/ Better Living

Christmas tree inspirations

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04:34 PM EST on Tuesday, December 14, 2004

By Sherri Brennen

--Create your own tree-shaped advent calendar with inexpensive felt. Just cut out the tree shape and use cookie cutters as a template to make the ornaments. Buy pre-cut fun foam numbers or use fabric paint to decorate the ornaments. No need for glue. The felt ornaments will stick on their own. Let kids add on each day until the big day arrives.

Wendy Juren

Use felt to create a Christmas tree advent calendar.

--An adorable lollipop tree is simple to make and kids will love to help. Just wrap the pops in red or green tissue paper (paper napkins also work well) and push into a styrofoam cone covered with foil. Use metallic pipe cleaners to secure the napkins or paper around the pops for a little added glitz to your tree.

--3-D Christmas tree cookies are easy and impressive. Using Christmas tree cookie cutters, make two cookies for each tree. Cut one in half lengthwise while cookies are still warm from the oven. Then, let cookies cool completely and frost the cut edges. Secure to uncut tree so that the cookie stands up. The secret to the glitter look is food coloring spray that is accented with green sprinkles. Spray the tree lightly and then sprinkle with decorations while tree is still damp from the spray. If desired, top cookies with a silver dragee available at specialty cake decorating stores. Display your cookie forest on a tray filled with coconut for a wintry feel.

Wendy Juren

It's easy to make 3-D Christmas trees.

--You can use store bought or homemade sugar cookie dough. Here is our favorite recipe:

Super Shape Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup butter or margarine (at room temperature)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method:

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating in thoroughly. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill for an hour.

Sprinkle work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out dough to about ¼”thickness. Cut out cookies with cookie cutter and place on an ungreased baking sheet covered with foil.

--Use a little foam core, fabric, ribbon and glue to create a clever tree-shaped Christmas cardholder. It makes a cute decoration and keeps all your cards in place. You will need a piece of tag board at least 36” long and 24” wide. Fold a brown paper bag in half and trace your tree pattern with the fold in the middle so that your pattern is symmetrical. Trace tree and cut out. Then lay two to three layers of quilt batting on top of shape and trim. Finally lay fabric over the batting, leaving enough around the edge to turn under and glue to the back of the foam core. When fabric has been glued all the way around. Criss-cross ribbon across the holder and secure each end with hot glue. You can glue a ribbon loop for hanging on the back or prop the cardholder on a table.

--You can even bring the tree shape to the dinner table. Kids will get a kick out of tree-shaped pizza. Use store-bought dough from the freezer case and unroll on an ungreased cookie sheet. Cut and shape a tree and then decorate with sauce, cheese and green and red peppers. Cut into thin slivers. Lay end to end to create a garland. Add pepperoni for the “ornaments.” Bake according to package instructions.

--Even little ones can help with a cupcake tree. You will need 11 cupcakes. 10 for the tree and one for the “trunk.” Use 4 for the bottom layer, 3 for the next and so on until the cupcakes are laid out in a triangle. Use more cupcakes for a larger tree. This makes a great holiday centerpiece. Be sure to decorate one with chocolate frosting or sprinkles for the trunk.

--An old-fashioned tree sheet cake is a still a favorite. Best of all, it’s easy enough for a beginner. Cut a triangle shape from a 9 X 13” inch cake. Frost with store bought frosting colored green, decorate with assorted candies (let your creativity soar. . we used Christmas M & M’s (trademark) and cherry licorice). Insert a candy bar for the trunk.

So there you have it. Trees to celebrate the season.