Our local mall has 4 different pictures to color and lots of crayons. My grandkids spend 15 minutes doing this craft - it's cheap, easy and doesn't make a mess!

Here is my idea that works for all ages and it is simple and cheap. It can be a pencil holder, gift container or just a decoration. Look about halfway down on link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snowman can

didn't Casey post one in a site of the day post?

Nicole...just a bit of a warning, with all the nut allergies kids have now a days it would be better to use Crisco or somethings similar for the pine cones.

Here are a few other ideas you might want to try also;

Candy Cane Reindeer
Need: Candy Cane, Glue, Brown Pipe Cleaners, Small Wiggle eyes, Small Red Pom Pom, Thin Ribbon - optional, Small Bell - optional

Directions: Bring pipe cleaner under curve -neck- of candy cane and then twist to tighten into a V shape. Bend into a Z shape to look like antlers. Glue on two small wiggle eyes and the small pom pom for a nose. String the bell through the ribbon and attach it to the candy cane. You may need to use a hot glue gun - with adult help.

Wreath
Need: Paper Plate or Cereal Box, Glue, Crayons, Misc. Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, etc.

Directions: If you are using cardboard, cut it into a circle about the size of a paper plate. Cut the center out of the paper plate or cardboard to make a wreath shape.
Use various craft supplies to decorate.

Gingerbread Man
Need: Paper Grocery Bag, Glue, Crayons, Misc. Craft Items - such as fabric scraps, beads, etc.

Directions: Cut a gingerbread man shape out of the grocery bag. (you can use a large cookie cutter for the shape) Color or decorate as desired.

Christmas Stockings
Need: Construction Paper, Glue, Cotton Balls, Old Toy Catalogs, magazines

Directions: Trace a picture of a stocking on construction paper and cut. Use cotton balls to trim the stocking on the top. Use catalogs and cut out pictures of what you
want for Christmas, and glue to the stocking.

If you don't mind the mess, try coloured sand and sticky paper. They sell the sand in bulk.

Or just give them pipecleaners, pom poms and tacky glue. Even little ones can create creatures.

Because they have short attention spans, these two crafts will keep them busy for more than a few minutes. And they won't depend on you to help them to the next step.

What about the foamies Christmas shaped pieces? You could make ornaments. They come in shapes and you can just glue them on. Here is a link of what I mean. I m imagining a large number of kids here?? If it were a small number I'd just buy the foam sheets and use cookie cutters to cut out stockings or bells or gingerbread men or something and let them decorate them and use gold thread or thin ribbon to hang with?

Here is a link that might be useful: Foamies

I am trying to remember here and can't so hope someone can remember the reindeer made out of something???? The antlers were the kids handprints then had googly eyes and red pom pom for a nose. I am thinking it was construction paper.

OH! My GB's loved the idea of Magic Reindeer food! Google it and you can find the recipe, its oatmeal and a little white sugar and a little colored sugar. Mix and bag up in little snack size zip lock bags. All you do is have the kids sprinkle the Magic Reindeer food outside the night you want Santa to come and the reindeer find the food and stop at their house!

Here is a link that might be useful: Enchanted learning

I'd skip the pinecones/peanut butter/or Crisco craft both for the allergen possibility and the mess! Just think - lots of kids running around with greasy sticky fingers.

One my son enjoyed was making Christmas ornaments. Styrofoam balls, pipe-cleaner hangers. Rip up pretty paper napkins or colored tissue paper into medium sized pieces, dip in thinned white glue, drape over the ball. Creases add to the charm. Do several layers. Sprinkle with glitter, if desired.

There's a website I found while searching for crafts for the 3 year olds in my Sunday School class, and it has been a great help with easy-to-do crafts. They have a pretty good variety of them:

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/xmas/crafts.html

tempra paint , or acrylic .. green and red
squares of muslin or thick paper

draw a circle in the center.
dip hand in green paint and place hand's base
at the pencilled in circle working your way around
the circle with fingers outward. Dip fingers or thumbs
in red paint and press on the green wreath as berries
or ornaments. I still have the one DS made in
kindergarten with tempra paint and muslin. I quilted a
border around it.

of course, this is messy! lol
and you would probably need a bunch of helpers...
so I guess it won't work! LOL

Well THANK YOU ALL very very much..lots of neat ideas...I will have helpers,hopefully quite a few--this is going to be fun..hopefully,I'll remember to get pics that I can post when we have our craft party!

Thanks again

check these out!
you could maybe get a donation of paint stirrers for this.
It would make it bigger and easier!

Here is a link that might be useful: easy reindeer craft

Here's a website with lots of good ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: family crafts

did she see these later ideas?

We made "potato presses" when we had rainy days or sick days.

Cut a potato in half through the middle, each end makes a handle. Take a small, metal cookie cutter and press into the cut end of the tatter, cut away everything around the outside of the cookie cutter, this should leave a shape standing out. dip into bowls of food coloring or paint and press on anything to decorate it. We used the inside of a paper bag cut open or butcher paper.

We had funny colored hash browns for supper every time we did that. good luck.