This may sound early to be posting about Christmas, but we plan on another Pioneer Christmas in our home. We have already started making Christmas gifts and are looking at new ways to bring the pioneer spirit to our Christmas celebration.

Does anyone else plan or have a pioneer Christmas? And if so, what do you do?

I love the idea of this--I just don't know if I have the skills to pull it off.

I look forward to hearing all about yours cj :)

Does anyone else plan or have a pioneer Christmas? And if so, what do you do?

Sort of I guess-- this year the plans are:

drawer scents- made from a fallen cedar tree. My sons are cutting it into square blocks, and sanding them to put in the linen and clothing drawers.

wood puzzles-- again made from a fallen maple tree. My boys are cutting simple 3-6 piece puzzles for the smaller kids on our list.

I'm currently making violet jelly, dandelion jelly and so forth for putting in gift baskets.

I spin free wool given to me by a neighbor who raises sheep (he gives me the seconds that he can't sell, and I spin it). Then I knit/crochet hats, mittens, scarves, afghans, purses and so forth.

Quilts and assorted quilted items made from free or nealy free materials that are given to me or picked up CHEAP at yard sales, Salvation Army, etc.

There will be homemade breads, jams, jellies, and candies for gifts. Most made from ingredients from our farmette.

I want to really get thinking hard on this next month.

I mentioned to dh that I would love for him to build a puppet theater for ds - don't know if it will happen.

WOW! That sounds so wonderful, Sunshine! I like the sound of your violet jelly and also dandelion jelly. What fun your Christmas will be.
Are you able to share those recipes?

WOW! That sounds so wonderful, Sunshine! I like the sound of your violet jelly and also dandelion jelly. What fun your Christmas will be.
Are you able to share those recipes?

Dandelion Jelly
Dandelion Jelly
1 qt. dandelion flowers
1 qt. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 box Sure-Jell
Cook together for 3 minutes the flowers and water.
Strain and save juice.
Follow directions on Sure-Jell box using dandelion water.
Bring to a boil, then add 4 1/2 cups sugar and lemon juice.


Violet Jam
1 cup packed violet blossoms
1 1/2 cups water
juice of one lemon
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 package pectin

Place violets in blender with 3/4 cup water
and lemon juice.
Blend and then add the sugar until it dissolves.
(The solution will turn pink, because of the lemon juice.)
Heat 3/4 cup water in a pan, stir in the pectin
and boil hard for 1 minute.
Pour this mixture into the blender with the other ingredients,
blend 1 minute, pour into sterile jars, and seal.
This will keep in the refrigerator for about
3 weeks. Store the rest in the freezer.
If for some reason your jam does not jell, use it as a syrup
for pancakes, ice cream, or tea flavoring.

Thank you Sunshine. :) My violets are just starting to flower, so I'll take a deep breath and pull the heads off! LOL I love to see them popping up in the garden. They look so pretty here in late Autumn.

I'm starting to feel in the mood to prepare Christmas, too. :) It sounds like everyone's Christmas will be very special. Has anyone started doing some things you mentioned? :)

I would like to make my own wrapping paper again. I use brown paper and decorate it with stamps or sponges dipped in children's paint. Then tied with yarn or rafia.

I would like to make scented homemade Christmas decorations...I don't have the idea *how*, but I will search for ideas.

I would like to make some Christmas ornaments with the pinecones my father picked for me....:)

So far, those are my ideas. :xmastree:

Another nice natural idea is using preserved/dried citrus, pomegranates, and apples, cinnamon sticks, raffia, pheasant feathers, mini bird nests, dried babies breath and german statice, pinecones, etc.

Lucie~

One of my favourite homemade Christmas ornaments are made with cinnamon and applesauce or cinnamon and white glue. After mixing the two ingredients together you roll and cut them with different shape cookie cutters, poking a hole in the top for stringing and let them harden. Fast, easy and fun. Even the boys would like to get in on this. If you would like the recipe, LMK.

Thanks Carolyn. I'll have to try this! It sounds easy! Do you use equal parts of glue and applesauce? :)

Wow! Carolyn! You have lots of great ideas! Thank-you! And thank-you Sara! :)

Now I just need to search in a english-french dictionary...I don't know what pods are....

Old fashionned and natural Christmases are the best....:)

Super ideas for an old fashioned Christmas....my favourite!!

I am making:

~quilts (working on...I have 2 "I Spy" block quilts done)
~pillowcases (lots made in different fabrics.... kids prints, floral, etc)
~table runners, placemats and fabric napkins (I have one set made already)
~I make up nuts and bolts, fudge, jams and such for baskets. I also do alot of baking for neighbours and the ladies at the post office and bank
~I read this somewhere and am going to be making up some books on tape for Delaney.....with my voice and some background music....it'll be something she will always have

Thank-you Heather for the pictures of Pods. :) I must admit, I still don't to know what they are...

You're ideas are very good! I love the one you'll be doing for Delaney. I think that is the most precious gift...she will have your voice for life. :heart:

~Save your lids from small yogurt containers and such. Glue a pretty picture on BOTH sides and hang on your tree. Your kids can also make these and glue pictures of themselves or their pets and send to grandparents for their Christmas gifts.
~if you or your dh works with wood, keep some of the wood ends. They make perfect building blocks for kids. Paint the alphabet or small picture on them. (Make sure you use materials that are kid okay.)
~tree cones make wonderful Christmas ornaments. I seen them at a craft sale where 2 were joined together with pretty ribbon. All you have to do is glue the ribbon to the top of the cone.

~making book tapes are awesome Heather. For kids, they can write little poems or a story and do them on tape (with music in the background) for grandparents. Its neat how grandparents LOVE anything kids make!!!

I've finished the tops of a number of quilted wall hangings. I've also finished the top of one of the 4 quilts I'm making. I will need to quilt them yet, but always wait for cooler weather.

Dave has agreed to make a hope chest for me for Christmas. I'm so excited :)

Michelle, that is just awesome. :hurray:

He's going to work on it with my FIL--mainly because we don't have many of the necessary tools. It was something I could think of to ask for that he could make. I'm going to be making him a lap quilt, some lounge pants (I hope!), and an eyeglasses case. We wanted to do a homemade Christmas between us, and also do more homemade things for the kids vs. the usual commercialism. :D I'm very excited for Christmas!

CJ, I see you mentioned that your making quilts--will you be making other things as well? How about your children? What are they planning to make?

Michelle, yes I will be making other things.

So far here is my list (more will be added)

~pj's for the boys & grandkids
~nighties for dd and granddaughter
~dh always makes some sort of wood craft for them. We have a cute pattern for X's & O's hes going to make and I'll paint it. Not sure what else will make.

~I also plan on making some table runners for dil's and wall hangings for them.
~I have a couple aprons already made

I'm not sure what the kids will make. Closer to Nov. they go through their dad's books and then they cut something out with the scrollsaw. Dd designed a wall hanging for my sewing room and ds made me a wall hanging with wood. They have their choice as to what they make. Dd made dh a scarf (she knitted it) and although not quite all straight, he wears it all the time. She also cut out material and sewed him a couple hankies. That would be really simple for your girls to do. You just have to press the material over and then over again and have the girls sew them up. We did this 2 years ago and Chelsey was just starting to sew. Bob loved them because they were made by her.

Dd is very creative - she made a couple of book markers for him as well. He reads all the time so she got a some cardboard (it was white) and she put some really cute stickers on it and drew a couple of little pictures. She also taped a piece of white crochet thread. He uses these markers all the time.


Oh, oh I just thought of something else. Matching night shirts for the whole family. You can get patterns that have the nightshirt for men and women - Simplicity 7071 and then make matching nightshirts for the kids. Our oldest son has asked for this.

I'll think of more and post more later.

Because this is a homemade Christmas, here are a couple more things the kids can do.

~they can make all the gift tags.

~they can make the wrapping paper. You can use brown paper bags (if you have any) or plain white paper for this. Cut out a couple of patterns in a potato. Then have them decorate the paper with the cut out potatoes, using paints they have. Or they can draw pictures on the paper and color. Remember, for a pioneer Christmas, your making as much as possible, rather than purchasing any.

One thing about a pioneer/homemade Christmas is you have to start early. Staring now and doing a bit each month really helps when it comes closer to Christmas. Now is the time to be making gift tags, Christmas cards, etc. especially during rainy days. It gives the kids something to do.

I don't send out Christmas cards, but I do put cards in parcels. I'm making all my own using scraps of material. Use your imagination when it comes to this.

Great ideas, cj, thanks :) I'm going to have them start on the gift tags as soon as I can :)

Oops I stand corrected..LOL. It is glue AND applesauce too....

1/2 cup ground cinnamon
1/3 cup applesauce
1 T. tacky glue

I just saw this Carolyn. Thanks so very much for taking the time to find me the instructions to make these ornaments! :) You are so kind!

Carolyn....about the applesauce and cinaman ornaments...These can be saved over the years, even if there's applesauce in them?....Thanks :)

I will continue to make rugs as gifts. Purses will be added to the list as well. This year we are adding book thongs. They are very easy to make and suck pretty gifts. Just waxed linnen thread(found in the crafting section) and glass beads at each end. I have given a few as gifts and people loed them.
My usual gift baskets contain, jellies of some sort, zucchini relish, sweet breads of a kind, spiced nuts and a craft and ornament. We have been working on out things since June.

Money is really tight for most of our extended family and for us this year. I was thinking abut making all kinds of baked goodies for my inlaws like cookies and such. I thought I'd bake up a big variety of them, chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle and put them in freezer bags with labels on them. That way MIL and FIL could freeze the cookies and just get whatever kind they wanted out of the freezer, zap for about 10 seconds in the microwave and have fresh, hot cookies anytime they wanted.

How are everyone's plans coming along for your pioneer Christmas.

How are everyone's plans coming along for your pioneer Christmas.

Actually I have been more planning than doing...but I count on starting very soon. I want to start planning meals we will eat during the holidays and even start cooking a meal every week that I will save for the holidays. I read this on *Organize.com* I'm hoping to be more organized and prepared this year....I want to enjoy Christmas this year. :)

I bought a few small gifts for my mom, dad and my sister. Nothing expensive--angel magnents for each. I do want to finish a cross-stitch I started last year and put aside...it's for my parents.

That's it so far for me. :)

How about you, CJ?

This may sound early to be posting about Christmas, but we plan on another Pioneer Christmas in our home. We have already started making Christmas gifts and are looking at new ways to bring the pioneer spirit to our Christmas celebration.

Does anyone else plan or have a pioneer Christmas? And if so, what do you do?
Hi I also do pioneer christmas.. I am a christmas freak
we make all our families gifts and decorate christmas pioneer style.. thanks