In the southern hemisphere now, it is summer and temperatures are rising as we head into the festive season, wearing summer dresses and shorts and t-shirts. There is excitement in the air as families head off on holiday, many to the beach for sun, sea and fun. Staying at home, as we are, is also great, as the city empties and everything calms down to holiday pace!
Of course up north, it is winter and some are getting their first snow. Windows are adourned with Christmas lights and decorations light up the winter scene. Out in the countryside, I can picture the world turning white as snowflakes drift gently down to earth, and then the first ski tracks are soon visible.
Such distictly different weather for those celebrating Christmas, and both equally lovely. The best is time….time to reflect and relax together hopefully, with family and friends, making memories and enjoying eachothers company.
The free Mini Gingerbread Kit, the Baking Memories with Gingerbread module and the Christmas one too, have various ideas for fun times you can have with the family or grandchildren, baking with gingerbread over the holiday season. Don’t worry if you’re not a baker, as it really isn’t complicated, and the end result will taste good whatever it all looks like, as long as you don’t burn it! Just ensure to put the bell on for 5 minutes and you will be fine. It may need a minute longer but that is all.
The recipe is there, and step by step instructions for beautiful baking like simple gingerbread biscuits/cookies, stained glass window biscuits/cookies made with boiled sweets, a sweet star Christmas tree (or cookie tower) and much more…..and if you are adventurous, even a gorgeous gingerbread house. Children of all ages will enjoy decorating and eating these treats. Just make sure you have all the ingredients ahead of time, including decorating items like sprinkles, M&Ms and/or other sweets and goodies of choice….and then off you go – amazing creative fun for all!
You can get the children making wrapping paper, needed so much at this time of year, but all through the year too. All you need is lots of brown craft paper (available in stationery stores, supermarkets and online of course). It is inexpensive and ideal for kids to paint on and decorate.You can use other paper of your choice too, but it should be fairly light weight so it can folded and used to wrap gifts easily, which is why I like using brown craft paper.
Then you need paint, and poster or craft paints are best, but any paints you have at home will probably work fine. Just make sure they are water based and that the children wear aprons to avoid too much paint on clothing! Now search the house for gadgets and goodies which will make good stamps for printing on the paper, remembering to ensure the gadgets are washable afterwards, or can be discarded! Some ideas are: old cotton reels, cottonwool buds, an old toothbrush, a piece of bubble wrap, a fork, cookie cutters, a lego block, a scrunched up piece of newspaper can make interesting stamp marks, bottle lids….
Put some paint on a plate and get the kids stamping on a piece of paper held down with Prestik on the newspaper covered table they are working at. Obviously certain colours will look more Christmassy, and others will work for normal wrapping – up to you. Glitter can be sprinkled over the paper for extra glitz at the end, before the paint dries. Artwork that keeps kids busy and is then used and discarded, so no clutter but useful, beautiful kids art!
Enjoy the holidays and travel safely if you are going away.