Activity Name:
Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe

Materials needed:
Game board (click here to view and print)
Game pieces (click here to view and print)
Scissors
Thin cardboard or poster board
Clear contact paper or other means of laminating
Glue stick

Preparation:
Print game board and game pieces.  Cut out game pieces on dotted lines.  Mount on cardboard or poster board.  Laminate.

Carrying out the activity:
Children choose whether or not to be X's (candy canes) or O's (wreathes).  Play as you would normally play tic-tac-toe.

Activity Name:
Hand Antlers

Materials needed:
Brown construction paper
Manilla construction paper (double width size)
Scissors
Thin cardboard or poster board
Masking tape

Preparation:
Trace and cut out a child's right and left hand on the brown paper.  From the manilla paper, cut out a band of paper to be used to wrap around the child's head like you would when making an Indian headband.  Using sturdy cardboard, cut out strips (about 1" w x 5" h) to be used to attach the hands (antlers) to the headband. 

Carrying out the activity:
Tape hands (antlers) side by side onto the inside of the headband strip leaving as much hand showing as possible.  When they are in place, tape the cardboard or poster board strips to the backs of the hands and inside the headband.  This will make it so the antlers won't droop.  Next, wrap the paper band around the child's head and secure it with tape.  Be sure to tape it inside and out for sturdiness.

Activity name:
Hand Wreaths (Room decoration craft)

Materials needed:
Two shades of green construction paper
Scissors
Red construction paper
White school glue

Preparation:
Trace the right and left hand of each child on the green construction paper.  Cut out hands (or have children cut them out).

Carrying out the activity:
Glue the hands together, alternating colors of green, so that when completed the hands form a circle.  (It's a good idea to lay the hands out first to get a feel of how it will come together.)  After the wreath is complete, cut a bow from the red construction paper, glue it on, and hang up your wreath.

Activity name:
Baking Cup Wreath Ornaments

Materials needed:
Paper baking cups (use green or light blue)
Scissors
Red and green construction paper (can be scrap pieces)
Ornament hangers (one for each wreath)
Small red bows or use 1/4" red ribbon to make them (optional)
Hole punch
White school glue

Preparation:
Carefully flatten a green baking cup paper (used for making cupcakes).  Fold in half and cut out the center.  Flatten paper out once more.  Tear (or have the children tear) the green construction paper into small pieces approx. 1/2" x 1/2".  Using the whole punch, make "berries" from the red construction paper.

Carrying out the activity:
Have the children glue torn green paper pieces around the flattened baking cup paper being careful not to fill in the center.  Once the paper pieces are securely in place, have the children glue on the "berries".  Tiny bows may also be added.  Once ornament is dry, attach a wire ornament hanger to the top by simply poking it through.

Variation - Glue a photo of the child behind the wreath so that their face shows through the middle.

Activity name:
Puzzle Wreaths

Materials needed:
Cardboard
Scissors
Old puzzle pieces
Green paint
Small red bows or use 1/4" red ribbon to make them
Gold string
Hot glue gun with glue sticks
White school glue
Red circle cutouts, dried or plastic berries, small red pompoms (optional)

Preparation:
Cut out a donut shape from the cardboard.

Carrying out the activity:
Have children glue puzzle pieces around the circle being careful not to fill in the center.  After the glue has dried, have the children paint the puzzle pieces green.  After the paint has dried, have the children decorate their wreaths with ribbon, red circle cutouts or dried berries, etc.  Loop and hot glue a piece of gold string on the back of the the wreath at the top to be used as a hanger.

Wreaths can be made large for wall or door decorations, or they can be made small to be used as tree ornaments.

Variation - Children's photos may also be glued behind these wreaths as well.

Activity name:
Name Chains

Materials needed:
Red, green, and white construction paper
Scissors
Staples, clear tape, or glue

Preparation:
Cut the paper into 1" x 9" strips.

Carrying out the activity:
Have children make paper chains--determine the length by multiplying the number of letters in a child's first name by two and then adding one (ex. Samantha  8 letters x 2 +1 = 17 strips).  On every other link, beginning with the second link, make the letters in the child’s name.  Their name will appear when the chain is outstretched.  Use these chains to decorate a tree or border the room.

Activity name:
Edible Reindeer

Materials needed:
Slices of wheat or white bread
Peanut butter
Raisins
Pretzel sticks
Cherries

Preparation:
Cut bread into triangle shapes by starting at the upper left-hand corner and cutting down to the center and then repeating with the upper-right hand corner.  If you simply cut the bread in half at an angle, it won't look right.  Save the scrap pieces for the children to feed the birds.

Carrying out the activity:
Have the children spread peanut butter on their bread.  Next, have them add the pretzel antlers, raisin eyes, and add a cherry nose.