Putting the Magic into Christmas

Putting the Magic into Christmas

December is here, which means that we can all put up our Christmas tree and decorations and add a little bit of sparkle to our lives. Christmas wouldn’t be the same without that little bit of magic, so The Money Shed would like to help you create the most wondrous and enchanting Christmas ever. But, unlike most things at this festive time, it will all be on the cheap, or even free.  Whether you are trying to create a mystical Christmas Eve for the kids, or an unforgettable celebration for the adults, all these tips will keep the magic alive, without your pocket feeling the punch.

For those of you who were unsure, Father Christmas does exist! Fact! And to just make sure that the little ones have another year of mystery and magic you can create the most amazing morning scene to welcome them on Christmas Day. First make sure the kids are tucked up asleep in bed, no one wants a little face to pop around the door when Santa’s elves are busy working. Next get a pair of wellies, or deep gripped boots and a shallow baking tray full of flour. Now, without getting too giddy, and before you have too many Sherries, put the wellies on, stomp in the flour, and careful walk across the living room. The best route is from the chimney to the presents, but when that’s not possible be creative. You may need to re-flour the soles half way. Finish off with some glitter sprinkled along the same route. And for those of you who have had too many Sherries, you could always get the dog to create Rudolf’s prints too. If this is all a bit too much effort, simply get some tinsel, and cut little pieces off to create the magic route instead. Hey presto…..100% concreate evidence that Santa does exist.

Another simple trick is to blow a lot of balloons up and leave them waiting. Even better, get a canister of helium and fill the room with floating balloons, some may even drop a little over night, creating a multi-layered look.

If you like baking try getting hold of a few different sized cutters. Make a standard biscuit mix, roll out, and use one of the bigger cutters to make the biscuit shape. Next use a smaller cutter in the middle, and remove the centre. This will leave a hole in the centre of the biscuit. Put all your biscuits on a baking tray, on top of baking paper, and in the middle of each hole place a hard boiled sweet. Try to use a variety of colours. Even better smash the sweets up into bits and add different coloured shards together.  Cook as normal in the oven. You will be amazed to find stained glass biscuits awaiting you! These can be gobbled down pronto, or can be threaded with some ribbon to create wonderful decorations and gifts.

Another decoration idea which could be done with the kids, or could have a more ‘adult theme’, involves making homemade play dough. You can find lots of recipes online but basically it’s a simple mix of flour, water, salt and oil. Once made roll out and cut into festive shapes. Bake, cool, paint and decorate. Now, for those naughty adults, be creative and see what shapes you can create! I’m sure your loved one will be overjoyed at being presented with a little hard something on Christmas morning!

Christmas can be the most magical time of year, and it doesn’t have to cost you a thing. So get creative and make this festive season an unforgettable experience for all.