Fun Crafts For The Christmas Season

Did you get caught up in fall's arrival and purchase a plethora of pumpkins? If so, what are you doing with them now? If they haven't started to rot, I have a couple of activities you can do.

Let’s decorate them! That's right... pull out your art supplies, glitter, poinsettias, bows, ribbons, other Christmas decor, or whatever you'd like to include.

I know Christmas is over as I’m posting this, however, you'll have new ideas for next time! And no worries... I'll reshare and possibly update this post again during 2022's holiday season.

Just to be clear, I'm not a crafty person naturally. 14 years of parenting has taught me to find some enjoyment within it. Having artistic daughters will do that!

I was initially tempted to head to Pinterest and do all the research for these projects. Then I changed my mind and instead, went with the flow. If you find yourself needing inspiration, feel free to make Google your bestie.

If most of your pumpkins are orange, paint them. We chose the color red. Next time we’ll use gold for the stem.

Use paint you already have at home to save money. For inexpensive purchases, maybe grab some cans of spray paint. I found a few at Walmart for just over $1. Your pumpkins have to be discarded eventually so the least expensive brands should suffice.

And if you prefer to keep them orange, do that. No one gets to dictate what colors are invited to your Christmas!

I suggest using an old blanket or mat to complete this craft on. Protect your surfaces folks. Things may get messy. If you're using spray paint, definitely do it outside for good ventilation. Then, allow your pumpkins to dry thoroughly before decorating them. We waited a few hours.

Turn this into a bigger occasion by adding snacks to the mix. A pumpkin decorating party if you will. For adults, maybe include your favorite grown-up beverages and hors d'oeuvres. If kids are present, allow them to help you bake cookies beforehand or prepare finger foods.

Not everyone bakes from scratch so let that pre-packaged, refrigerated cookie dough bake with pride. It saves time and your kids probably won't care either way.

Another fun activity for us was creating a pumpkin snowman. We simply matched up the ones we had according to size, then spray painted them white. After the paint dried thoroughly, my youngest drew the face with acrylic markers. She did the same for drawings on the other pumpkins.

A black plastic planter we had was used for the hat and an old scarf. Our yard has a plethora of sticks so finding small ones was no problem. We moved our "snowman" around a few times until we found the perfect spot. There he'll sit happily until his time runs out.

Not only were these crafts simple, they were fun. There was also little spending involved. The end results made our porch a happier space. We smile every time we step outside.

I’d also like to add… if you don’t celebrate Christmas, decorate your pumpkins accordingly. Personalize them in a way that’s acceptable for you and/or your family!

Lastly… if you’re reading this post as it goes live and you have pumpkins sitting around, go ahead and decorate them with a new year’s theme. I mean … why not?!!

ACTIVITY RECAP:

- Gather pumpkins & supplies

- Buy inexpensive spray paint (Walmart) if necessary

- Find an outdoor area to spray paint the pumpkins

- Let them dry thoroughly

- Spread out a blanket or mat to complete the activity on

- Decorate the pumpkins

- Place them

- Admire your work =)