Grandkids get crafty when they make gifts for their parents

by Meg Gleason

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The winter holidays are a perfect time for you and your grandchildren to share wonderful activities and family traditions: among them, making gifts for your grandchildren's parents.

For Toddlers and Preschoolers:

CONFETTI CALENDAR

Materials:

• 8 1/2 x 11-inch printed calendar, available in PDF form at www.myfreecalendarmaker.com or www.printablecalendar.ca
• 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of white card stock
• 11 x 17-inch sheet of black card stock
• Stapler
• Pencil
• Ruler
• White craft glue
• Dot stickers of various colors and sizes
• Hole punch
• Ribbon

Instructions:

1. Print out the calendar and staple the sheets together horizontally about 1/4 inch from the top edge of the pages, using the white card stock as the back sheet.
   
2. Align the calendar on the black card stock so that the bottom and side edges are flush and glue it into place. You will have a border of black card stock above the calendar.
   
3. On the visible piece of black card stock, above the calendar proper, lightly pencil in the numbers 2009 for your grandchildren to use as a guide.
   
4. Cover the outline of each numeral in 2009 with different colors of dot stickers, creating the effect that the numbers are made from confetti.
   
5. Punch a hole in the center of the top of the black card stock and thread a ribbon through, tying it to create a loop.
   

For Grade-Schoolers:

ORANGE POMANDER

Materials:

• 1 thin-skinned orange
• Whole cloves
• Toothpick
• 1 tablespoon of orris root powder, available at www.thespicehouse.com/spices/orris-root-powder
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 2 sheets of tissue paper
• 1 yard of ribbon
• 4 Straight pins
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. Starting at the stem end of the orange, use the toothpick to create a hole and stick a clove into it.
   
2. Continue to poke holes with the toothpick and place the cloves as closely together as possible. Continue poking cloves into the orange until it is completely covered.
   
3. Mix the one tablespoon of orris root powder with the one tablespoon of cinnamon and roll the orange in the mixture, making sure it is fully covered and that the powder is packed down in any openings between the cloves. The powder mixture will stick to the orange because of the oil on its skin.
   
4. Wrap the orange in tissue paper and put it into a cool, dry space for two weeks so that it can dry out fully.
   
5. After two weeks, take the orange pomander out of the tissue and attach the ribbon around it with the straight pins. Create a loop at the top of the ribbon so that you can hang your pomander from a doorknob and allow the wonderful scent to fill the room.
   

For Older Grandchildren:

CUSTOM COOKIE JAR

Materials:

• Cookie recipe
• Jar with clamp seal (available at hardware stores or cooking supply shops)
• 11 x 17-inch sheet of construction paper
• Rubber stamps of designs and letters
• Markers
• Stickers
• Rubber cement
• Ribbon

Instructions:

1. Bake a batch of your favorite family cookies or select a recipe from Grandparents.com (we love our Chocolate Scat cookies). Allow them to cool while you prepare the cookie jar.
   
2. Cut a piece of construction paper large enough to wrap around the jar.
   
3. Use letter stamps to print out a holiday message on the construction paper. Decorate with design stamps, stickers, and markers.
   
4. Using the rubber cement, glue the construction paper around the body of the jar.
   
5. Fill the jar with cookies, seal it, and tie it with the ribbon.