Crafts for Christmas Around the Continents

Poinsettia Wreath

Bright red and green poinsettias, used to celebrate Christmas around the world, are native to Mexico. To make a poinsettia wreath, trace a child's hand six times on green construction paper and 10 times on red construction paper. Cut out hands. Glue green hands around the outside of a paper plate, fingers pointing outward. Glue red hands in a circle slightly overlapping the green hands. Glue another circle of red hands to the center of the plate. Glue a small yellow circle of paper to the very center of the plate.

In Peru, priests used to carry small altars containing nativity scenes, called "retablos," from home to home. Now these scenes are contained in portable boxes, and feature Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus surrounded by local people. Make your own retablo by forming simple nativity figures out of clay or salt dough. In Peruvian tradition, add some local people to your scene -- possibly a construction worker, a policeman or mail carrier. Bake figures on low heat until they are hard, then paint them with acrylics.

On Dec. 13 in Sweden, the eldest daughter in the family wears a white robe and a wreath on her head while she serves her family breakfast in bed. Make your own St. Lucia wreath by cutting the center out of a paper plate, leaving a ring. Using a glue gun, glue real or artificial greenery, such as pine boughs or holly leaves, to the ring. Glue four white candles to the wreath, equally spaced around the ring.

Before the Communists put an end to Christmas in Russia in 1917, Russians often decorated trees with star ornaments. Cut a star out of cardboard and decorate it with paints or markers. Glue a 12-inch wooden dowel to the star, and decorate the rod with strands of curled ribbon. Place the star on a Christmas tree by inserting the dowel into the branches. Other traditional Russian Christmas tree decorations include paper chains and walnuts wrapped in aluminum foil.