Glitter Christmas Cards for Sandy Hook Elementary

DAY FOURTEEN:

After the devastation in Newtown, CT yesterday, we decided to send the staff and students at Sandy Hook Elementary a little Christmas Cheer. We wanted to do more then just "send prayers and love." We wanted to actually touch their hearts, to TRY to restore their faith in humanity. It isn't much and I'm sure we will be just one of millions, but it is the least we could do.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - paper for templates (1 sheet, quartered)
     - paper for cards (4 sheets, folded in half)
     - glue
     - brush
     - glitter
     - 4 large cookie cutters

Before you begin, you will need to cut out templates by tracing the cookie cutters and cutting out the INSIDE paper without damaging the outline. Place the template on top of the card. Have your child paint the glue inside the template. Remove the template and let your kiddo go to GLITTER TOWN. Make sure he puts a good amount of glitter, so you can clearly see the shape. If you are making a candy cane, use tape to block off the white areas while you use the red glitter and vice-versa. Tap the cards over the sink to remove any loose glitter. Let dry.

If your child is old enough, allow him or her to decorate the cards further with stickers and markers. Make sure to put a personal touch on the inside of the card including a first name and age or your child (if you feel comfortable with that). This gives a much more personal connection for the recipient.

If you want to reach out and comfort the hurting, and I strongly urge you to do so, please send your cards to:

Sandy Hook Elementary School

12 Dickenson Drive

Sandy Hook, CT 06482

Peppermint Christmas Cookies

DAYS EIGHT AND NINE:

We spread cookie-making over 2 days because it was a pretty long affair. And faaaaaairly messy. We rolled the dough and cut the shapes the first night, and iced and sprinkled the cookies the night after. Of course, this project is pretty much self-explanatory, but we had to chronicle our experience anyhow.

WHAT YOU NEED:
     - 1 roll of cookie dough
     - Christmas cookie cutters
     - 1/2 cup frosting
     - 1 Tbspn water
     - 2 Tbspn Peppermint candies, powdered
     - Variety of sprinkles
   
I suggest making the frosting ahead of time. It is my own concoction, so feel free to change it up as you see fit-  I just happen to love peppermint! Mix the frosting, water, and powdered peppermint candies (smash with hammer until powdered). Set aside. Preheat oven as package indicates.

Time for the fun! Sprinkle the table with flour and plop the dough on there. Show your toddler how to roll the dough and then let them experiment for a while. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour and try again.

When you are ready to cut out the cookies, show your little one how to do it a few times. If yours is anything like mine, this part won't go very well :) She had fun playing in the dough, sneaking bites, and poking at it with her fingers, though!

Time to bake and, if you are ambitious enough to do this all in one night, probably time for a hot chocolate break!

For us this was night 2, decorating. This night went a whole lot better than the cookie cutting fiasco! Give your child a spoon or smooth edged spatula (probably best to leave the knives away for this one) and a bowl of frosting. Let him paint the frosting on, making a huge mess in the process. The control freak in me had the night off, and I let Roo go to town and do this part all on her own. She was actually darn good at it, too.

It seems like as this goes on, each part gets messier and, therefore, funner... or, more fun. I think funner should be a real word. Sprinkles!! Learn from my mistakes and check the holes in the sprinkle lid before handing it over to your toddler. If the holes are small enough, let them shake themselves silly. If they are too big, there will be an avalanche of colored sugar. Trust me, I know these things. In that case, pour the sprinkles in the lid and let them pinch them up and then sprinkle.

This is how Roo's cookies turned out! She did them completely on her own and she had so much fun!

Painting with Cookie Cutters

I love Christmas. Love.

I am embarking on a 25 day challenge. 25 crafts for my almost 2-year old, one each night, to get her excited about Christmas.

DAY ONE: "PAINTING" WITH COOKIE CUTTERS

This one is really easy and can last as long as you want. It can be a quick "while mommy makes dinner" activity, or an evening event for the whole family to participate in.

WHAT YOU NEED:

     - Cookie cutters of any size, we used little Christmas shapes
     - Stamp pad or finger paint poured on a plate
     - Paper

VERDICT: Roo loved this. I just showed her one or two times and she took it from there. She experimented with different "styles" and even stamped her handprint a few times :)