Celebrate an Old Fashioned Christmas

Some timeless ideas aren't really lost, they are just hidden away somewhere. The past is never any further away than where our hearts and minds can take us. Give your child or children a blast from the past during the Christmas Holidays by Celebrating an Old Fashioned Christmas. It will include any gift box packed full of timeless items that relate to the past and can be treasured in the present.

Steps

 * 1) Create this gift box project for a child, or children. Find a medium to large box of any kind. The inside of the box can be packed with as many timeless items that you can find; items such as a Life Saver book or books, a brown lunch bag that is filled with nuts, banana and caramel candies or candies that were sold for as low as a penny at one-time; coloring books and crayons, water colors and pad, Archie comic books, plastic green army men, plastic Cowboys and Indians, baby dolls, and paper dolls and if you can't find them make some, caps and cap guns, and a piggy bank filled with ice cream money.
 * 2) Wrap the box in a Christmas wrapping, and add a festive bow or red ribbon.
 * 3) Decorate your tree in an old fashioned way, by stringing popcorn for Garland or use decorative pine cones. Allow your children to come up with their own ideas on decorating the tree, and don't worry about how it may look. Be sure to hang lots of candy canes on the tree.
 * 4) Put out a lacy tablecloth, and use some of your older china, such as maybe grandma's, and watch the all time favorite Christmas movie "It's A Wonderful Life."
 * 5) Listen to Christmas music and sing along with your children.

Tips

 * Kids now days have so much, but there is still more to give them that involves love.
 * If using newspaper to wrap Christmas gifts, it can first be sprayed with red, green, gold or silver spray paint, but allow it to dry.
 * Search Flea Markets for more neat gift ideas, such as porcelain dolls, walking dolls that you move their arms to get them to move.
 * A real tree may work best but an artificial one will do.
 * Get your child interested in some of the old cartoon characters, such as "Betty Boop" (from the 30's.) Search for DVDs about her and look for some items you can buy with her likeness. It may interest your child to know that Betty was originally drawn with a dog's head (but even then a great body) and that is how that she started out.
 * Bake decorative cookies with your children helping.
 * Leave out milk and cookies for Santa.
 * Make a big bowl of red fruit punch, add slices of oranges or even canned fruit
 * Get involved with some (Arts and Craft) projects with your child or children over the Holidays. You can start with a (Kitchen Match) box, to help your child or children design a really unique car; all you need is imagination, spray paint, cardboard, scissors and (Elmer's) glue...make some wheels and glue them on...you can even make a front seat. You can, also, make them some (matchbox people) out of matches, but be sure that the matches can't be struck...use regular twist ties to hold them together.

Warnings

 * Remember Christmas is a time for family and giving. Enjoy the company of loved ones!
 * Do not leave food that is perishable. There's nothing like opening a box with a mouldy sandwich. Merry Christmas surprise!

Related Tips and Steps

 * String Popcorn on a Christmas Tree
 * Make Ornamental Pine Cones for Christmas
 * Pick out a Christmas Tree
 * Make a Christmas Card Star
 * Buy a Christmas Tree from a Tree Farm
 * Dispose of a Christmas Tree
 * Care for a Christmas Cactus
 * Have a Happy Holiday Season
 * Have a Green Christmas
 * Make Christmas Trees from Old Books