Sunday, December 23

WHIMSICAL GUMDROP CHRISTMAS TREES & CRAFTS

I made my very first gumdrop Christmas craft while I was still in high school. My sister was away at college and I decided she needed a gumdrop wreath to hang on the door of her dorm room. The wreath was a huge hit with the girls in her dorm, but alas the wreath was too heavy and WOULD NOT hang from her door. No nails were ALLOWED on dorm room walls!


 To tell the truth, I was a little bummed out by the news. Being the good big sister that she was and to spare my feelings, she placed my gumdrop wreath in the lobby of her dorm...along with the other girl's Christmas decorations. Slowly but surely, one by one, the gumdrops began to disappear as the girls 'grazed' on the wreath in the weeks leading up to Christmas break. Even though my intentions were to decorate my sister's door, I was so pleased that in the end my wreath had served it's purpose nicely  as a festive holiday decoration, as well as a fun snack for all!

Now, twenty plus years later, I still enjoy making all sorts of gumdrop Christmas decorations for my little family and our holiday home. Trees, topiaries, ornaments, balls and wreaths, they all bring a fun candy workshop theme to our Christmas kitchen. And taking a cue from those young women all of those years ago, my kids and their friends have enjoyed the beauty as well as the taste of these fun Christmas crafts! Ssshhhh, here's a helpful hint from me to you.....if your gumdrop decorations are left uneaten, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and keep them in a dry place. I leave mine in my decorating/craft room and they have lasted for years. I have used the same gumdrop topiaries for the last 18 years! We definitely would NOT eat them now, but they are just as pretty as the day I made them!

Gumdrop Tree Supplies
  • Gumdrops
  • Cone or round shaped stryofoam
  • Toothpicks
  • Candy Canes
  • Red paper – for the bottom, optional
  • Small vase or clear container
  • Epsom salt or other filler
  • Square piece of  styrofoam
Tools
  • Wire cutters or heavy, sharp scissors to cut the toothpicks
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Glue or glue dots
Step 1
  • Cut the toothpicks in half
Step 2
  • Insert toothpick into cone-shaped styrofoam and gently push on gumdrop. I start at the bottom, then placed them in between for a random look.
Step 3
  • Continue until entire cone is full.
Step 4
  • Cut a piece of foam to fit into your container, leaving a little room around the edge for the filler, this will hide the foam. Fill with Epsom salt or other equally festive filler.
Step 5
  • Using the pencil, make a hole for the candy cane in the bottom of the cone.
Step 6
  • Cut a circle to fit the bottom of the cone, make a hole in the center. Add glue or glue dots.
Step 7
  • Add the paper to the bottom. Break the curved part off the candy cane and carefully insert it into the the hole.
Step 8
  • Push the tree into the foam.

There is no right or wrong way when it comes to this easy Christmas craft. Let your imagination run wild! You can cover ANY styrofoam shape with not only gumdrops, but any candy in general. Hot glue peppermints, licorice whips, lifesavers, suckers {pull or cut the stick out and you've got a cute round piece of colorful candy}, gobstoppers, dum dums, sprees...your options are endless. 


This is a wonderfully easy and quick craft to make with your little ones. It's just an all around great idea.

Buy some gumdrops and get busy with some last minute decorating...
...you'll be glad ya did!

ENJOY!
~THE DOMESTIC CURATOR~
RONDA

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