We've compiled our favorite holiday kids' projects for you and your little helpers.

When baking holiday cookies, little chefs stir up a merry mess. Let them have fun and keep their clothes tidy with aprons just for the occasion. Attach designs made of washable felt and rickrack to kid-size canvas aprons with fabric glue. An ornament doubles as a pocket (glue bottom and sides), the perfect place to stash a cookie for on-the-job nibbling.

These festive Santa swizzle sticks are anything but ho-ho-ho-hum.

"The littler the better" is the philosophy of these presents -- and it's easy to make a bunch quickly. Kids can give them to friends and classmates, adding a small treat, such as a holiday note, candy, or trinket.

Kids will love counting down the days until Christmas with a miniature chest made of matchboxes. As its drawers are removed and reversed, a festive picture emerges.

With an icy tingle on the tongue and a pinwheel of Santa-red and snow-white stripes, peppermints are the coolest holiday sweets -- especially when transformed into edible hanging ornaments. Lay five or so peppermint candies in a circle to form a wreath; bond sides together with icing. Adorn front with cinnamon candies or mints. Let dry two hours before hanging. Loop twine around ornament; knot.

The snowflakes outside will sigh with envy when they see this one in the window.

With just a little holiday magic, kids can turn houseplants into grand trees on cards and gift tags.

Kids will love mixing and matching different buttons to create an entire tree's worth of adorable Christmas figures.

These merry snowmen get their roly-poly forms, red scarves, and carrot noses from rolled fondant.

Turning a plain candy cane into a cute reindeer is a simple way to get kids in the holiday spirit.

A hand-drawn decoration makes a practical gift precious. With fabric crayons, kids can draw on an ironed handkerchief. Parents press with an iron to set the image (follow instructions on crayon package).

Kids can write their own messages inside these cheerful cards and hand them out to classmates and teachers, or punch a hole at the top and tie on ribbon or yarn to use as tags.

Sprinkles on gumdrops and sweet gummy rings -- these are a few of kids' favorite things. It's easy to turn candy into lively decorations and ornaments.

Let kids make their mark on the holidays in the form of cards, gift tags, and wrapping paper; it's quick work with a custom-made rubber stamp.

Colorful stray buttons can be put to new use as Christmas ornaments. If you don't have enough loose buttons, or the right colors, don't worry -- crafts stores sell them by the bagful.

For decorations that would make Frosty proud, hang spheres of snow on a tree in the yard. This project is best when the snow is neither powdery nor slushy; it's easiest if you use a snowball-making tool.

Holiday cards make perfect ornaments: dazzling and delicate yet impossible to break.

These luminous fabric-covered ornaments are made without sewing a stitch, so they are the perfect project for kids old enough to work with pins. We covered the balls with satin, taffeta, and velvet and finished them with metallic-silver ribbons and twine.

For teachers, neighbors, and baby-sitters, label jars of candy with a sweet illustration.

Transform the beautiful ribbons that adorn this year's gifts into a decorative chain that can be used each Christmas.

Our snowman is made of vanilla ice cream rolled in coconut. His eyes, mouth, and buttons are licorice candies, his carrot nose marzipan, and his hat a toasted marshmallow atop a chocolate cookie.

Hanging old toys on the Christmas tree spreads joy: Mom will be pleased to have less clutter, and the toys will be happy to be rescued from their dusty corners.

Kids can craft a merry snowman from pipe cleaners; his flexible limbs help him perform any number of jumps and spins.

Popcorn strands are classic tree decorations, but you can also use them to create a wintry wreath.

Kids can lend a hand in holiday baking; let them help prepare the dough as well as serve as the model for the cookies inspired by their little palms.

Perfect for a children's table, these demure angels are made with 6-inch plain white paper plates.

Pipe cleaners are easily coiled into cute reindeer.

Invite these friendly gingerbread characters to hang around for the holidays.

These easy-to-create wreath ornaments make great gifts as well as charming additions to your own tree.

Deck the doorknobs with jolly kid-made bells. It's a great activity for days when it's too wet or chilly to play outside and -- between your craft bin and the refrigerator -- you probably have all the supplies on hand: an egg carton, paint, glitter, glue, and yarn.

Who's game for this challenging treat? Cut gingerbread while it's warm; after it cools, decorate with royal icing. Wrap pieces with a note: "Don't cheat: Solve the puzzle before you eat!"

Give old cards more hang time by making a garland of disks cut from them.

Use craft punches (or trace a round object and cut out). Attach to heavy thread with stickers; rub with craft stick to secure.

Assemble jolly hors d'oeuvres for a holiday party with kids among the guests. Your kids can be little helpers: Use kitchen scissors to cut a pepperoni hat; attach to cracker with a dab of ricotta. Spread on a ricotta beard. Add celery slices for mustache and capers for eyes and nose. Cover bottom of hat with more ricotta for fluffy trim.

Household materials make for inexpensive and delightful homemade gift wrap. Bows can be crafted from found items, too, such as thread or rickrack.

The shimmering magic of snowfall is always transfixing, whether it's outside your window or inside this classic toy.

To make a reindeer's head, turn a gingerbread man on his. Add a face, ears, and antlers with melted chocolate chips, sanding sugar, gumdrops, and other candy.

Button shapes resemble many seasonal things, as on these simple cards made of folded card stock. Construction paper cut-outs and a snip of ribbon help turn green buttons into a wreath, tiny red ones into holly berries, and white ones into a friendly snowman. (When they're turned vertically, the holes in the snowman's belly button look like buttons themselves.)

Create a skiing Santa from pipe cleaners to decorate your home or tree.

Happy times with kids call for cheerful cupcakes. Easier to serve than cake, cupcakes require no slicing, no plates, and no forks -- and every child gets her fair share of icing.

Plain white self-adhesive dots can be transformed into cheerful garlands.

Invite young friends to gather around a table made of snow.

Wish friends young and old a very merry Christ-mouse.

Here's a new twist on the familiar refrigerator-cum-art gallery: Turn kids' drawings into magnets that can be used all year long.

Surely the snowman gets cold out there -- but winter's chill is rarely shown on his face. Kids can give a rosy glow to their frosty friends by mixing five drops of red food coloring with a cup of water, then using a spray bottle to spritz the cheeks with a fine mist.

With these edible snowflakes, only the cheese melts.

A wreath of puffy white pom-poms, reminiscent of snowballs, will last the entire winter season.

Construct a village of candy-adorned cookie cottages without any baking!

Gumdrops come to life as Santa, a snowman, and other icons of the season.

This dapper fellow breaks the mold. No wonder: Kitchen molds form his fancy hat. Raid the cupboards to outfit your snowman. Shapely dessert molds, such as for gelatin or pudding, or even a small ice-cream scoop can make wonderful details.