Yes, I love Halloween – everything about it. But this Christmas season in Berlin has me really excited too. Maybe it’s the first snowfall, or perhaps it’s because my daughter is now at an age where she can actively participate and see the magic of Christmas everywhere. That’s why I loved putting together this list of holiday craft ideas — and of course, trying everything on it with my daughter and sometimes her friends. (P.S., if you’re looking for more local parents to share these fun activities with, don’t forget to connect on the Mello app!)
Let’s dive in!
Holiday DIY Projects for You and Your Little Ones
- Cookies 🍪
- Homemade Christmas Cards ⛄
- Popcorn-Cranberry Garland 🌟
- Salt Dough Ornaments 🔔
- Tape Tree 🎄
Cookies 🍪
Let’s start with a no-brainer: Christmas cookies! Everyone has their favorite recipe, and in the end, it doesn’t really matter – as long as the kids can decorate them! It’s so much fun (and yes, messy) to let them choose their own sprinkles. In my house, we always listen to Christmas music while we’re baking (like ‘In der Weihnachtsbäckerei’). Your little ones will be very proud of their work, and you probably won’t have to worry about dinner because of all the snacking.
Homemade Christmas Cards ⛄
One of my favorite traditions is writing lots of Christmas cards to family and friends. There are so many fun ideas out there; this year, we tried the following:
- Handprint Christmas tree – pretty self-explanatory. After the paint has dried, the kids can decorate the tree with stickers or pens. If you don’t want to paint your kid’s hand, you can trace their handprint on green paper and cut it out. We tried both, but I like the paint print better.
- Another idea is a card with a little snowman. You can paint one on there, cut one out, or (as we did) glue pieces of crepe paper/tissue paper in the shape of a snowman. The kids can help with this as well (though mine didn’t have the patience for it). Afterward, the kiddos can draw a little face, buttons, a hat, and arms on the snowman. I love how ours turned out. Remember to keep one card for yourself as a memory…
Popcorn-Cranberry Garland 🌟
This tradition I brought back from the US and it’s super fun, especially with older kids. You simply use a needle and thin crafting wire to thread popcorn (I used store-bought popcorn, but you could pop your own as well) and fresh cranberries. You could use the garland to decorate your tree or just as decoration around your home. Caution: The juice from the cranberries might stain your clothes. The threading is a nice activity while watching a Christmas movie or listening to music with the kids. Younger ones who cannot use the needle yet can help you pick out the popcorn, or decide what comes next.
Salt Dough Ornaments 🔔
This one takes some preparation time. You simply make a dough (1 cup of plain flour, half a cup of table salt, half a cup of water), roll it out, and use cookie cutters of your choice to cut out the shapes you like – we used hearts and stars. Don’t forget to make a little hole in them, where you can later hang the ornaments. Put them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let them dry for a couple of days, flipping them once a day. (You can also bake them in the oven at a very low temperature for a couple of hours. Google will tell you all about it. I haven’t tried it yet though!) When they’re all dry, you can paint them with your little ones; we used acrylic paint, but you could use pens, paint sticks, or even spray paint as well. That’s the best part. You can use the finished ornaments as decorations for the tree or your home, or give them as gifts to family and friends.
Tape Tree 🎄
This one kind of happened by accident. I did a similar project for Halloween (a spiderweb made of tape) and when we were cooped up inside for a couple of days, I wanted to make use of our big balcony window. I just took painter’s tape and put it on the window in the shape of a tree; my daughter loved helping with that. She could color it in as she liked; we used Woodie 3-in-1 pencils (they are awesome!). You can easily remove the color with window cleaner or even just water. This activity also works great on a big piece of cardboard!
Enjoy the holiday season!
I hope I’ve inspired you or given you some ideas for those long, dark winter days. If you try any of these, share your amazing creation on Instagram, tagging us (@mello.app) or use the hashtag #melloapp.Or if you have other great holiday craft suggestions, share them on the Mello app! It’s always fun to see what other families are up to and maybe even meet up for a festive crafting session. Sending much love
🎁 Happy Holiday Season from all of us at Mello! 🎁
– By Mariella from the Mello Team
Further articles from Mello:
– Find The Right Connections With These Features In The Mello App
– Berlin’s Chestnut Season: 8 Engaging Activities for Kids using Chestnuts
– Winter Activities for Kids in Berlin: 10 Cozy Indoor Spots to Explore
– Waldspielplatz Plänterwald, a Berlin playground immersed in nature
– Find The Right Connections With These Features In The Mello App
