Merry German Christmas: Basteln / Crafts

German Christmas traditions include baking (especially cookies, such as Vanillekipferl), the tree, celebrating Advent, and BASTELN.  Basteln means crafting.  There is a verb form basteln which means to make crafts or to do handiwork; to tinker.  Some of my most treasured Christmas items are hand made.

There are probably millions of books, magazines, websites, and Pinterest pins about various German Christmas crafts.  None of the following are my original posts or crafts, but they are among my favorite!  I am citing the source from which I copied each.

STROHSTERNE  (straw stars)

This Christmas craft connects the straw from the manger in which baby Jesus lay to the star of Bethlehem that showed the shepherds where He was born.

Here is a very simple ornament you can make from toothpicks (but mimicking the look of a straw ornament) from Just Crafty Enough blog.

picture source:  Just Crafty Enough

Another blog shares how to make ornaments from straw - check out Ursula Markgraf:

picture source:  Ursula Markgraf

Star ornaments are also popular using paper and foil:

Paper Star tutorial from With a Grateful Prayer

Foil Star from Glittering Muffins

picture source Glittering Muffins

Again, natural elements are very common in German Christmas decorating:  dried orange and apple slices, nuts, cinnamon sticks, pine cones, etc. Here are a few more Christmas craft ideas with the source from where I found them underneath:

source:  wunderbare-enkel

source:  bastelideen

And lastly, a SUPER EASY and fragrant decoration, which my mom and I enjoy:  

CLOVE-DECORATED ORANGES

Make a pattern or stripes by sticking the whole cloves into an orange, then place decorated oranges in a bowl with greenery, nuts, pine cones, ribbons or whatever you have around the house.

photo source

Frohes Basteln!

(happy crafting)