For a festive decoration that can transition from Thanksgiving to decking the halls or tree, create your own garland using popcorn and whole cranberries. Just pop in a holiday movie or some winter-time tunes and get the whole gang in on the fun. Read on for the easy how-to.
You will need:
stale popcorn
fresh cranberries
a large needle, like an embroidery needle and thread
or
fishing line/floral wire
(Fishing line or another kind of wire, like floral wire, is usually strong enough to pierce the cranberries and popcorn without a needle.)
Prep: Pop your popcorn a day or two before. It works better if it’s stale! Buy an extra bag of cranberries, because you don’t want to use any that are really mushy or juicy.
When you are ready to begin:
1.Estimate your length and cut the string/wire to that length. Thread the needle if using one. Each kid can do a section and you can tie them together, so estimate about 5 ft. per kid.
2. Start stringing, using a cranberry first. Then, go crazy. The pattern is up to you (and the kids) but generally you have more popcorn than cranberries. String, string away!
3. Voila! Beautiful festive decor. Drape across the tree or along the edge of a mantel, table or hallway.
Bonus: After the holidays, you can string the garland on a tree outside and let the birds eat it: just make sure to remove the wire or string after they’ve had their fill.
Do you make cranberry and popcorn garlands? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below.
—Amber Guetebier
featured image: catharticflux via flickr
