the edges of the antlers with puff paint. Add holly leaves, bows and other decorations and wear like a hat.
