Christmas Gifts for the Young at Heart
Don't forget to make special gifts for the adults on your Christmas list. Impress them with these useful presents that they won't have to stand in line to return after Christmas.
Trivet Treasures
The Gift of Knowledge
Did you know Bunraku is the name commonly used for the art of puppetry and storytelling? A long line of storytellers and puppeteers have operated throughout history, but it is believed that Bunraku began in l684 when Takemoto Gidayu set up his own theater in Osaka.
Gifting Glitches
Always wear protective clothing when mixing grout. Be sure to throw away the mixing bowl, and don't dispose of leftover grout down your drain.
Mosaics are a newly recycled trend in the craft business. These colorful coasters are easy-to-make, useful gifts for any occasion.
Time frame: Two to three hours to assemble plus overnight to dry
Level: Moderately easy
What you need:
- Gloves
- Popsicle stick to mix grout
- One pound bag or box of grout (can be found in a craft store)
- Water
- Disposable mixing bowl (A plastic tub from margarine or foam or paper bowls work well.)
- Mosaic coaster mold
- One bag each of red, green, and white tiles
- Clear acrylic finish spray
- Put on disposable gloves. Using the Popsicle stick, mix the grout with water in a bowl according to the manufacturer's directions. The consistency should be slightly thicker than cake mix.
- Pour the grout into the coaster mold and smooth it with the Popsicle stick.
- Lightly press different-colored tiles in the grout in your pattern of choice (see the photo for an example).
- After 15 minutes, lightly wipe the top of the tiles with a soft, moist towel or sponge.
- Allow this to dry overnight. Wipe the surface of the coaster with a damp towel to remove excess grout. Carefully remove the coaster from the mold. Spray your finished work with clear acrylic finish.
Wine Lover's Delight
Present Pointers
You could replace the wine in the wine lover's basket with nonalcoholic wine or sparkling cider if desired. If your gift recipient has a sweet tooth, you might want to give him or her a dessert wine and fancy Christmas cookies.
Give the wine lovers on your list a gift to help toast to the holiday season. They'll appreciate these tasty treats.
Time frame: Two to three hours
Level: Easy
What you need:
- Basket with filler (shredded paper or decorative Spanish moss)
- Red or white wine (Mulled wines and ciders would be perfect for the holiday season.)
- Set of wine glasses
- Gourmet cheeses and crackers (Buy ones that don't need to be refrigerated.)
- Basket shrink wrap (found in a party supply stores)
- Bow
- Place filler in a wicker basket.
- Assemble the goodies and arrange them in the prepared basket.
- Follow the directions on the shrink-wrap to cover the basket. Place a bow on top.
Let It Snow!
Present Pointers
Buy a can of Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating to protect finished, painted projects. Once the paint is dry, place the project on newspapers outside or in your garage and lightly spray the acrylic coating. When dry, turn the project over and spray the other side. I recommend two light coats instead of one heavy one to keep the project from dripping.
Even if it doesn't snow for Christmas, you can make this fun snowman to celebrate the winter season. Anne Schroeder of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, taught me how to make this delightful gift.
Time frame: Four to six hours including drying time
Level: Moderately easy
What you need:
- Three round cardboard boxes with lids (one big, one medium, and one small box)
- White snow paint (You can find a jar of snow paint in craft stores.)
- Paintbrushes
- White glue or glue gun
- One yard of one-inch-wide red satin ribbon
- Black paint
- Small wooden Christmas tree painted orange for nose
- Sprig of holly leaves
- Wrapped Christmas candies
- Paint the largest box and lid white for the bottom of the snowman and allow them to dry. Don't paint inside the box or lid or you won't be able to get it off later. Glue ribbon around the edge of the lid.
- Paint the second box white and the lid black and allow them to dry. (The lid is the brim of the hat.)
- Glue the nose onto the front of the second box and paint black round eyes and a smile on the face.
- Paint the third box and lid black and allow it to dry. (This box is the hat.) Place a sprig of holly leaves on the front of the box.
- Stack the boxes on top of each other with the largest box on the bottom and the smallest box on top to form a snowman. The boxes should all open up.
- Fill the boxes with Christmas candy.
Knocking on Heaven's Door
Surprise your friends and family with this lovely angel to greet their guests at the front door.
Time frame: Three to five hours
Level: Moderately difficult
What you need:
- Foam ball for head
- Beige or light pink paper ribbon
- White glue
- Spanish moss for hair
- Black paint for eyes
- Small paintbrush
- Small cardboard tube
- White paper ribbon
- Glue gun
- Decorative straw broom
- Trim for angel robe
- Bow
- White foam sheets
- Wire
- Tinfoil
- Cover the foam ball with the beige or pink paper ribbon using white glue to hold it in place. Glue Spanish moss to the top of the ball for hair. Paint eyes, a nose, and a mouth on the angel using black paint and a small paintbrush.
- Cover the cardboard tube with white paper ribbon. Using a glue gun, glue the head onto the covered cardboard tube. Then glue the head and covered paper tube onto the decorative broom's handle.
- Cut four strips of white paper ribbon 18 inches long. Glue these strips at the neck to form a gown.
- Cut a 24-inch-long strip of white paper ribbon for the arms. Glue the strip in the middle to the top of the cardboard tube.
- Glue lace trim or satin ribbon to the bottom of the angel gown and the ends of the sleeves as shown.
- Glue a bow on the angel's neck.
- Make wings for the angel out of large white foam sheets. With a glue gun, glue each arm to the bottom of the wings and fluff out the arms.
- Make a circle of wire and wrap it in tinfoil to form a halo. Wire the halo to the angel's head.
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.
