How to make a cranberry-popcorn garland

Yes, it's true that garland is relatively inexpensive, and can be purchased almost anywhere. It wasn't so in days of yore, and rural families most often simply made their own. Thematically, what the garland was made of depended on what was available, but most commonly popcorn was used, or ribbon with or without baubles and bows stitched onto it.

Want to try to make your own? If so, make it an experience - something the family can do together, that will make for fond memories. Put on Christmas music, or one of your favorite movies. Serve cocoa or hot cider and Christmas cookies.

MATERIALS:

• Popcorn: No salt and no butter, if possible. After popping the popcorn, let it sit out for a day to get stale; fresh popcorn crumbles.

(Make an extra bowl of regular popcorn for the family, since the kids are probably going to eat it as they help make the garland, unbuttered and stale, or not.

• Fresh cranberries

• Heavyweight sowing needle. Use good judgement in how old your child needs to be to handle a sewing needle, and supervise them well. For a very young child, you can set them to the task of alternately handing you cranberries and popcorn.

• Heavyweight sewing thread. Waxed dental floss works great, because it is less-prone to breakage, and the addition of the wax makes it easier to slide the cranberries along.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Lay out long lengths of thread. Tie a knot at one end, and thread the other end through the needle. The individual segments can be tied together when you're finished, but be sure to leave a couple inches of thread at the end of each segment.

Push the needle through the cranberry and slide it down the length of the thread to the knotted end. Then do the same with a piece of popcorn. Alternate popcorn and cranberries until the segment is finished.

Lastly, tie the segments together, and hang the garland.

After Christmas, send the kids out with the garland to decorate any shrubs or trees around your residence. A small child will get a lot of pleasure out of seeing the birds dine on the garland he's hung out.

More Holiday Punch Recipes

Hot spiced Cranberry Punch (non-alcoholic)

• 4 cups cranberry juice


• Honey to taste


• Freshly grated nutmeg (substitute prepared if that's all you have)


• Cinnamon sticks

Heat cranberry juice, cloves and honey in a saucepan. Stir until honey dissolves and juice is hot. Season with nutmeg and serve in a mug (preferably clear) with a cinnamon stick.

The Apple Cinammon (easy non-alcoholic)

• 2 oz cranberry juice


• 4 oz chilled apple cider

Fill a wine goblet with ice. Add 2 oz. cranberry juice and 4 oz. chilled apple cider. Stir to mix. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Wassail Bowl (also known as "Lamb's Wool" - alcohol)

Note: You may, if you wish, omit the baked apples all together, and start at step 3. Or you may pick up a jar of spiced apple rings, and float those in the punchbowl, instead of the baked apples (Haggen may have spice apple rings - that's where I've found them in the past).

• 3 large cooking apples


• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar


• 4 cups apple cider


• 2 cups sherry (not cooking sherry - Harvey's Bristol Cream, or other)


• 1/4 cup granulated sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg


• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


• 3 to 4 slices of lemon

1.) Preheat oven to 350°

2.) Core apples and arrange in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake until apples are tender (20 to 25 minutes). Set aside.

3.) Heat cider in a saucepan over low heat, bringing it slowly to a boil. Add sherry, sugar, spices and lemon slices. Stir until sugar dissolves; cover tightly and let stand over very low heat for 3-4 minutes. Do not boil again.

4.) Remove the lemon slices and pour into a punch bowl. Garnish with baked apples.

Makes 6 servings.

Cranberry-Citrus Christmas Punch

Cranberry Punch Recipe:

• 2 cans frozen cranberry juice, prepared*


• 1 can frozen orange juice, prepared*


• 2 16 fluid ounce bottles of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda


• Add fresh or frozen cranberries and oranges slices

Combine liquids, add cranberries and sliced oranges.

For an alcohol based version: add gin or vodka.

*or equivalent bottled juice