Christmas Crafts

The run-up to Christmas is the perfect time to get crafty - especially if you have excited children to keep entertained!

Christmas crafts can be a lot of fun, and you could create some unique Christmas gifts, Christmas decorations or other accessories / novelties - as well as having lots of messy fun with paper, glue and glitter.

You can save items all year round for your Christmas craft box - find your inner magpie! - save anything shiny, bright or glittery, as virtually anything can be put to good use once your creative juices get flowing.

As a starting point, your Christmas craft box should include: paper and card (ideally in assorted colours), scissors, PVA glue, paints and pens, foil, and glitter. Also worth saving are pine cones, pieces of old wrapping paper, greetings cards, ribbons, bows, sequins and any other shiny bits or bobs you can save throughout the year.

The easiest Christmas craft projects to make are customised gift tags, paper chains, advent calendars and tree decorations.

You'll find some great Children's Christmas craft ideas at : www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/christmas/.

Enchanted learning also have a selection of printable childrens Christmas activity books and worksheets with colouring, writing, questions and all kinds of fun activity to keep them busy.

Christmas Craft projects on the site also include puppets, wreaths, stockings and fun novelty items - and when you make your own gifts, you can personalise in any way you wish! 

Also worth a visit is www.allfreecrafts.com/christmas/index.shtml - packed with clever Christmas craft ideas, you'll find inspirational ideas for Christmas gifts and treats, some may be too tricky for younger children.

Why not get crafty this Christmas and make some special Christmas gifts - if you have children to help you, even better, some of the most memorable keepsakes and enduring Christmas ornaments are handmade by little hands!

If craft isn't your thing, you can start shopping for Christmas gifts and Christmas decorations nice and early with www.24studio.co.uk/christmas - they also stock all kinds of Christmas novelty items, cards, wrap, trees, and a range of craft materials and craft kits.

Christmas Cards

All About Christmas Cards

Most of us send Christmas cards to friends, relatives and colleagues each year - but do you know why we send Christmas cards?

The first commercial Christmas cards were created and sent way back in 1843 when Sir Henry Cole of London came up with the idea to help promote his 'penny post' idea that had been launched just three years earlier. The first Christmas cards featured an illustration of a family drinking wine - controversial as it was deemed inappropriate to associate alcohol with a religious festival. The idea of Christmas cards soon caught on though, and by the following year several thousand were sold, and by 1875 the idea had caught on in the USA.

Traditionally Christmas cards featured festive designs and illustrations - from Christmas trees, baubles, gifts and family scenes, nativity and other religious designs, winter scenes and snowmen, reindeer, cute animals and of course, everyone's favourite Christmas card character - Santa Claus.

Today, Christmas cards have evolved into a massive industry - Christmas cards come in every imaginable design, size, shape and quality, with a vast choice of message and greetings. Most Christmas cards feature an image on the front, with an optional greeting, and then a full message inside, typically "Merry Christmas And Happy New Year". You can also buy personalised Christmas cards.

The internet age has also brought technology into the Christmas card world - virtual Christmas cards are sent by email and many prefer this paper-less option as it has less environmental impact.

Many businesses, small and large, send Christmas cards to their customers - a goodwill gesture no doubt designed to raise brand awareness and revenue!

You can buy special Christmas cards that give a percentage of profits to a charity - many charities now have their own Christmas card ranges nowadays, so you  can combine your Christmas card buying with charity.

You can buy extravagant and special Christmas cards, cards for every member of the family, for a whole family, from a whole family, Christmas cards for specific relatives, even Christmas cards for pets!

Consider buying multipacks of Christmas cards if you have a large family or a lot of friends.