Would you like to make this Christmas the sweetest one ever by making small Christmas crafts out of candy? Here are five ideas to get you started on delightful decorations based on confections:
1. Reindeer
Make or buy heart-shaped sugar cookies, or purchase oblong cookie “sandwiches” that are filled with peanut-butter or lemon-flavored cream. Coat one side in brown frosting or creamy peanut butter. Insert two small candies in the frosting for eyes, a slighter larger candy for a nose, and then use the two broken halves of a pretzel twist to make antlers for your yummy, and entirely edible, reindeer.
2. Mouse
Glue tiny paper ears and a pipe cleaner tail to the foil wrapping of a chocolate drop to make an itty-bitty mouse. You can also create a room or tree full of mice by gluing a tear-drop shape piece of paper or felt onto the stem of a candy cane. The curve of the cane acts as a tail. Draw or paint on eyes and whiskers at the narrow part of the mouse. Cut out ear shapes and glue them onto the mouse so that they hang over the edge of its body.
3. Trees
Create trees by sticking several lollipops into a Styrofoam cone and setting it by your door for guests to take candy from your treat tree. Or cover a cone by gluing on hard candies until it is entirely covered, except for one tiny spot on the bottom. Insert a dowel rod in the empty space. Stick the other end of the dowel into more foam, tucked inside a terra cotta gardening pot. Cover the top of the foam in the planting pot with moss, or more candy, and you have a tasty-looking topiary.
4. Jolly Rancher bricks
Are you looking for a way to add texture and interest to your gingerbread house? Apply a thick layer of white icing to the chimney or random areas of the walls in a small batch as mortar, then push a few red Jolly Ranchers or other hard rectangular candies into the frosting as bricks. Stagger them for a more brick-like appearance.
5. Nativity
Make your entire nativity scene out of candy goodness. Although you probably will not be able to eat the Baby Jesus without a twinge of horror, your candy crèche will add a touch of whimsy to your holiday décor. Use toothpicks to hold the bodies of the people and animals together. Use gumballs for heads. Use chewy candy fruit rolls in assorted colors for bodies. Or give them lollipop heads and make bodies/clothing out of construction paper and glue them on the stems. Let inserted toothpicks serve as arms and legs. Make angels out of marshmallows with circular yellow halos made from hard candy or “gummy” candy, and stick them on with white icing. Create the wall of the manger by lining up licorice or chocolate-flavored candy twists along a graham cracker wall, with more frosting as “mortar.”
Don’t limit yourself to these ideas! Hopefully, they will be a small but tasty springboard for your holiday table and gifts.
