When the Thanksgiving dinner is over, cleaned up and in hiding for latecomers and snackers I bring out the first of the fun Christmas activities.
We put on Elvis's Blue Christmas album for effect only because that's what we did when my children were young. So this has been going on for about 35 years. We lived in Alfalfa, Oregon when this was first installed as a firm traditon.
Above you see me gathering some of my son's children: Alana, Brianna, and Trenton. Marcus comes in a bit later, after his nap, for the dipping part.
You will need some inexpensive white tissue paper and large bottles of food coloring.
Fan-fold the tissue paper into a long rectangle.
Then fan-fold the rectangle to the point of having a folded piece about 3 inches wide.
You don't have to NEATLY fold! Adults and adept kids can make this activity more interesting by folding the long fan-folded rectangle into triangular folds for the last step. You can see an example of the triangular piece in Trenton's hand below.
This year I used red, green and yellow food coloring, but get blue too if you can. I usually buy 2 bottles of each color so your people can dip as much as they want. I also place an old sheet doubled up on the table for spills.
Holding your piece VERY gently by the top,
dip for 1 full second, lift to let drip,
turn quickly upside down so the color runs.
When the color finishes running, dip into another color. You want as little white showing as posible, and when colors run together you get even more colors. Alana looks a little disappointed in the amount of white on her first one, but has many more opportunities to dip others.
Above, Brianna is happy about her triangle of dipped paper. You want to dip light colors first, like yellow.
Line up the finished dipped pieces on thick layers of newpaper to dry. When completely dry(usually the next day) unfold carefully, press with a dry iron and praise each other for the beautious creations! Frame some pieces as gifts, or hang in a dry window for atmospheric effect, or use in gift bags, or wrap your gifts in these treasures.
All my kids and grandkids love this activity...as do I!
You may have noticed the drink in front of me...my creation too.
A "Catherine" is sparkling water (Perrier is best) over ice, a slice of lemon and some crushed peppermint stick sprinkled on top, very festive and refreshing... Bon apetit!
This project is definitely worth the effort and little expense for the food coloring.
Above you see me gathering some of my son's children: Alana, Brianna, and Trenton. Marcus comes in a bit later, after his nap, for the dipping part. 
This year I used red, green and yellow food coloring, but get blue too if you can. I usually buy 2 bottles of each color so your people can dip as much as they want. I also place an old sheet doubled up on the table for spills. 
When the color finishes running, dip into another color. You want as little white showing as posible, and when colors run together you get even more colors. Alana looks a little disappointed in the amount of white on her first one, but has many more opportunities to dip others.
Above, Brianna is happy about her triangle of dipped paper. 
Kimber did so well on bedrest for all those weeks of never knowing whether he could stay in long enough to develop fully. He came 4 weeks early, and he's perfect. Her milk had not come in, and skin-to-skin time is vital in stimulating it. Here they are, skin-to-skin. 
I was gone for nearly 2 months caring for Isabella and Kimber before Chris came home and before the baby came, then afterwards until Kimber could drive and take care of much around the house. She has learned to order groceries online and have them delivered; she has learned to depend on busy family members and Isabella.
