Popsicle-Stick Sled
If you can remember white Christmases, you probably have fond memories of riding your sled down neighborhood hills. Bring back happy memories with these easy-to-make wooden sleds.
The Gift of Knowledge
Each year, approximately 40 million live trees are bought and decorated in the United States alone. According to Pastor Richard P. Bucher, one of the first records of a Christmas tree being decorated (without lights) dates back to 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. Some of the items that decorated the first trees were apples, paper roses, gold, communion wafers, sweet treats, and dolls. Christmas trees began to appear in the United States around 1700, when German people immigrated to Western Pennsylvania. Dating back to the Roman era, people of many cultures brought evergreens into the home to symbolize life in the midst of death.
Time frame: One to two hours
Level: Easy
What you need:
- Paint or stain
- Nine wooden Popsicle sticks
- Tin shears or an Exacto knife
- Sandpaper
- White glue or glue gun
- Clear acrylic finish spray
- Six-inch piece of yarn or twine
- Decorative Christmas sprig
- Glue gun
- Paint or stain Popsicle sticks and allow them to dry.
- Using tin shears or an Exacto knife, cut two Popsicle sticks three inches long, making a curved edge on the cut end. Sand the curved edge with sandpaper to make it symmetrical with the other end.
- Lay five of the sticks vertically in the pattern shown.
- Glue the two three-inch sticks horizontally on the top and bottom of the five sticks as shown.
- Turn two sticks on their sides and glue them to the two three-inch sticks to form runners. Spray the sled with clear acrylic finish spray and allow it to dry.
- Tie the cord or yarn to the top of the sled and using a glue gun, attach a decorative sprig of holly and berries.
Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Making Great Gifts © 2001 by Marilee LeBon. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit the Idiot's Guide web site or call 1-800-253-6476.
