Several days ago, I promised more about our family Christmas traditions. But then a study was released about temper tantrums in toddlers. So I wrote a post about that.  And Michelle Duggar miscarried her 20th baby. I had written a post about miscarriages in September, when a friend lost her baby girl - but I'd never published the post. I edited that article and published it.

NOW, back to family Christmas traditions. We made Christmas ornaments with our children almost every year.  One year we used a flour-based dough, with red and green macaroni pieces in the white dough. Those turned out nicely, and lasted for about 10 years, before they completely crumbled.  I wish I had at least one  of them, to photograph, so I could show you what they were like.

[caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="These we made from a store-bought kit. Not hard to tell that we didn&#39;t get all the little beads in the little spaces."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/stainedglass.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-762 " title="stainedglass" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/stainedglass-300x176.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="141" /></a>[/caption]

Another year, we "baked" stained glass ornaments, from a kit. The children sprinkled little beads into the metal frames and we popped them in the oven.  The beads melted and formed what looks  like stained glass.

And, for a number of years, we made cinnamon ornaments.

[caption id="attachment_758" align="alignleft" width="210" caption="We didn&#39;t have wood glue on hand, so I used all-purpose glue. The dough is a little smoother with wood glue and shrinks less."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cinnamoningredients.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-758" title="cinnamoningredients" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cinnamoningredients-300x253.jpg" alt="" width="210" height="177" /></a>[/caption]

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

dough:
1 cup cinnamon
1/4 cup wood glue
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp vegetable oil

Mix all the above.  It will form a stiff dough.

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<p style="text-align: center;">Sprinkle work surface with more cinnamon and knead the dough until it is pliable. <a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/doughrolledout.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-759 aligncenter" title="doughrolledout" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/doughrolledout-300x243.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="243" /></a>If the dough crumbles, add more water, at little at a time.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/stars.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-764" title="stars" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/stars.jpg" alt="" width="358" height="270" /></a>Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes with cookie cutters.</p>


[caption id="attachment_765" align="aligncenter" width="346" caption="If you use this type of cookie cutter, you get more detailed designs."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ChristmasTree.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-765  " title="ChristmasTree" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ChristmasTree.jpg" alt="" width="346" height="343" /></a>[/caption]
<p style="text-align: center;">Poke a hole in the top, with a drinking straw.<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/oncookiesheet.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-763" title="oncookiesheet" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/oncookiesheet-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="322" height="242" /></a>
Dry naturally or in an oven at very low temperature.  Turn periodically to prevent curling.  Ornaments will shrink to 3/4 original size.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">After they are dry, you can paint them, or leave them plain.<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/finishedornaments.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-767" title="finishedornaments" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/finishedornaments-300x150.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="150" /></a></p>