I’m taking TSB to Vermont for Christmas, and my mother suggested I renew a long lost family tradition by hosting an ornament making party as a scheme to gather my old friends. My mother describes the custom best:

We started in 1974 by inviting all of our friends to make an ornament for our first tree, because we had no decorations and were always looking for a reason to have a party.  They were a hard partying group so we ended up with some very unusual ornaments. We did this for several years, then skipped some, and when the kids started coming, we had a few more.

The invitation was always the same: no cost to get in, but you can’t leave until you make an ornament.  It was an open house so people came and went all afternoon (and some years, all night ) and we always had supplies…….scissors, glue, felt, construction paper, craft sticks, clothes pins and whatever was hanging around.  If someone had their own ideas they would bring the supplies they needed or even bring a completed project if they were more interested in visiting/eating/drinking.  I think Aunt Kim [my mother’s sister] is responsible for Dolly [Parton, made from a toilet paper tube, felt and a lot of cotton balls] and Grumps [my grandfather] was totally grossed out every time we put her on the tree (he didn’t think it honored Christmas).

So, when I get back to Burlington, we’re cooking up a feast, stocking the bar, throwing open the doors and making weird Christmas crap out of pipe cleaners.  I’m excited.

I’m going for a high-brow/low-brow for my ornament craft projects. I’ve been wanting to make a tree full of origami brocade (Kusudama) ornaments made from wrapping paper (reuse always trumps recycling), but I am sure I will make something obscene out of popsicle sticks and glitter too.

Here’s an instrructional video if you want to learn.