Repeat after me: The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…
If you’ve seen Elf, you know that sentence ends with “singing loud for all to hear,” but I’m going to give you some other options so that you have a little smorgasbord of cheer to choose from, okay?
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…swinging from a chandelier.
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…going to Butch McGuire’s for a Christmas beer.
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is…making a festive necklace with a little Christmas deer.
I’m planning to do all three this season, but to keep this kid-friendly, let’s jump right into that last one because it’s easy, and kids will love turning any outfit into something festive and fun with these darling necklaces.
If you’re gutsy, combine all three and make one of these necklaces to wear at Butch McGuire’s while you swing from their chandeliers.
Here’s what you need – a small, lightweight ornament or Christmas trinket that would serve well as your “charm” (or a collection of them if you want to make more than one necklace). Since we made these, I keep spotting more little ornaments that would make the cutest necklace. We found our gingerbread plush ornament at Target, the reindeer one at Hobby Lobby, and the miniature bottle brush tree in a pack of 5 in the Dollar Spot at Target. These little snowmen are pretty cute too.
Then, all you need is some suede lacing (inexpensive, usually sold in packs with different colors at any craft store), some pompoms, and a needle and thread. I’m sure you could also use glue to adhere the pompoms, but sewing them on with just a few loops of thread secures it a little better.
Cut off any long hanging loops on the ornaments. If there’s not a ring on the ornament to slip on the suede cording, sew one on. I sewed the gingerbread man on by looping the thread around a few times, but leaving it a bit loose so it could “slide”. For the miniature bottle brush tree, I just tied some thread tightly toward the top of the tree to make a loop.
Sew the pompoms where you want them along the suede. We used different sizes of pompoms and sewed two on one side, one on the other to give it some interesting asymmetry.
And that’s it. You’re officially dressing festive!
These are great to give to little friends as gifts or make a great party craft. Then hang them up, and have fun choosing which one you’ll wear each day from now until Christmas.
connie says
These are adorable . . . I love making crafts with my granddaughters. Children are amazing 🙂
Valerie says
I love this! What a great, simple little craft! <3