Christmas is coming…

It's the time of year when many more of us like to get creative, so here are some of my ideas from Christmases past, on this blog, in features I've written, and on Instagram. And there are Christmas presents to buy, too, in the form of a couple of gift guides for particular people.

Christmas cards and decorations

So-simple Christmas cards Your own photos pasted onto cards

Make a mini wreath

Make a festive foliage bauble

Transform tealight holders

Make paper Christmas decorations – perfect for children

Sew a felt Christmas stocking

Make a popcorn and cranberry garland

Make pine cone decorations

Make a paper bag advent calendar

Gifts to make

Step-by-step instructions, or simple inspiration

How to make spiced gin

How to make sloe gin

How to make preserved lemons

Make mulled wine sachets

Embroider a hashtag

Make bird-feeder balls

Knit a cowl

Make beard oil

Knit for babies (11 free patterns)

Christmas gift guides

For particular people, more to come, and more to be added to each.

Houseplants and horticulture 

Folding paper - so very festive: Christmas papercrafts

Origami is apparently the new craft trend. I first tried it when I was about eight, with an American book with a woman wearing a sombrero-type hat festooned with beautiful paper flowers. This taught me how to fold a waterlily, which I've never forgotten. It comes in very handy with napkins.

Given that Hobbycraft says sales of origami paper are up by 20% on 2015, I didn't expect to have to ask a sales assistant to find some paper for me! First on my (never-ending, ever-growing) list of things to make was this origami Santa.

And as you can see from the picture, running a fingernail along the folds you make, so that they're sharp, is very important. And as you can also see, I didn't do that, as I was making it on my knee while watching the video on my laptop.

I also wanted to make lots of paper stars, having seen them as a cut-out internally illuminated version in Sweden (in real life and on TV) in everyone's windows at Christmas. Here's the first attempt, made watching this video. This isn't origami because it uses scissors, but it's a lot simpler than the Santa! I'll be making more of these, sticking them together in pairs, and stringing them on garlands.

Making your own Christmas decorations with paper is appealing because it's cheap and easy to get hold of (plain white A4 can be spectacular), so it doesn't really matter if you go wrong. I wrote about Christmas papercrafts to make with kids for Saga: all the classics, including paper chains and snowflakes.

Make, do and send

It can be hard to find Christmas cards that you actually like, for a price you're prepared to pay - that is, if you send any at all.

I'm a fan; they jolly up the room and it's pleasant to receive evidence that someone's thinking of you, but I do wonder what the point is of sending a card if that's your only contact in the course of a year. Or several years...

But enough of the analysis; I've just made my first batch of cards, to hand out in person to quite a few of my extended family.

I went for a super-simple option: printed photos stuck on blank cards. 

To make your own, pull together appropriate images; mine included a snowcat, charity runners dressed as Santa, snowy scenes from Lapland (and the local park) and a Kellogg's cornflakes packet. You could also use family shots, or stage a seasonal tableau.

Use your computer's photo software to print a page full, sized appropriately, or insert into a Word doc or similar, then print out.

Trim around the edges with a craft knife or scalpel and a metal rule, leaving a white border for a retro look. Stick on to the blank card (mine are very similar to these from Hobbycraft) with glue stick, sticky dots or doubled-over sticky tape. Stamp or write a seasonal slogan, write your message, then post.

Last posting dates for Christmas

If you're sending any cards, handmade or not, you need these.
Tuesday December 20: second class, 55p
Wednesday December 21: first class, 64p
Find the full list of dates, including international and parcels, here
This year's Christmas stamps celebrate 50 years of their production by Royal Mail. They feature paper cut-outs by Helen Musselwhite.

Next year's Christmas card designs

Merry Christmas - I know it's nearly New Year, but I'm planning ahead - this is next year's Christmas card! A coastal Christmas tree made of seaweed with whitish stones for lights/baubles and an odd fronded sponge-like plant/animal for a star on the top. Made in minutes on Deal beach on Christmas Day.

My OH was v keen to make our own cards this year but a last-minute trip shortly before Christmas knocked that on the head (along with a generously decorated Christmas tree and a wreath for the door - I got as far as buying the foam ring...)

Will they be finished by Christmas?

Currently racing to finish knitting a snood and a scarf for Christmas - they're presents. Last year I was casting off on Christmas morning - not recommended!

I had also started knitting garter-stitch dishcloths but the green string (Conran Shop) was v hard on the hands to work with so they're abandoned.

Somewhat more successful is the jingle-bell jewellery: I've made a few pairs of these earrings (photo courtesy of That's Not My Age) cos they take about a minute each. I also made jingle-bell rings for my friend's two daughters.