34
—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Dec. 14, 1974
by: Sally Bair
Farm Feature Writer
Economy is high on everyone’s list of concerns as
preparations for this holiday season get into full swing.
But despite the need to economize in all areas, it shouldn’t
be necessary to forsake all the trimmings and decorations
which are traditionally associated with the Christmas
season.
With the high price of sugar this year, few homemakers
will be willing to bake cookie-type gingerbread men to
hang on the tree as decorations and to feed to the birds
later as part of their Christmas treat. However, at the
Lebanon County Homemakers Christmas program,
Extension Home Economist Alletta Shadier offered a
substitute recipe which makes attractive substitutes for
the real thing - they look the same but are not edible.
Combine 2 cups of baking soda (1 pound), 1 cup corn
starch and IV* cups water in a saucepan, mixing
thoroughly. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to
a low boil and continue stirring until doughlike con
sistency is reached.
Now turn the dough onto a plate and cover it with a
damp cloth or paper towel and store in the refrigerator for
about half an hour.
The dough must now be kneaded about five minutes to
bring it to the proper consistency for rolling out. After
kneading, the dough is ready and should be rolled to about
V* inch thickness. It will have a tendency to be sticky, so
plenty of flour will need to be used on the working suface.
Now to cut out the decorations. If it’s gingerbread
figures that are traditional at your home, then simply
use your standard cookie cutter. If you’d like to try other
figures, just use your imagination. You’ll be painting
them later, so color is no barrier.
Be sure to work a hole in the cookie for hanging. A paper
dip, toothpick, needle or similar sharp object can be used.
The cookie decorations must be dried thoroughly
before they are used. The standard directions call for a
preheated 350 degree oven which is turned off and the
ornaments placed inside until dry, turning them once.
Mrs. Shadier suggested that you may want to use a 200
degree oven and dry the figures very slowly. They need to
be turned once, and have a tendency to break, so must be
handled carefully. The recipe given should make about 20
ornaments, depending upon the size.
When the “cookies” are completely dried and cool,
you’ll be ready to paint them to make them into authentic
gingerbread replicas. Mrs. Shadier says acrylics, tem
pera or water colors or enamels are all satisfactory. You
can use what you have on hand, or experiment with new
colors and combinations. Your children will enjoy helping
create these pretty tree decorations, and you can be sure
-M. t
jM ■
‘ ' i
.-> *
• ■9 e ks*, *
'
-
- - «/ _
/1
•if t (/ ;
%
A sure delight for any child - and mother - is this
drawstring toy bag, designed to make pick-up and
storage easier.
Handmade Decorations and Gifts
Add Sparkle to the Holiday Season
V%~ ( J t*
- **
' 1 n -t z, jw
' » ~f IyJT ,
* iM
f
( r
If *
■t
Gingerbread men can be made in all sizes for
decorating trees or packages. A cornstarch-baking
soda recipe eliminates the need for using the
traditional cookie decorations.
they’ll have some good ideas about how they should be
painted. You may want to shellac the finished product for
a glossy look.
After they’re painted, insert thin wire or thread and
they’re ready for your tree.
You may want to make some miniature-sized or
naments out of the dough and use as gift decorations
they’ll be attractive and unique and will please young and
old alike
Now that you have attractive gingerbread men for your
traditional tree, perhaps you can sort through your fabric
scrap bag and find something suitable to make some cloth
decorations. Calico and gingham are very “big” in
Christmas ideas this year, and they’ll contribute some
new interest to your tree without a big investment in shiny
new balls or other decorations.
s*%
i~ T’ -s*
Assistant Lebanon County Home Economist Cheryl
Reitz suggests that you use your cookie cutters to get the
basic design and simply cut two pieces of fabric for every
hanging ornament wanted. The two pieces of fabric are
then ironed together with fusible interfacing. Thread for
hanging the ornament should be added before the pieces
are fused together.
- *■<,
"
For a little extra special touch, glitter can be sprinkled
onto dabs of glue or sequins can be sewed or glued on.
If you use fabric scraps on your tree, you might want to
cover balls with matching or contrasting fabric or make
other small decorations to coordinate the theme
throughout the house. Consider adding calico ribbons to
your door decoration, your mantel or table centerpiece.
Imagine a tree with old-fashioned gingerbread men]
calico trimmings and strands of popcorn and cranberries I
With your decorating behind you, you can turn to that
its '%
/>
it ||
A
¥
Christmas list where there probably are still a few
peopl? with no gift behind their names despite a lot of
thought on your part. While it would seem that children
should be the easiest to shop for because of the wide array
of toys available everywhere, they often are the most
difficult because so many children seem to be over
supplied with toys.
But almost no home seems to have enough places to
store all those toys, so one good gift idea, which every
mother will appreciate, is a drawstring toy bag.
A toy bag can be made very simply, and will be
especially easy on the budget if you have some large
leftover fabrics which might be suitable. Something
sturdy is best • burlap, canvas, denim or the like would be
ideal. If the material is washable, so much the better
because then the toy bag can easily go to grandmother’s
or to the babysitter’s with the child’s favorite toys.
Almost any size bag can be made, scaled to the size of
the child, or perhaps to the type of things which will be
stored in it. The easiest way to begin is to fold your fabric
in half, stitch the side seams and make a casing at the top.
Double fold bias tape makes an excellent drawstring, as
would a long shoestring or cord. The bag is complete as is,
but with a little effort you can personalize it to suit the
child.
Felt letters could be used to spell out a child’s name, or
use the word “Toys” so that the bag’s use is obviotis
immediately. Felt letters or other fabric can be ironed in
place with fusible lining. If you are particularly creative
you can add storybook characters, and if you’re not ar
tistic, just trace them from a child’s coloring book. A
clown carrying balloons which are lettered will be a
delight to any child. The important thing is to dig into your
bag of scraps and put leftover fabric and trims to use.
To save on gift wrap, Mrs. Shadier suggested using the
toy bag to hold any other gifts you have for the child.
Commercial patterns are available in a wide array of
toy and home decorating ideas, so don’t despair if you
haven’t completed your gift list. There’s still time to
create something which will be appreciated, both as gifts
and as interesting decorations for your home.
Most important of all, as you spend the next week
finishing your shopping, decorating and baking all those
goodies which contribute to your holiday, do take time to
remember the true spirit of Christmas, and let that spirit
prevail in your home throughout the season and the new
year.
Calico and gingham decorations are easy to make
and will add a gay splash of color to your traditional
tree.