There's nothing like a day spent making Christmas decorations together as a family. I adore the communal feel of shared effort and the lovely, natural aesthetic they provide. There's still room for the bright and gaudy; in our house, I get the big tree to hang with my treasured collection of mercury glass, while my daughter and partner get a kitsch kitchen tree that assaults the senses but pleases the spirit.
Popcorn Tinsel
Lovely in lieu of the plastic stuff, I recommend that you keep it out of the reach of children, not because it's dangerous, I hasten to add, but because small people try to eat it, which can be rather trying as it is a labour intensive process. Pop a large pan of corn, take the cooked kernels and sew together with a thick, but sharp darning needle on a long skein of cherry red thread. Don't do as I did and sew them in an atmospheric evening light, or your thumbs will not thank you.
Stained Glass Cookies
The lovely Lisa Faulkner makes these; simply cook a basic batch of shortbread with your favourite seasonal cutters then fill any gaps with crushed boiled sweets. String with red and white twine and hang from pretty bare branches
Pine Cone Garlands
This is one even the littlest crafters can help with - throughout the year collect pine cones on your country walks, then gather the prettiest together and string with natural, unbleached twine. They look lovely strung across a hearth and wrapped with ivy.