# Beaded Christian Christmas ornaments?



## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

My friend leads the kids' choir at our church and wants them to do a meaningful ornament. She'd like something like a cross, fish...you know...something that symbolizes Jesus. She doesn't want it to be cheesy or junky like a Sunday School craft. She'd like it to be a bit more artful (is that really a word?).

She's thinking something with beads, but is open for suggestions. Do you have any ideas and, if so, and instructions that I can pass along?

She has several different age groups and I believe she's looking for something that the 6th through 8th graders can do.

Thanks!


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## ovsfarm (Jan 14, 2003)

There used to be some ornaments called Christmons or something like that. I never looked into them too closely, but they might be something like what you are looking for. Also check out the Jesse Tree websites. It is kind of like an advent collection of ornaments, doing 30 days or so before Christmas and covering the lineage of David up to the birth of Jesus. They are fun for a family, not sure if they would work for your choir director though.

Be sure to post what you find, I'm always looking for something new for dd to work on!


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I have spearheaded the making of the Christmon ornaments at our church. 

There were, in the church library several books with Christian symbols and their meanings. I made copies in different sizes, until I had ornament patterns that ranged from 4 inches to 10 inches. (We have two large trees to cover and I like the ornaments to be gradated in size, smallest at the top, larger ones at the bottom. I made up kits that contained:

Into a ziploc baggie, 1 beading needle, and assortment of beads and sequins, white thread, white felt big enough to cut a silhouette of the shape, paper pattern and a little handful of pillow batting. You cut your pattern, stuff and whip the edges of the felt ornament, and then embellish it with beads. Some folks (and we have every age and both genders working on them) would embellish heavily, and some would put beads around the edges. You picked up a kit, from the basket, and returned an ornament, before taking another kit. In about 10 weeks, more than 200 ornaments were made. They were all stunning.

My instructions for Christmon ornaments were that they be entirely white , or white and gold. 

I got a restaurant to donate the little containers that dressing come in, to hold the various beads. Someone donated several dozen pair of small scissors, which was really nice. When you finished a kit, you kept the beads, etc for use on the next one.


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

Here's a pearl cross pendant, you could sub 3mm crystals for the pearls if you wanted..........................
http://www.beadjewelrymaking.com/other project/other_project_pearl_cross.html

Using larger beads will make a larger cross.
.


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## CraftyDiva (Aug 26, 2003)

Here's a beaded Christmas spider ornament with the legend...............
http://jewelrymaking.allinfoabout.com/features/spiderstory.html

.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

maybe they could each design their own bead suncatcher? they're pretty easy to make, and you can take a simple design and make it personal with different beads...http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/seasons/spring/_suncatcher.html 

could maybe make them larger, use a picture frame (maybe a 4x6?) to hold the threads...and when finished you have a framed beaded picture...hang on wall or in window.

another thing I was thinking is maybe papermache. It's kind of messy, but the kids could make their own shapes with cardboard or styrofoam and then papermache them. cover with glue and roll in beads. or paint. jewels...

styrofoam smoothed and beaded with those little tiny glued beads...they could cut out whatever shape they wanted. those things are all the rage in this part of the world. 

afraid i'm not much good on figuring out what a 6th to 8th grader would like. Haven't had a conversation with one in decades


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## Liese (Dec 12, 2005)

A little OT here and no intent to make fun of anyone but when I was scrolling down I had to laugh - a Christian Christmas ornament? You mean you don't want a Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish? LOL....my impression was Christmas was a Christian holiday. Not being Christian I guess this just strikes me funny. Guess I go work on my Buddhist Menorah, LOL


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Liese said:


> A little OT here and no intent to make fun of anyone but when I was scrolling down I had to laugh - a Christian Christmas ornament? You mean you don't want a Buddhist, Hindu or Jewish? LOL....my impression was Christmas was a Christian holiday. Not being Christian I guess this just strikes me funny. Guess I go work on my Buddhist Menorah, LOL


Well, I had to specify, because lots of people think of Santa when anyone mentions Chrstmas. Santa is definitely not what she had in mind! She wants something that the kids can look at and immediately know that it is all about Christ and His love for us.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions...I'll pass them along.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Christmas is Christian holiday. yup. but it's deteriorated to christmas (small C) and "holiday season". Most of the ornaments you see on trees are round balls. not exactly a Christian symbol. I've been having a blast looking at all the fishing, cowboy, western, American Indian, bird, etc. ornaments this year  A Polar bear wearing cowboy boots and fishing at an icehole is my favorite (so far). (after the yellow/gold fancy blown glass Chicken ornament I bought, that is)

as an aside...I know a couple who decorate a Christmas tree with Stars of David , sprigs of mistletoe, african based ornaments and "eagle" feathers. Interesting tree, and not a Santa in site!


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