During our Thanksgiving family get together with our kids and their families, our children helped to provide the energy to drive out into the pasture to cut down a cedar tree to decorate for Christmas. After having 42 house guests on Thanksgiving weekend and seeing that it was starting to drizzle out, I was all too willing to excuse them from the yearly tradition. They chose to be adventuresome and headed out with dad in the pick up truck.
The white lights were wound around the tree and then the grandkids enjoyed hanging the familiar ornaments. There are red, wooden Swedish ones, handmade ones, gifts from friends as well as strands of red wooden cranberry looking beads. So many good memories from the past for the adult children and new memories being made by the little ones.
When the carefully chosen tree was in the stand and decorated I was the first to exclaim that, once again, “it was the most beautiful tree we have ever had!”
“Are you up for a craft?” The grandkids were eager to give it a go as they gathered around the table and we rolled up their sleeves. The supplies for simple pinecone bird feeders were bought earlier in the week with the pinecones readily available under pine trees around town.
With just a little help, the children covered the pinecones with the peanut butter and birdseed. When hands were clean and the table was mostly clear, there were mugs of hot chocolate or hot apple cider of course!
Are you ready to make some memories? Here are the instructions to try making the bird feeders yourselves. The kids will love making them and the birds will love eating from them when hung in the bare trees outdoors.
Thinking of you all as you prepare for the Christmas season.
You will need:
- Pinecones
- Peanut butter
- Birdseed
- String or twine
- Plate
Instructions:
- Start spreading a layer of peanut butter on each pinecone.
- Pour some birdseed onto a plate and roll the pinecone in the seed until it completely covers the peanut butter.
- Tie the string or twine around the top of the pinecone.
- Hang the pinecone feeders out in the trees and be on the lookout for birds that come to enjoy their holiday meal!
Shelly, do you know if there is a “peanut-free” version? Have a son, and now a grandson both allergic to peanuts. Seems like this allergy is becoming common not only in our family, but in many families that we know.
Hey Suzette! Sadly, it is becoming more common. If you are needing to avoid peanuts, you could try using almond or cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter!