The holidays are a wonderful time for getting together with family and loved ones. Here are 5 holiday crafts for seniors that can be used as homemade gifts or just fun activities to do with the whole family.
5. Baking Tasty Treats:
Baking is a delicious activity that the whole family can enjoy. It can be as simple as buying a premade mix from your local grocery store or whipping up something from scratch. For seniors on restricted diets, try looking online for gluten free or low sugar recipes. For a healthy alternative, you can substitute coconut oil for butter at a 1:1 ratio. Invite the grandchildren over for a fun day of cookie or cupcake decorating. Use different types of frosting colors and candies to add some colorful flair to your holiday sweets. The only thing more fun than baking together is enjoying the scrumptious fruits (or in this case holiday goodies) of your labors with family and loved ones.
4. Crafts with Yarn and Thread:
Why are Christmas trees bad at knitting? Because they keep dropping their needles!
Winter is coming so there is no better time to hone those knitting skills. Knitting projects like scarves or socks are great ways to spend time if it is too cold to go outside. They can also help keep a seniors mind sharp and make great gifts for family and friends. Some seniors may have trouble with traditional needlepoint or cross stich due to vision impairment. There are a number of sewing aids available like magnifiers designed to clip onto embroidery hoops and specialized lights that can help. Shifting to a lower count size or using larger yarn can also help make crafting easier.
3. Make Your Own Tea:
Tea is a popular beverage choice full of antioxidants. Making your own homemade tea creations is an easy craft and can be a great gift for the holiday season. You can dry spices and herbs that your buy on your own or buy them pre-dried from a tea shop or online. Citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges can be dried to add a fun twist to your tea blends as well. If you are drying your own ingredients, keep the herbs tied in small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm space. Once they are completely dry, store them in an airtight container. When you are mixing your tea blend crumble the mixture directly into a tea strainer. Mixing in metal or plastic bowls can subtly affect the taste of the tea. Experiment with different blends and see which tasty new flavors you can come up with.
2. Oatmeal Face Mask:
Oatmeal is a natural and inexpensive ingredient that can be used to make your own facemasks. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help to calm and soothe the skin. Oatmeal also works as a gentle exfoliate and can be used on all skin types.
Start with half a cup of cooked oatmeal and add a simple ingredient like two teaspoons of honey. The combination of honey and oatmeal helps to clean your skin and leave it feeling softer than ever. Add one teaspoon of honey, one egg yolk, and half of a mashed banana to create a facemask that will be the perfect, soothing solution to dry skin. Leave the masks on for 10-15 minutes before rinsing off. Making your own facemasks is a fun way to enjoy a spa day before getting ready for a holiday get-together with family.
1. Homemade Sugar Scrubs:
Making your own sugar scrubs is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon as well as a great homemade gift idea. Put the scrubs in small mason jars and tie a festive ribbon around the top. You can pick any essential oil for the scent. Peppermint and lavender are two popular choices. The ingredient list could not be simpler.
Ingredient List
½ cup coconut oil
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon of your choice of essential oil
1 drop of food coloring (optional)
Directions
Step 1: Place coconut oil in a bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds or until softened
Step 2: Add 1 ½ cups sugar to the coconut oil along with your choice of essential oil. You can choose to add a drop of food coloring if you would like to change the color of the sugar to “match” the scent.
If the blend is too wet you can add another ½ cup of sugar to soak up the excess liquid.
Step 3: Dole out the mixture into small airtight containers.
Recipe adapted from Lovegrownwild.
What are your ideas for holiday crafts for seniors? Let us know if the comments below. If you made any of the crafts listed here please share them with us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Assisting_Hands
