Homemade Holiday Break Activities
*Guest post by Fort Wayne native, Sarah Bayard.
The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. There are parties for hosting, marshmallows for roasting, and crazy Aunt Sue getting drunk. Sure, it’s not exactly ideal having more family members than beds in the same house but with a cup of hot cocoa and these fun (and sane) Christmas ideas you can keep the cabin fever at bay.
Feeding the Birds
This one is super easy and you’ll get to reap the benefits of it all winter. Pick out your favorite Christmas themed cookie cutters, heat up some coconut oil, and add some bird seed. I would also recommend adding a bit a honey for all those birds that have a sweet tooth around the holidays.
Just Call Me Martha
While everyone is fussing over wrapping presents and making sure the house is spotless, sweeten up every one’s day by making a delicious homemade pie. Take your time and really make it more than a pie, make it a work of art by creating a beautiful and ornate pie crust. A cranberry apple is always a Christmas fave.
Silky Smooth Skin
In the dead of winter, your skin is quenching of thirst. The air is dry, it’s cold, and it’s probably dreaming of having a mojito on the beach somewhere like the rest of us. Buy yourself some unrefined shea butter, organic coconut oil, beeswax, and essential oils and make family and friends homemade lotion bars. Find cute molds online and get creative by adding a little cocoa powder or oatmeal. These little guys are perfect for stocking stuffers and stubborn dry skin. Plus it’s something to do while watching Christmas Vacation.
Cold Feet, Warm Heart?
This one a little more advanced, and you’ll need a little more time, but with a few more months of winter coming up it’ll be the perfect project—hand made stockings. Head over to Goodwill or Salvation Army and look for all wool sweaters, once you have a couple you like go ahead and wash them and dry them so that they will felt. After that, it’s basically up to you how little or how much effort you want to put into it. Glue little pom poms on it and whip stitch the sides to give it an extra special handmade look.
The Icing on the Cake
Who doesn’t love cupcakes? You don’t need any occasion to make cupcakes which makes them all the more fun. Give this rainbow frosting a try the next time you get bored. Or use red and green to make them an extra delicious Christmas treat!
Once you have cut, baked, and crafted to your heart’s desire sit down with the family, pour yourself some eggnog and pop in your favorite Christmas movie.
Merry Christmas, Fort Wayne!
*All photos by the author, Sarah Bayard.*
