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Easy and unique Christmas decorations and gifts you can make with food

You’ll have no problem finding Christmas ornaments and decorations for your home or gifts for your friends.

Christmas is a time for family, friends, and of course, festive decorations! This year, why not try something new and make your own Christmas decorations with food? Some will be just decorative objects, some of them will be edible. From edible wreaths to candy trees, we've got you covered with some of the most festive and fun ideas that will surely add some extra cheer to your holiday season!

Easy festive projects

Christmas decorations don't have to be expensive - in fact, you can make some really cute ones with food! Natural decorations like these look and smell just wonderful.

Orange decorations

Heat the oven to 120-140º C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

With a sharp knife, slice the orange into 5mm wide rounds and place them on the prepared baking tray.

Put the tray in the oven. Leave the orange slices until they are completely dry, 45-60 minutes, turning them over once halfway through.

Take the orange slices out of the oven. Once cooled, select three and attach them in a row with pieces of florist´s copper wire between the strong pith edges.

Cinnamon decorations

Thread cinnamon sticks with the florist´s copper wire into triangles. Join triangles to make three-dimensional shapes, such as diamonds.

How to make an edible wreath or a candy tree

To make an edible wreath, you will need some creativity and a few simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now! You can use any type of food to make your wreath - from fruits and vegetables to candy and cookies. Just be sure to use a sturdy base like a Styrofoam ball or cone, and then start attaching your decorations with an edible adhesive like frosting or melted chocolate. Add a festive ribbon or bow, and you're done!

Making a candy tree is a fun and easy way to add some extra Christmas cheer to your home. It can be made in the same way as the edible wreath, just using Christmas candy.

Gift tags

Use salt dough and conifer or rosemary sprigs to make impressive gift tags or place tags.

Put 1 cup of plain flour and 1/2 cup salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of water and knead into a firm dough.

Roll out the dough and place the leaves on top and push them into the surface by lightly rolling them over with a rolling pin.

Cut to shape and bake in a very low oven until dry, it will take several hours.

Decorations made with food will be easy to recicle.

Gift jars

A glass or mason gift jar is a unique and special present that most people don't already have. They are perfect for homemade presents. You can fill them with anything you want, from candy to useful items. These gift jars are something that the recipients can use all year long as they can refill them with other food or their favorite things whenever they want.

A food gift jar is usually affordable and there is always something nearly every budget can afford, either in shape or size. There is always a jar the perfect size for almost any kind of present. Proper transparent glass is the most common choice, but you can find jars in a variety of colors and styles to match any personality. With the right decorations, they can make any occasion special, if you are short of ideas, add a festive bow and a personalized message.

Mason gift jars are sure to show your loved one how much you care this holiday season, they're easy to wrap and look beautiful under the Christmas tree, but these kind of gift jars also make great hostess gifts and thank-you presents for family and friends.

The possibilities are endless, gift one filled with your favorite recipes for a delicious and thoughtful present.

How to make a food gift jar

Choose a recipe. Cookies or brownie recipes are great for the season, but you can choose a bean and pasta soup or a chili if you like it savory. If you are going for a small jar, think or homemade spice mixes.

Choose a jar with an airtight lid of suitable size.

Print a card with the recipe or the instructions about how to use the jar. If your calligraphy is good, you could also write it by hand.

Measure dry ingredients. Layer them inside the jar alternating colors and textures.

Seal the jar. Add a ribbon around the jar and attach the card you prepared. If your recipe is for cookies, maybe you could also attach a cookie cutter with a special shape.

For a cookie mix, you will need a 750 ml jar or larger.

Some ideas

A roasted nut mix, either sweet or spiced, is a festive and healthy snack mix that is perfect for munching on throughout the holiday season.

Cookie mixes are great for gift jars and a ready-to-mix brownie jar is sure to please everyone on your list.

A hot chocolate mix gift jar is really easy to put together. You will need marshmallows and powdered milk.

Think of a mix jar with dried orange and warm spices to make mulled wine.

On the savory side, you can choose a barley soup mix, a variety of bean and pasta soups or chili con carne as the base recipe to fill the jar.

Flavored salt or spice mixes are great for smaller jars.

Most Chirstmas food gifts are very aromtic.

Come on!

Of course, you can use dried orange slices and baked gift tags to decorate your food gift jars. Both of them can make excellent tree ornaments on their own, just make a hole (or prepare one before baking) and pass a thin ribbon through.

So what are you waiting for? Get creative and make some food gift jars, simple food decorations and edible Christmas decorations this year! With just a few simple ingredients, some creativity, and a lot of festive spirits, you can make your home look merrier than ever. These edible decorations are sure to bring smiles to everyone who sees them! Have fun making your edible creations this holiday season! Happy decorating!