Christmas Ornaments

Sparkling Twists

Here’s a fancy twist for decorating with colored pretzels. Many early settlers in this country adorned their trees with decorations that could be eaten.

Gather an assortment of variously shaped pretzels. Arrange several small bowls and put colored sprinkles in one, colored sugar in another, powdered sugar in another. Have an adult help you separate the yolks from the whites of two eggs. Refrigerate yolks to use in holiday cooking. Beat whites until slightly foamy. Brush one side of each pretzel lightly with egg white mixture, then press the wet side flat onto decorations in one of the bowls.

Place pretzels, decorated side up, on waxed paper to dry. Hang them on tree or add ribbon for hanging.

Fabric Scrap Ornaments

You will need: pencil, yarn, glue, cotton batting or cotton balls, pins, pinking shears, scissors, and scraps of felt and fabric.

With a pencil, lightly draw simple shapes—circles, stars, squares, and bells—on fabric, and cut out with pinking shears.

Spread a line of glue 1/4″ from zigzag edge, going half way around each shape. Center shape over piece of felt and press in place. Pin to hold fabrics together until glue dries. Trim felt with scissors, leaving 1/4″ edge of felt around shape.

Stuff shape with cotton or batting. Cut 2″ piece of yarn and insert both cut ends between two fabric pieces, making a loop for hanging. Spread line of glue on rest of fabric edge and pin until dry.

Make small bow from yarn and glue right below hanging loop.

Illustrated by Pat Hoggan