Tag: make

Christmas Candy to Make at Home

There are plenty of delicious Christmas candies you can make at home to enjoy during the holiday season. There are countless other Christmas candies and treats you can experiment with, based on your preferences. Enjoy the holiday baking and have a sweet Christmas! Some of the options below can be made with children, others use the oven and others are definitely for adults (such as rum balls and eggnog truffles). Here are a few popular options:

Peppermint Bark

Melt white chocolate, spread it on a baking sheet, and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Let it cool and harden before breaking it into pieces.

Gingerbread Truffles

Combine crushed gingerbread cookies with cream cheese, roll the mixture into balls, and dip them in melted chocolate. Decorate with festive sprinkles.

Homemade Caramels

Cook together sugar, butter, corn syrup, and condensed milk until it reaches the desired caramel consistency. Pour it into a greased pan, let it cool, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Dip pretzel rods or twists in melted chocolate (you can use white, milk, or dark chocolate) and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or colorful sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet.

Peppermint Patties

Mix together powdered sugar, softened butter, peppermint extract, and a little milk to form a dough. Roll it into small balls, flatten them, and dip them in melted chocolate. Let them cool until the chocolate hardens.

Holiday Peppermint Patties

Mix powdered sugar, melted butter, peppermint extract, and a few drops of food coloring (optional) to form a smooth dough. Roll the dough into small discs and let them firm up in the refrigerator. Dip the patties in melted chocolate and let them set.

Maybe you are wondering whether it is worthwhile making Christmas candy at home? If you are hesitating, remember, it can be a fun and rewarding activity for several reasons:

Personalization

When you make Christmas candy at home, you have full control over the ingredients, flavors, and decorations. You can customize the candies to your liking, incorporating your favorite flavors and experimenting with different combinations. And you can ensure that no allergens find their way in.

Festive Atmosphere

Making Christmas candy is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. The process of creating treats, decorating them, and enjoying their festive flavors can bring joy and excitement to your home. It can also be a fun activity to do with family and friends, creating lasting memories together.

Thoughtful Gifts

Homemade Christmas candy can make wonderful gifts for loved ones. You can package the candies in decorative boxes or jars and give them as thoughtful, homemade presents. It shows your care and effort, and recipients will appreciate the personal touch.

Cost Savings

Making Christmas candy at home can often be more cost-effective than buying pre-made treats. You can buy ingredients in bulk and make larger quantities of candy for a fraction of the price of store-bought options. Plus, you can save money on packaging by using your own creative and inexpensive solutions.

Quality and Freshness

Homemade candy allows you to use high-quality ingredients, ensuring the freshness and taste of the treats. You have control over the ingredients you use, avoiding any artificial additives or preservatives that might be present in store-bought candies.

Bonding and Creativity

Making Christmas candy can be a creative outlet, allowing you to experiment with different flavors, textures, and decorations. It can also be a bonding experience as you involve family members or friends in the process, sharing laughs, stories, and the joy of creating something delicious together.

Remember, making Christmas candy is not only about the final product but also about the joy and satisfaction that comes with the process. So, if you enjoy cooking, baking, and indulging in sweet treats, making Christmas candy at home can be a delightful and rewarding activity during the holiday season. With that in mind, here are a few more christmas candy treats to make:

Christmas Fudge

Combine condensed milk, chocolate chips, and your choice of add-ins like nuts, marshmallows, or dried fruits. Heat the mixture until the chocolate melts, then pour it into a greased pan and let it set before cutting into squares.

Snowball Cookies

Make a buttery cookie dough with flour, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. Roll the dough into small balls and bake until golden. While still warm, roll the cookies in powdered sugar to coat them.

Coconut Snowballs

Mix together shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Roll the mixture into small balls and coat them in more shredded coconut. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

Make a batch of homemade marshmallows and add crushed candy canes to the mixture before pouring it into a pan to set. Once cooled and firm, cut the marshmallows into squares and dust them with powdered sugar.

Candy Cane Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Stirrers

Skewer marshmallows on candy cane sticks and dip them in melted chocolate. Let the chocolate set, then use them to stir hot chocolate for a festive twist.

Peppermint Marshmallow Pops

Skewer marshmallows with lollipop sticks. Dip them in melted white chocolate and immediately sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Allow the chocolate to set before serving.

Peanut Butter Balls

Mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar, and melted butter. Roll the mixture into small balls and chill them in the refrigerator. Dip the chilled balls in melted chocolate and let them set.

Christmas Crack

Line a baking sheet with saltine crackers. In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together, then pour it over the crackers. Bake in the oven until the caramel is bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with melted chocolate. Let it cool and break into pieces.

Rum Balls

Mix together crushed cookies, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and a splash of rum. Roll the mixture into small balls and coat them in powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

Christmas Muddy Buddies (Puppy Chow)

In a large bowl, mix Chex cereal with melted chocolate and peanut butter. Toss the mixture with powdered sugar and add festive-colored M&M’s or other candies.

Chocolate-Covered Cherries

Drain maraschino cherries and pat them dry. Wrap each cherry in a small amount of fondant or marzipan. Dip the wrapped cherries in melted chocolate and let them set.

Holiday Popcorn

Pop plain popcorn and toss it with melted white chocolate. Add crushed candy canes, holiday-themed sprinkles, or dried cranberries for extra flavor and color.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

Toss pecan halves in melted butter, then coat them in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake until toasted and fragrant.

Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

Dip dried apricots in melted dark or milk chocolate and let them cool on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can also sprinkle them with chopped nuts or coconut flakes before the chocolate sets.

Christmas Toffee

Cook together butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt until it reaches a toffee-like consistency. Pour the toffee onto a lined baking sheet, spread it out, and sprinkle it with melted chocolate and crushed nuts. Let it cool and break into pieces.

Almond Butter Crunch

Cook together butter, sugar, and corn syrup until it becomes a caramel. Stir in chopped almonds and spread the mixture on a lined baking sheet. Once cooled, break it into bite-sized pieces.

Eggnog Truffles

Combine white chocolate, eggnog, and a pinch of nutmeg in a saucepan. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let it cool, then roll it into balls and coat them in cocoa powder or grated white chocolate.

Pretzel Turtles

Arrange pretzels in clusters on a baking sheet. Top each pretzel with a caramel candy and bake in the oven until the caramel softens. Remove from the oven and press a pecan half onto each caramel. Let them cool and set.

These are just a few more ideas to add to your list of homemade Christmas candies. Remember to adjust the recipes according to your preferences and dietary restrictions. Have fun making these Christmas candies and enjoy the festive season! Enjoy the process of making these sweet treats and savor the festive flavors!

50 Activities You Can Do For An Activity Advent Calendar

Activity Advent Calendar

If you want to do activities with your children this Christmas in place of having a bought advent calendar, here are some ideas (actually, there are 55):

    1. Make your own Christmas calendar. Find 24 small containers, decorate them and put them together in a formation that pleases you, using glue or sticky tape. The simplest shape for an advent calendar would be a rectangle, of 6 boxes long by 4 boxes high or 8 boxes by 3. Add small knobs or buttons for handles.https://www.merrychristmascountdown.com/
    2. If you don’t want a regular shape, create several small “presents”, number them and use them to create Santa’s sleigh.
    3. Another kind of wooden advent calendar would be to use those little trucks you get in toy train sets and number those from 1 to 24 with labels.https://www.merrychristmascountdown.com/
    4. If your containers are all the same size and rectangular shape, you could paint them green and build them into the shape of a Christmas tree, for instance. A Christmas tree shape can be made by placing 3 rectangular containers side by side as the base, then adding a layer of 6 boxes on top of that, then a layer of 5 boxes on top of that, then 4, then 3 then 2, making a triangular shape, then topping the tree with the final box, making 24 boxes in all.
    5. You could be adventurous and try creating a 3D wooden advent calendar, with 24 separate boxes. Create the bottom layer as a  rectangle of 3 boxes wide by one box deep. That uses 8 boxes. Add two more identical layers on top of that to make a house shape using all 24 boxes. Now create and decorate a roof from cardboard or wooden popsicle sticks to fit over it.
    6. Alternatively, make and color Christmas shapes like stockings, stars, trees and hearts and hang them on a line with small pegs. Add a code on the back of each one and hide the coded “gifts” or activities somewhere. Or you could make bags or shapes from material and hang those on the line.
    7. Another possibility for a Christmas advent calendar is to make one using a large sheet of card, then sticking cutouts from old Christmas cards on the front as flaps to open. Again, you can write a code inside if you don’t want little fingers opening the doors ahead of time to see what is coming up. https://www.merrychristmascountdown.com/
    8. Whichever kind of advent calendar you make, number the boxes or shapes from 1 to 24 and put an activity in each container in random order (except for those that MUST occur on a particular day, such as a visit to the pantomime). Activities you could put in the box could be:
    9. Add a new Christmas decoration for hanging on the tree.
    10. A packet of pot pourri flowers or smell and some pine cones or wooden balls or shavings for making your own bowl of pot pourri.
    11. Pantomime tickets – even if you were going to go anyway, it makes it seem even more special to have the tickets appear from the advent calendar.
    12. Write or create Christmas cards for local friends or relations. (Don’t leave that one too late for cards that need to be posted.)
    13. Visit a theme park.
    14. Go to your local leisure centre and go swimming or try an activity you don’t do normally.
    15. Pick the Christmas tree.
    16. Make decorations for the Christmas tree.
    17. Decorate the Christmas tree.
    18. Visit someone who lives alone or in an old people’s home (check first that it is OK).
    19. Consider inviting a lonely neighbor or friend to join you for Christmas Dinner and create an invitation card for them.
    20. Make a small basket of goodies and leave them at a neighbor’s door with an anonymous message of goodwill.
    21. Make Christmas biscuits or mince pies and decorate them.
    22. Make a present for someone.
    23. Draw up your list for Santa.
    24. Declutter an old toy or book ready for new toys coming at Christmas.
    25. Pick out a good toy or book you could donate to a local charity.
    26. Visit the charity shop to donate.
    27. Visit Santa or Santa’s grotto.
    28. Go and see the Christmas lights being turned on, or take an evening walk to view the Christmas lights in the dark.
    29. Go out and collect pine cones for a display.
    30. Paint or decorate the pine cones with gold or silver paint. Stick them on sticks and put them in a vase as a display.
    31. Use a Christmas oil on the pine cones to make it smell Christmassy.
    32. Join a Christmas carol service or put on some Christmassy (or favorite) music and dance around the house.
    33. Buy a toy with small pieces (not for toddlers under 3 years of age) such as Lego or Playmobile and put different pieces in different advent boxes, so it builds up into a set over a few days.
    34. The twelve crafts of Christmas. Make something Christmassy on each of these days.
    35. The twelve kindnesses of Christmas. Visit someone on each day and take one of the Christmas crafts to give to them. It could be an elderly or disabled neighbor, a relative, someone in a senior citizens home, etc
    36. Look for a charity craft fair in your area and pay a visit. Make a donation even if you don’t buy anything.
    37. Write a letter to Santa and find the address to send it to, to receive a reply.
    38. Make it a “Giving” advent. Each day of advent, add a tin or packet of food to a box to hand into your local foodbank for a family that won’t have much at Christmas. Make sure you hand it in early enough for distribution in time for Christmas.
    39. Create or buy a present for a child who won’t have much this Christmas. Find a local charity that distributes these kinds of gifts.
    40. Visit your nearest library to choose Christmas books.
    41. Make salt dough and create Christmas shapes for hanging on the tree.
    42. See if a local park or facility is creating a Christmas wonderland or adventure for walking through or visiting.
    43. Get together a family date night pack with hot chocolate, popcorn and snuggly blankets and watch a Christmas film.
    44. Visit a Christmas market.
    45. Go for an evening walk around your neighborhood and count how many Christmas trees are lit and on display.
    46. Plan a Christmas Eve Box and make that item 24 on your calendar.
    47. Make reindeer food.
    48. Bake Christmas Pies for Santa
    49. Track Santa’s sleigh from 1st December (it doesn’t work before then) with Norad and watch it get closer to your house.
    50. Add a Christmas coloring page and pencils or crayons to the Advent calendar. You could get some Christmas colouring books.
    51. Rock Painting with a Christmas Theme. You can make a small pile of Christmas themed rocks at your doorway. Try using glow in the dark paint.
    52. Wear family Ugly Christmas Sweaters.
    53. Make a “Santa Stop Here” sign.
    54. Print out the “Night Before Christmas” poem and read it together.
    55. Get a new board game for Christmas and play it.