When I was in elementary school, my mother taught me how to make wreaths out of a clotheshanger and strips of giftpacking tissue paper. Bend the coat hanger into a circle. Cut strps of tissue paper 1 inch wide and approx 10 inches long ( the length is what determines the bushiness of the wreath). Fold the strip in half, being carful not to crease the end loop. Fold the doubled strip over the wire and twist it together lik a breadtie on the wire and push it up to the hook area, so that it resembles a "single loop" bow. Keep repeating this and position the loops and tails to make a bushy wreath. Decorate with fake holly or a few strips of a different color paper or put a picture over the hole from the back. Use the hook to hang it. It takes about a day to make one, but they make great heirloom ornaments or gifts for folks in nursing homes, etc.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), November 27, 2000

Answers

My kids did the about same thing in Kindergatden, only they used crepe paperI've seen them done with plastic strips, too. They cut strips and tied each strip around the cirle-shaped coat hanger, then glued ornaments on the wreath.

Something that the little ones can make is siver bells. Cut out individual egg section of an egg carton. wrap in foil, tape or glue a thread hanger to top.

Remmeber paper chains?

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), November 27, 2000.

Another idea is to take the lids from vegetable cans and glue pictures from old Christmas cards on each side of them. Then edge the lid with a little glitter or a thin strip of aluminum foil glued on. Punch a hole in the lid with a small nail and thread ribbon or yarn, etc. through and hang on the tree or in the window.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), November 27, 2000.

I just got back from the family gathering at my mom's place in Texas. I am the "craft person for holidays" in our family and here is what we did this year. You find an old jigsaw puzzle, get the pieces that are shaped with two "innies" and two "outies", peel off the picture, place four of them together to form a "reindeer" head. Paint brown, sprinkle with glitter, glue two "wiggly" eyes on, a teeny tiny red pompom for the nose, and glue a green ribbon with a teeny bell around his "neck". then you glue a pin on the back and you have a wonderfully cute reindeer pin for the holidays! If you want more details, email me! Blessings, Sissy

-- sissy sylvester-barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), November 27, 2000.

I still use wire hangers to make wreaths as gifts, except I have matured from paper to real greens.

This year's kid projects are stringing a Fruit Loop garland for the tree and the older kids are potting and forcing bulbs and making candles with beach glass and pebbles in them.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), November 28, 2000.