Paper Chain Wreath Craft

The finished paper chain wreath.

       This paper wreath craft will preoccupy busy little hands for two days I think. First, art students should make a very long, green paper chain. To fit on this paper plate wreath, they will need to make sure that the links of that chain are smaller than those they might make for their own Christmas tree. For this part of the craft they will need green construction paper, scissors and white school glue. 

       First, make a small loop by rolling a narrow piece of paper in on it's self, end to end, and glue these ends together. Next, loop the second link through the first and glue it's ends together. Continue on until you've made approximately seven to eight feet of green linked chains.

       Then take a paper plate and cut a large hole from it's center; this will become the wreath structure in which students will build a wreath on top of. Glue green construction paper on top of this paper-cut wreath to cover it properly. Then glue the green, construction paper chain around and around the surface of the paper wreath to cover it completely. Let the wreath dry.

       Now students can decorate their chain link Christmas wreaths how they like... I chose to decorate this example with cotton ball snowmen. I cut scarfs and hats from decorative Christmas themed papers, rectangles for the neck scarves and triangles to curl and top off the heads of each snowman with a hat! I glued these snowmen to the wreath using hot glue. Teachers and parents must be present to help children with glue guns. I would suggest that adults attach these snow folk for the students.

       Then young crafters may attach red pom-pom noses using white school glue. Make 'black coal' eyes and smiles with the tip of a permanent black ink marker.

Left, the wreath with attached paper chain. Center, the snowmen are smiling!
Right, a red bow tops everything off!

• Paper Chain Template for Child Crafts
• The Pioneer Doll's Christmas Tree
• Gingerbread paper chain displayed on a Welsh cupboard

Make a Christmas Card Window to Hang

        Young children can either hang this holiday card window on a Christmas tree or in their room or as a decoration anywhere in their home to remember their loved ones. 

A charming and traditional way to recycle past memories and Christmas cards. The greeting card,
Christmas window craft has been around for 100 years!

       The supplies you will need for this craft include: recycled cardboard, Christmas greeting cards depicting outdoor scenes, glitter, white school glue, cotton balls, a craft knife or scissors, wire for hanging and acrylic paint for the window panes.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Collect and save old Christmas cards that illustrated charming scenes of outdoor views, people sledding, ice skating, or of a tiny neighborhood, like the example shown above. 
2. Measure your Christmas card so that you can make a window pane the same size.
3. Cut the window pane from scrap cardboard leaving square or diamond cut panes intact.
4. Cut a shallow set of side pieces approximately 1/2" wide to glue around the exterior of the window pane before attaching the card if you are looking at an outdoor scene with snow. In this shallow space will create a shallow space you may wish to glue cotton batting 'snow' and glitter to make the winter view more convincing.
5. Paint the window pane. Let dry.
6. Glue the recycled Christmas view to the backside of the window pane.
7. Shape wire and attach at the back or top of your window so that it may be hung.

More About Christmas Cards:

• The History of Christmas Cards
• Craft Miniature Snow Scene Baubles - using recycled Christmas cards too!
• Decoupage Retro Paper Mache Baubles - use left over Christmas paper and cards

A "Hands On" Christmas Wreath Craft

Finished "hands-on" classic Christmas wreath craft.

      This is a three part craft project that is completed at the end of a week. The wreath is something students in first through third grade may accomplish and take home for Christmas break to hang in their own rooms.

       Teachers may cut the centers from paper plates, punch holes for ribbon loops and tie a hanger on prior to giving each younger student to craft. 

       As usual, little ones should get into the habit of signing their names to the backside of crafted items prior to making them, so that teachers won't forget the project belonging to each student.

Supply List:

• one paper plate per student
• green construction paper 
• painted green paper
• paste paints or finger paints (shades of green)
• white butcher paper for paste painting 
• plastic combs (Hair combs in pack from Dollar General will do.)
• red pom-poms
• yarn for hanging the wreath
• stapler for attaching the hanger
• white school glue
• scissors
• green glitter (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Day One: Students paint green paste papers using plastic combs and finger paint. Use generous amounts of pale and dark green paints to comb across white butcher paper and sprinkle in some green glitter too! Let the paper dry over night or for two days if needed.
2. Day Two: Students will trace around their hands on top of the paste paper and green construction paper using a pencil, green marker, or white crayon. Then they will cut out their hand tracings to use to cover the paper wreath. (above) 
3. Day Three: Students assemble their wreaths on the paper plates. Older students may cut out their own paper wreaths from the paper plates. Remove the center of the paper plate using the tip of their scissors and cutting along the scored center circle. Discard the circle into a paper craft bin for other use.
4. Punch a hole into the top of the wreath.
5. String a red ribbon through and knot it for the hanger.
6. Use white school glue to attach hand traced 'evergreens' to the paper wreath.
7. Glue on red pom-poms for berries.

More Fun Christmas Crafts for Students:

• Craft a Snowman from A Paint Stirring Stick
• Quick and Easy Christmas Bauble Craft!
• Little ones can print snowmen with their hands for Christmas

Craft a Paper Snowman Wreath

        This easy paper snowman wreath is made with: a white paper plate, a stapler, construction paper (black and white), pom poms, decorative scrapbook papers, white school glue, a cord for the hanger and student scissors.

Left the basic snowman shaped wreath. Center, glue the colorful Christmas tie between the 
wreath and the snowman head. Right, the finished wreath with all the cheerful trims.

       

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Download and print out the template pieces from our blog for this snowman craft here. This particular craft may be used at Christmas using themed papers or it could also be made just during the winter months using different themed papers too.
2. Poke a small hole into the paper plate using the tip of your scissors. Then cut out the circle in the center of the paper plate marked by a seam. This cut-away section will become the head of your snowman.
3. Staple the head to the top of the paper plate rib to create a basic snowman wreath. (see photos above)
4. Now cut out the bow pattern and trace around it on top of decorative paper. Cut out the bow, paste this between the head and body of the snowman wreath using white glue. Let dry.
5. Using a black magic marker, draw the different sections of the bow shown on the printed template copy of it.
6. Cut out the pattern for the snowman's top hat and trace around this on top of a piece of black construction paper.
7. Glue a decorative paper ribbon on top of the top hat and add trims. I've included a tiny holly leaf template for this.
8. Glue or staple the top hat onto the snowman's head.
9. Glue on the pompoms for his eyes, nose, mouth and holly berries.
10. Cut long strips of white construction paper approximately 3 inches wide. 
11. Cut fringe into these strips and curl them with your scissors.
12. Glue the fringes onto the snowman wreath to add texture and 3D surface area.
13. Glue on a red tie ribbon to hang the wreath from his top hat.

More Snowman Crafts:

• Crafty Kid's Christmas Corner at my Belznickle Blog here

3 Good Cheers for December!

 

3 Good Cheers!

Three good cheers for old December!
Month of Christmas trees and toys,
Hanging up a million stockings,
For a million girls and boys,
O, dear December, hurry on.
Oh! please---oh, please come quick;
Bring snow so white.
Bring fires so bright,
And bring us good Saint Nick.

Cut a Christmas Tree Border or Chain

       Download and print out the pattern below. The dotted lines indicate where the image will be folded to continue the tree silhouette seamlessly after it is unfolded. The number of images "linked" together in one continuous chain is determined by the length of the paper being cut. Use a very thin paper to make your cutting easier. Cut away the areas indicated by the design. (see image above and read text on the pattern below. This paper-cut may be used as a border around a Christmas bulletin board in a classroom or as a paper chain for the Christmas tree if you like.

Christmas Tree Chain Pattern

More Christmas Tree Themed Crafts:

• Kids can cut and paste a heart-shaped Christmas Tree
• Make a Popsicle stick Christmas tree ornament 
• Color a Christmas tree for your dolls and paste on the toys for decoration
  

Draw Christmas things using a grid...

        The following illustrated Christmas toys may be duplicated larger, smaller, or the same size by the use of a grid drawing system. Read about Enlarging and Reducing Pictures Here. After learning this method you can use these pictures as patterns for ornaments, artwork or for making a picture with them. Illustrations include: a rocking horse, drum, ball, football, wheelbarrow, Noah's ark, wooden tree, sail boat, candy cone, trumpet, sled, book and lamb on wheels.

• "Mad Cat" Bench for Children uses a grid system to transfer a pattern.
• Swinging Arm Dolls, a Lighthouse stool, a bucking bronco rocker, and a pig shaped stepping-stool all use this grid system for transferring patterns.
• 10 Free Woodcut Patterns for Tree Ornaments uses a grid system for transferring images.

Teaching students to transfer images by drafting a grid and making comparisons
reinforces many math and artistic skills.

How Santa Claus Looks

 

How Santa Claus Looks

The Santa Claus Tom Brown once saw, he said was tall and slim;
The one I saw down at the store didn't look at all like him;
The one at our house Christmas-time looked just like any man;
I can't explain just how this is - perhaps the big folks can.

Traditional Paper Angels

      The customary tradition of cutting paper angels has been around since I was a tot in Sunday school. I will keep an up-to-date listing of links to a variety of paper angels for those of my students who may wish to add a few new versions of these Christmas visitors to their mantle or tree.

Links to Paper Angel Patterns and Ideas:

1. A paper plate paper angel craft 
2. Paper Rosette Angels
3. A basic paper angel from Instructables
4. A paper quilled angel
5. Starry Christmas Angels
6. An angel made from books pages
7. New Year Angel Paper Doll - by Helen Page
8. Very sophisticated paper angels from Carol - multi-media

The Pleated Christmas Heart

      Pleated Christmas hearts (Danish: Julehjerte) are a Danish and north German Christmas tree ornament.

      The exact age and origin of the tradition of making paper hearts is unknown, but the oldest known pleated Christmas hearts were made by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen in 1860. However, as Andersen's heart has no handle, it seems unlikely it could have been used as a Christmas tree ornament. That pleated heart is today located in the Hans Christian Andersen House in the city of Odense in Denmark. We know, however, that Andersen did make decorations for Christmas trees, and that the predecessors of the pleated Christmas hearts were made from wicker baskets.

      The oldest known guide to making pleated Christmas hearts is found in the Official Nordic handicraft Journal from 1871, and the oldest pleated Christmas heart (from 1873) is preserved at the National Museum in Copenhagen. But it was still some 40 years before the pleated Christmas hearts became more widespread.

      It is believed that kindergartens from around 1910 started spreading the use of the pleated Christmas hearts which were made from glossy paper in order to enhance the children's creative abilities, patience and fine motor skills.

      The first pleated Christmas book, called Julehjerter, was released by the Lottrup Knudsen brothers in 1975.

      A more recent book, which includes a big variety of pleated Christmas heart templates, is Francis Jordt's Flettede julehjerter.

Woven Christmas Hearts:

• Making a Woven Christmas Heart
• December 6th
• Patterns from PaperMatrix

"Hark The Harold Angels Sing"

This old paper cut was designed by illustrator Jessie Gillespie. The faint writing describes the paper cut as originally measuring seven inches across. She named her piece "Hark The Harold Angels Sing" and cut it in 1911.

      Christmas vendors in the city streets of American cities are not the most common subjects found in paper cuts of the 1900s. Below I have uploaded a video discussing the origins of Christmas vendors in New York City.

This video was made by The New York Historical Society.