Re-using Old Ornaments
Decorating is a very important aspect of the Christmas season and one that can contribute to the level of enjoyment that your family derives during the celebration. But before you race off to the nearest year round Christmas supply store, you may be amazed to discover that you already have many of the items needed to create a holiday that is memorable as well as merry.
Christmas tree ornaments are perfect for home decorating. In fact, you may become so enthusiastic after decorating your home that you may choose to purchase a number of ornaments after the holiday season has passed for future seasons. Many people enjoy collecting and saving ornaments. These may be memorable home made ornaments that carry the photo of a child, grandchild, or even a pet. Yet, often it may become burdensome to display all of your Christmas tree ornaments upon the tree. Well, decorating your home with your ornaments offers the perfect solution for both displaying your favorite pieces and giving your home that seasonal look that contributes to the joyous atmosphere associated with Christmas. So go into your attic or basement, and pull out your boxes of Christmas tree ornaments, it is time to decorate!
A great way to use your Christmas tree ornaments for decorating is to use them to adorn wreaths. You can easily give a new look to a wreath that may be old or outdated. Simply attach the ornaments with a little piece of wire or ribbon through the holes and secure tightly to the wreath. You can also use your ornaments as embellishments for garlands in the same manner as adorning wreaths. Garlands look splendid when draped across curtain rods, displayed on mantles, or over window and doorframes.
Many times, Christmas tree ornaments are packaged or sold in sets. This is a great advantage when it comes to decorating. You can group individual ornaments to make beautiful centerpieces and displays. Consider using ornaments as the focal point on mantles, dining room tables, and on small tables as well. Hanging ornaments from curtain tiebacks is a wonderful way to display your favorite pieces. When you are setting the Christmas dinner table, why not attach an ornament to the napkin rings. This will make your table outstanding and add an extra decorative touch. No matter what your preferred theme is: gingerbread men, snowflakes, or vintage Santa Claus, using Christmas tree ornaments can add beauty and style to your home this season.
Making Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, and just good old fashioned Gingerbread bring the taste of Christmas to life. From Hansel and Gretel to gingerbread fashioned ornaments, gingerbread is associated with Christmas and is a favorite during the holiday season. Whether it is eating it or admiring a beautifully constructed gingerbread house, this delectable delight is sure to please in any fashion. Here are some recipes so that you too can enjoy the wonders of Gingerbread this holiday season.
Gingerbread Dough Perfect for Creating Gingerbread Houses
1-cup butter at room temperature
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
6 eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon allspice
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars; beat in the molasses and eggs.
In another large bowl, sift dry ingredients. Combine mixtures and knead into a smooth ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Roll out dough until it’s 1/4 inch thick, on a well-floured surface. You will use this dough to create your house pieces. You can also use this dough to create Gingerbread Men. For Gingerbread Men, simply draw out your pattern piece on cardboard, or if you have cookie cutters, use them. Embellish your Gingerbread Men with raisins, frosting, M&Ms and other candies.
Icing/Glue for Construction
The icing is simple to make, but it dries quickly. Therefore it is best to make up a small batch at a time.
3 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3 - 3 1/2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they begin to foam. Add the cream of tartar and beat until the whites are stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, beating for about 5 minutes until it reaches spreading consistency. Keep it covered and refrigerated until needed.
Patterns and Assembly
Use cardboard pieces for the basic pattern of your gingerbread house and lay Gingerbread dough on pattern pieces. You will basically cut out your gingerbread shapes from the cardboard patterns, and then bake them on an aluminum foil covered cookie sheet that has been greased and lightly floured at 320’ for 25 minutes. Remove all traces of foil from Gingerbread shapes once pieces are cool enough to touch. Let all pieces remain at room temperature overnight before assembling your house.
You will need 2 rectangular shapes for the roof- 7’by 11’. Two rectangles for the walls, 5” by 8”. Two bases for the front and back of the house measuring 5” by 9”. Cut a door in one of the bases (for the front). You can make a chimney for your house by fashioning a pattern that is 2 ½ inches tall for the front, and 1-½ inches tall for the back. Let your creativity run wild as you find various candies to embellish your gingerbread house.
You will also need a base for the house, plywood works great. Line it with aluminum foil and begin assembly. You should begin by adding the side walls first, then the front and back. You may need to hold them steady as the icing/glue dries. It should take approximately 15 minutes for the walls to stand on their own. Once all of the walls have been assembled, let stand for at least 30 minutes, to ensure its stability.
Next, you will want to assemble the roof pieces. Make sure that you are not sparing with the icing/glue. Create more batches as you work. You will find that the icing will glue to near cement like quality. After all pieces have been assembled, let the house dry overnight. In the morning, decorate with your choice of candy.
