Using a few readily available materials, you can make ornaments that will become treasured heirlooms even before they've spent a season on the tree: Shape wired tinsel into sparkling stars, beads into snowflakes, and sumptuous fabrics into small decorative globes. Even humble materials like buttons and wood can be transformed into distinctive decorations. The finished ornaments may be hung from the tree, used to embellish packages, or given as gifts. Wherever they end up, they will surely become Christmas keepsakes for family, friends, and yourself.

Frosted Pear Ornaments
Create a pear tree any partridge would be proud to perch upon. A wide variety of artificial fruit is available at crafts stores; the pears we used have a solid foam core covered with a realistically colored plastic skin. Glass glitter makes for the most sparkling effect; it's transparent, unlike metal-flake glitter, so it lets the fruit's color show through.

Tools and Materials 
Artificial pears
Glass glitter
Craft glue
Small paintbrush
Ribbon.

Frosted Pear Ornaments How-To
In a small bowl, dilute craft glue with water until it has a thin, runny consistency. Thinning the glue lessens the amount of glitter that will stick, allowing the color of the pears to shine through. Brush each pear with the glue mixture, and lightly sprinkle it with glitter. Once the pears have dried, tie a loop of ribbon from each for hanging.

Did You Know?
The custom of decorating Christmas trees began in the seventeenth century with the Germans, who used cookies, candies, paper flowers, and fruits as ornaments.