Around here we have "bigs" and we have "littles" and I am a huge believer in "Each One Teach One." 

"Bigs" are teenagers.   "Littles" are tweens and younger.  "Each One Teach One" is the idea that each of us is capable of teaching another person something of value.   I spend all year having the "bigs" help the "littles" with everything under the sun when it comes to academics or learning sportsmanship.   But... this spirit of cooperation between the "bigs" and the "littles" really comes into play at Christmas.   It doesn't matter if the "bigs" are my children or someone else's... doesn't matter if the "littles" are either...  the kids who come through the door all get in on the fun one way or another.   So do us "old folks."

The kids, "bigs" and "littles" alike, rootle through my craft materials with abandon and come up with an amazing array of craft projects they give to people they love.   Some of the projects I know about... some I do not.  I'll discuss some of the ones I know about. 

Glycerin Soap petals, scented with a variety of oils.  These are really easy to make... and surprisingly inexpensive.  I purchased a 5 pound brick of glycerin soap a couple of years ago for dirt cheap, I buy scented oils in a wide variety of scents because I like them, silk flowers provide the "base" for the petals.  Melt the glycerin soap, add a few drops of scented oil, stir and use a couple pair of tweezers to dip individual petals from silk flowers into the soap.   Set them on the shiny side of a sheet of freezer paper to harden and dip some more.   Put them in a pretty bowl or in a pretty basket and tie a ribbon on it for a present.   The "bigs" help the "littles" by chopping the soap, melting the soap and helping with the dipping.  The "littles" add the oils, stir and help dip petals.  There's loads of laughter and the kids are having fun.  (These are great "mother, grandmother, auntie, older sister, teacher" presents.) 

Cloth blocks and balls:  these are being made for the "tinys"... that is the "tiny tads" who are toddlers and less.  4 sort of football shaped pieces of cloth sewn together and stuffed makes a ball.   6 squares of cloth sewn together and stuffed makes a block.   The "bigs" who know how to run one of my sewing machines help the "littles" sew the blocks and balls together.  Other "bigs" help the "littles" cut out the shapes necessary and to help stuff the balls and blocks.   The balls and blocks are just the right size for the "tinys" to manage, they are safe for the "tinys" to play with and they are washable in addition to being almost indestructable.  

Trivets: The kids are making two different kinds of trivets.  (1) I have a stack of really pretty but discontinued square ceramic tiles I picked up at Lowes for a ridiculous price when they were getting rid of them so the "bigs" are helping the littles fashion frames for them (to keep the edges from chipping) and attaching cork to the back side of them.   Simple and cute.   (2) The "bigs" are also helping make trivets out of cloth, rice and bits of cinnamon sticks.  It's easy... a pair of 7 inch squares of cloth sewn together on three sides then turned right sides out and inch wide "tubes"sewn into them.   Each "tube" gets about half filled with rice and a couple of bits of broken cinnamon sticks in before being sewn shut.   The rice absorbs the heat, the heat releases the scent of the cinnamon (chunks of any whole spice work to scent them) when something is put on them.   

Mug Rugs:  Same idea as the cloth trivets only they are filled with quilt batting and the kids start with 4 1/2 inch squares of cloth (for a 4 inch square mug rug).  

Twig wreaths: these are fun to make...  collect an assortment of twigs in various sizes and textures.   Cut a "ring" out of cardboard or foam board. wrap the ring in strips of burlap. Glue the twigs to the ring, making sure you line up the twigs around the middle of the ring like a "starburst."  Decorate.  

Lest you think the "olds" (that would be adults) aren't in on the fun...  

*One of the "bigs" is making their mother a new coat for Christmas.  That particular "big" has never sewn before and so I have been teaching her to sew for weeks now.   She's got the basics down and I am here if she needs help but she's making it.   Doing a fantastic job making it too.   

*A couple of the "bigs" were rootling around in the craft supplies and came upon the leather from what used to be a couch.   They asked if I was saving it for something and I explained that I had saved it to use as the bottoms for slippers.  After more searching that pair is busy making slippers which they are donating to the homeless shelter and to the local "store" which gives clothing to people in need.  So far we have made about 30 pair, in a variety of sizes.   We have a "goal" to make 100 pair...  no two are identical.  All are lined with fleece and the exterior is a bunch of different "home dec" ends and pieces I had hanging out in the supplies or parts of worn out blue jeans.  

* A couple of the "bigs" and at least one of the "littles" have been out in the barn with one of the men in my life working on a variety of woodworking projects.   They are making bird feeders, wooden bowls (from burls) and at least one "cedar" chest (it's really either maple or oak - I'm not allowed in that part of the shop at the moment so I am not sure which one it is).   

I'm also working on a couple of super secret projects (*looks around furatively*)  which I can't discuss lest "someone" discovers what I am up to.