December Books, Day 23, Part Two: Making Stuff

These are a few of the holiday craft books we've collected over the years.

I couldn't find an image for one of our older ones: "Christmas Activity Book" or "Christmas Holiday Book", by Susan Vesey and Meryl Doney, the 1980 full-size edition. (There was a mini one published later.) I like the Advent-style countdown format of this book, and the slightly unusual (for here) British craft suggestions: Father Christmas puppets, "face-flannel" lambs, Christmas roses, and of course crackers. This is a strongly Christian-oriented book.

This belongs to one of the girls, and has more contemporary suggestions for gifts and decorations: Bubbling Bath Bags, t-shirt pillows, and chocolate-covered spoons.

Judy Ann Sadler's craft books are very popular with homeschoolers and school kids, and this one has some good multicultural decorations: a star parol from the Philippines, crinkle-paper chains from South Africa, and a "First star" decoration from Poland. (Waving to Krakovianka.)

A Pioneer Christmas is part of Barbara Greenwood's popular Pioneer Family series, about the Robertsons who live in Canada West (later Ontario) in the 1840's. Like the other books in the series, this one mixes story with facts and things to do. Interestingly, the Robertsons, by the time of the story, have become "Canadianized" enough to be putting more emphasis on Christmas than on Hogmanay (a slight change from the first Pioneer Family book).  Activities include making garlands of evergreens, making cookie decorations, and playing games.