9 Easy Christmas Tree Decorations for the Kids

With the Holidays come food, family, and fun. Decorating for the Christmas holiday is a huge tradition in our family, as it is with many others all over. Lights on the house, a nativity scene in the front yard. The center of all this décor, is the tree. The Christmas tree is decorated different in every home, like a traditional white and silver motif and others who go a little bolder with bright neon colors and animal prints. Despite the direction you go with your tree, one thing rings true, the Christmas tree is uber fun to decorate for kids and adults alike. We love to munch on Golden Emblem Abound’s snacks, listen to holiday music, and make our own tree decorations. Here are 9 easy Christmas tree decorations for the kids.

• Paper Chain

Making a paper chain link garland for the tree is super easy and gives the tree a classic look. Simply, cut strips of paper about 1-2 inches wide and about 6 inches long. Loop and secure ends of a strip with staples, tape, or glue. Take another strip, put it through the loop and secure those ends as well. Continue until the chain is an appropriate length.

• Clay Ornaments

Clay ornaments are a great way to add a personal touch to ornaments. Shape clay into a thin layer, about ½ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out and etch in a Christmas image or initials or use lace to add an awesome texture. Using a straw, poke a hole through the top and remove the clay. When clay has dried completely, spray or paint with 1 part glue 1 part water, allow to dry again, add string through the hole and hang from the tree!

• Glass/Plastic Bulbs

This one is pretty easy. Just buy some cheap plastic or glass Christmas bulb ornaments. Decorate the outside by gluing glitter, felt, or painting different Christmas images, names, dates, or whatever else sounds fun. Also, remove the metal cap on the opening of the bulb and drip a few drops of craft paint. Roll the paint around or, while covering the top, shake it for some great designs.

• Wood Cutout

Head to your local craft store and stock up on those cheap wood cutouts. Stars, circles, hearts, and little sleds and reindeer make great items for this craft. Using craft puff paint, draw some design on the cutouts to make snowflakes, Santa, Frosty, names and dates, or little phrases like “Good Tidings” and “Feliz Navidad.”

• Glitter Pine Cones

If you live near the woods, then great. If you live elsewhere, can use any kind of tree cone, or even nuts and pods from trees. Coat the pine cones with a craft glue spray and sprinkle glitter all the over the pine cone. Using hot glue, attach a piece ribbon to the tip of the cone and loop it so you can hang it on the tree.
** Bonus** When I was a kid, we dipped the pine cones in melted wax a few times, coated with a little glitter, hung them on the tree, and when it was time to build a fire, we snapped a few leaves from the cone to help start the fire!!

• Oranges

Using those little nectarine or small oranges make for a great scent through the holiday. Using a flat push pin, pin a looped piece of yarn, ribbon, or string so you can hang the orange. Use clove spikes and stick them in the oranges. You can arrange them in a design, or just sporadically. The clove accents the orange scent and leaves a fresh citrusy warm smell.

• Popcorn Garland

We use Gold Emblem Abound Organic Popcorn or a bag of popped Heavenly Light Popcorn for this. You can get the GEA Popcorn at CVS/Pharmacy stores everywhere. This popcorn works great because it doesn’t have a lot of salt or butter and it’s delicious to munch on.

Using some twine or fishing line, thread a large sewing needle and tie off the end with a large knot to keep the popcorn on. Pop the popcorn according to the directions and thread each piece of popcorn onto the string.

Make the popcorn garland long enough to warp around your tree, hang on the fireplace mantle, or around the doorways.Be sure to make plenty of popcorn, because you’ll definitely run low while everyone is munching on it. But, don’t fret, the GEA Popcorn is super affordable at CVS/Pharmacy and, like all their snacks, is pretty darn healthy and hearty.

• Yarn Pom PomsUsing different colored yarns, wrap the yarn around a long piece of cardboard or stick numerous times so that there is about an inch diameter of yarn. Remove the cardboard/stick, tie a piece of yarn tightly in the middle of the yarn. Cut the end of the yarn on each side and VIOLA, you have a Yarn Pom Pom. Hang them on the tree or all over, they are great kitty and puppy toys too!

• Christmas Card GarlandsDo you have a bunch of old Christmas cards that you’ve held on to? No worries, we can repurpose them as decorations. Just take your old cards, cut off the front, or cut out portions that are nice, place a hole punch at the top corner, string along some yarn, ribbon, or some tinsel.

Our family has always loved Christmas and I have a lot of memories as a kid. I get so excited that we can pass them on in our family and also make new traditions and memories. Since the holidays often holds a lot of snacks and desserts that are so flavorful for the waistline, I’m so thankful that there are snack from Gold Emblem Abound. I just head to CVS/Pharmacy and stock up on their popcorn, fruit grain bars, rice chips, gummy bears, fruit chips, and all sorts of other great snack foods.

I don’t worry about the kids grubbing on them, I know they are better to eat those snacks than the pieces of fudge, candy stuff cookies, and sugar filled pies that end up on our kitchen counter throughout the winter months. Get your family together, give these crafts a try, and get your snacking on with Gold Emblem Abound snacks from CVS/Pharmacy.

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Disclosure: I’m proud to partner with CVS/pharmacy as one  the “Gold Emblem Abound Trail Makers” this  year! I am being sponsored by CVS/pharmacy for my Trail Makers posts and activities, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the  appropriate manufacturers.”