Christmastime Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole FamilyA Holiday Celebrations Book (Creative Crafts)

Countless books detail holiday projects for the dedicated crafter, but here's a title that encourages the whole family to get involved in Christmastime baking and decorating. Helpful tips on cooking and crafting with kids make it easy to get started, and many of the craft projects require only minimal adult supervision. Whip up a whole host of ornaments, garlands, cards, and wrappings using such easy-to-use items as salt dough, aluminum foil, and bright magazine clippings. Delight little Santa's helpers with kid-friendly nibbles like chocolate crispy bears or smiley-face pancakes, and surprise grown-up guests with a Yule log cake or chocolate-peppermint swizzle sticks. Full directions are given for all craft and food items, including enough recipes for a full Christmas dinner. One minor drawback, especially for children: most of the crafts are not pictured, so crafters may have difficulty visualizing the finished product. But there are enough color photos to give a general impression of the projects, making Christmastime Treats fun for everyone. --Amy Handy