Kids Craft: Paper Ornaments and the story of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree

Rockefeller Christmas Tree Story/Paper Ornaments

The lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is, perhaps, the most anticipated event of the Christmas season. It is a sign that the season is officially in full swing and decorations began to glow throughout the city. It is a tradition, a tradition with a very humble beginning.

The first tree was nothing like the trees featured now a days. The year was 1931, the depression had hit the country extremely hard, and the tree placed at the center was small with no lights or ornaments. In 1931, construction workers, many most likely thankful for a pay check, were building the famous complex, completed in 1933, and wanted to bring a sense of holiday spirit to the site. More than likely, most of these workers were not adorning their homes with decorations, but decided to spread some cheer by decorating a 20 foot Fir Tree with paper ornaments, strings of cranberries, and tin cans. It might not have been the grandest sight with no lights, no glistening ornaments, but for the workers collecting a pay check, it provided an enormous reminder of thankfulness and joy.

Since 1933, the tree lighting ceremony has been a huge event, minus one year during WWII during a blackout period. Children in the early fifties got to experience the ceremony for the first time on television, those lucky enough to have one, on the famous TV show, Howdy Doody. Stars and musical guests have continued the beloved tradition, and in a way so have many throughout the country.

Children and adults alike continue to make ornaments from paper, tin cans, mason jar lids, Christmas cards, clothes pins, and all sorts of items. The ornaments by themselves may not seem like much to some, but the main ingredient in all these homemade decorations is love and joy. Every single decoration made by a child or adult, be it at school or home, is done so with care and is truly treasured year after year as it is placed on the tree along with collections of others accumulated over the years.

Christmas Glitter Ornaments

Materials:

• Colored Construction Paper in blue, green, red, white, purple, and pink
• Glitter Glue (pack of 6/priced anywhere from $1.99 to $3. Depending on store)
• Red and Green Ribbons, cut to six inches long
• Stencils (optional)
• Scissors
• Hole puncher

Directions:

Just to note: These ornaments can be done free hand without stencils, it is up to the kids and parents.

1. Pick out what color paper to use and what shape or picture to draw (snowman, Santa Face, Reindeer Face, Star, Poinsettia).
2. Use a pencil to lightly draw out the pattern, using the stencil.
3. Draw over the pencil marking with the glitter glue, using different colors for the outline and for other areas of the stencil if desired.
4. Let dry over night.
5. Cut around the shape, leaving some edge on the outside, punch a hole in the top of the cutout, put the ribbon through, tie and hang on the tree.

Decorating with paper ornaments is not only fun and creative, it is affordable. Merry Christmas!!!