Did you have a nice Thanksgiving? Did you take some time to be thankful?My 5k recap will be coming soon! I hope everyone who was Turkey Trotting yesterday had a great run.
The day after Thanksgiving has special memories for me. Growing up, it was the day we would pull out all of our Christmas decorations, play holiday music, bake cookies and start decorating.
I’ve been excited to recreate those memories with my own daughter, and this is the first year she’s old enough to enjoy the process. Of course, this year we happen to be traveling, but a few days before we left, we pulled our decorations and made a huge mess started decorating.
I am not especially crafty, but I like attempting very simple holiday themed crafts that we can hold onto year after year. We have countless homemade ornaments, including these Gingerbread Ornaments from a couple of years ago:
So far, only one has broke! I used this gingerbread ornament recipe. I’m considering making them again this year, and using a simple applesauce-cinnamon recipe. L would have a blast helping, and we could give some away as gifts to her friends or teachers.
Last year, I attempted a simple wreath using up scraps of fabric that I had sitting around. This is a no-sew project, inspired by this wreath.
These cranberry-popcorn garlands are three years old, and they held up great until this year. Storing them in a hot and humid Texas garage was probably not the best idea. We’ll have to re-create these again soon.
I’m trying to decide what to make this year. I was considering a banner, like this countdown one:
Or these Joy Blocks:
Or an advent calendar (it’s made from wrapping paper rolls!):
Do you have Black Friday traditions? Are there homemade decorations in your stash?
I always take the day off to relax!
we should decorate at some point this weekend..tradition to wait till after thanksgiving 
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OK, for someone who says that they aren’t crafty, you could have fooled me! Those gingerbread ornaments are so super cute! We do still have some homemade ornaments that I made as a kid but they are looking a little sad. Around our house, the big to-do is getting our Christmas tree and decorating it, advent calendar and baking holiday cookies with my sister, niece and my cousins and a big Christmas dinner with them. We’ve started visiting Santa every year too (I never thought that I would regularly visit Santa at Macy’s!).
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Our Black Friday tradition is Alyssa and I going shopping. We’ve done this since she was about 2. She told me this morning that all her friends wanted her to go with them to be dropped off at the mall. She told them “this is my mom and I’s thing. We do this every year.” I’m still shocked that my 13 year old very social daughter passed up a chance to be with her friends and hung out with mom
We will have our annual advent calendar. I’m still not quite sure how I want to make it. The one made from wrapping paper rolls is so cool!
Have a great Friday Laura!
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I used to get up and do a little shopping, but just don’t feel like messing with all the crowds this year. We really don’t have any Black Friday traditions. I think it’s fun that you like to be crafty!
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..8 Miles and Way to Go Wednesday
I loooooove all the homemade decorations. They totally appeal to my crafty side. The hubs and I will put up our tree this weekend but we really don’t have any set traditions. I think those will come once we have kiddos. Happy Friday!
I’m sooo not crafty. Yours look great! Growing up Black Friday was huge for my mom and I. We would shop like crazy people. Now I have no interest in it. I can wait. Today we are putting up lights outside since it’s a beautiful day. Next weekend is when we’ll really start getting into things. Hope you have a great visit with family!
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My tradition is to avoid the stores! I love online shopping
We are cleaning up the house today in hopes of getting the Christmas decorations up soon.
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I love hearing about the different family traditions that everyone has. When I was growing up we didn’t have any major traditions, but we would spend a whole day looking for the perfect tree and decorating the house. My husband and I don’t have any traditions yet either, but I am sure that will change if we have kids someday.
Tasha @ Healthy Diva recently posted..Happy Thanksgiving
I do not have Black Friday traditions but I may have to start some after seeing what you do. I’m not crafty either so I try to leave that to others.
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It’s fun to see how creative some people can be! I like the idea of gingerbread or apple cinnamon ornaments, since they might smell nice too.. My boys LOVE to string popcorn! We do it each year.
Searching for the perfect tree is one of our traditions too– too many to choose from here!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!
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The ornaments are so cute! I used that applesauce cinnamon recipe one year, and it worked pretty well. Our tree is chock full of homemade ornaments, and I love it : )
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I love the Christmas countdown idea. And it looks super easy. We save all of the ornaments our kids make at school an church. We have a pretty large collection now. Luckily I love mismatched ornaments on Christmas trees.
Yo Momma Runs recently posted..Why I hate Black Friday but love Thanksgiving
We have homemade decorations, but they involve popsicle sticks and googly eyes and are at least 15 years old. I think it might be time to purge and make room for Charlotte’s future creations. I do need to figure out an Advent calendar soon. I’m really excited to eat Charlotte’s chocolate for her this year.
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These are great craft ideas, thank you for posting!!
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I love making crafts with my kids. We made some gingerbread ornaments a few years ago and they are still holding up. I think we are going to make some ornaments again but we haven’t decided on what kind to make as holiday gifts for grandparents. Look forward to your 5k recap!
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What great ideas! We do holiday decorating the day after Thanksgiving, too. This year it kind of stunk though because my kids were both tired and crabby from traveling late on Thanksgiving. I’ve tried the cookie ornaments before and yours look SO much better than ours did. LOL A homemade Advent calendar is a great idea. I will have to figure something out by next weekend!
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Cute decorations!
Since we celebrate Thanksgiving with my grandmother, but we don’t see her on Christmas, we always celebrate Christmas with her on Friday after Thanksgiving. Then we eat Thanksgiving leftovers!
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I’m looking for a fun craft to do for my mom’s group and rather enjoyed all these craft pictures!
We usually pull out all the holiday decorations as well. It’s more challenging this year with a little one that is mobile! She doesn’t really get it yet, but the lights on the tree are fun for her!
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How fun! My mom still has some of those clay ornaments that I made when I was a kid (they are OLD!) and it’s so fun to bring them out every year. We usually chop down our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and have a picnic in the snow and come home and have hot cocoa. This year we didn’t do it as my family was back East, but there is always next year!
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Those ornaments are adorable! I can’t imagine baking cookies on Black Friday. I’m still too full and too tired of being in the kitchen. I’m thinking of making a clothesline thing to display Christmas cards — I need to browse Pinterst for ideas I guess.
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[...] with us. We had such a great time! I found the recipe for gingerbread ornaments while reading Mommy, run fast! and it was awesome for little ones because if some got in the mouth it would be no big [...]