Treat in a Jar

Fill a small jar with Poppycock or other treat  (Recipes) .  Attach the lid,  tie on a bright colored ribbon and glue on a sprig of holly.

Orange Pomander

These oranges make a great gift as a closet pomander.  Have the children (preschool age or older) cover an entire orange with whole cloves.  Decorate the finished orange with a bright ribbon looped around the orange for hanging as a closet pomander.

Poinsettia Christmas Baskets

This would make a wonderful gift for Grandma!  Children can cut out paper poinsettias out of red construction paper with yellow rounds for centers (cut from yellow construction paper with hole punch!)  Attach green pipe cleaners for stems, and tie together.  Then attach stems to plastic berry baskets.  Provide tissue paper for the children to stuff in their berry baskets around the stems.

A Votive Candle Holder

Tear different colored tissue paper into pieces.  Cover a baby food far using a paintbrush with diluted glue (add a bit of water) and attach the pieces of tissue paper to the jar.  Sprinkle a few gold or silver sparkles...add a ribbon around the top and place a small votive candle in the jar.  Hint:  Make sure the candle will fit nicely inside ~~ not all jars are the same shape!

Pretzel Wreath With Photo 

A great gift for mom and dad.....look good enough to eat!

Glue five small heart shaped pretzels together in a circle.  glue on a second layer overlapping the first and spray with shellac.  Weave a ribbon, tie with a bow, and attach a hanger.  Cut a tag board circle a little larger that the inside of the wreath and cover with metallic paper.  Glue a child's photo to the cut-out circle; then glue behind the wreath.   Makes a great ornament, too.

Poppycock
 

3 cups peanuts
1/32 cup butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
12 cups popped corn

Spread nuts in a large  roasting pan.  Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.  In saucepan, melt butter, add corn syrup, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Mix popcorn with nuts in roasting pan.  Drizzle with syrup mixture.  Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.  Makes 16 cups.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
 

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 bar (3 oz) white chocolate
16 pretzel rods
sprinkles
coconut

In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate morsels on medium for 3 minutes.  Stir.  Let stand about one minute, then stir until smooth.  Repeat procedure to melt white chocolate.  Place wire rack over sheet of waxed paper.  Dunk pretzels into one chocolate mixture.  Let set briefly, then use spoon to drizzle other chocolate over the first.  Immediately sprinkle decorations onto pretzels.  Let dry on wire rack until chocolate is set.  Wrap pretzel rods in clear cellophane, tie with ribbon to make a big bow!