Word of the Week
Garland (Gar-lind): A wreath of flowers and leaves hung as a decoration.
Happy holidays!
I put all my decorations out a few weeks ago, but I still felt I was missing something. I wanted my house to scream festive. Then it hit me. . .I was missing garland. Rather than run to the store and spend lots of money on fancy garland, I decided to try my hand at creating my own from things I already had at home.
It got me thinking about Christmas decorations in general, specifically tree decorations. Surely there was some interesting history! Here's a little of what I found.
In Germany, during the 17th century, Christmas trees were covered in tinsel, made from real silver that was pressed into strips. Would you believe that real candles were placed in the trees? I'm sure it was beautiful, but it also sounds incredibly dangerous! I'm thankful for modern technology and today'a lights.
Stringing popcorn is very popular, though its history is a mystery. Some believe it was adapted from another German tradition. . .read on.
Have you ever tried stringing cranberries to create your own garland? It's the perfect pop of color, and originates in Germany. Cranberries are thought to be used because they are so readily available this time of year.
Last week, I told you a little about the tradition of hanging candy canes in trees. Surprise, surprise! This also has German roots. Take a peek at the last blog to learn more.
There's no right or wrong way to decorate! Whatever brings you happiness is the way to go. But, did you know that the practice of decorating a Christmas tree dates back to 1605?! Back then, pine trees were decorated with fruits, berries, and flowers. I'm sure the simplicity was a sight to see!
On to this week's project.
What you'll need:
Cupcake liners
Mini cupcake liners
Glue or tape
Twine (optional)
An iron (optional)
How it's done:
Grab a cupcake liner and fold it in half. Then fold it in half again. Use glue or tape to keep it sealed flat.
Repeat this process with 1-2 more regular sized liners and with 1 mini liner. I like the look of a 4 tiered tree, but this is up to you!
Stack and glue the liners together to form a tree.
Once dry, you can use an iron to flatten your creation (with adult supervision, of course). Place the tree on a towel, place a towel over the tree, then iron for 10-15 seconds.
Hang your trees in windows using tape, or attach them to twine (using a hot glue gun) to create a garland! You can even use them as ornaments in your tree, which is what I ended up doing!
Have fun with this! With all of the adorable patterns out there, the possibilities are endless!
Stay kind. . .
Gram