A Literary And Tutu Christmas Family Tradition
Welcome to an easy, made for you free, a literary and tutu Christmas family tradition!
Are you looking for a simple tradition to add to your repertoire this year? Do you love stories and crafts? How about the Nutcracker ballet? Then you have come to the right place!
Family traditions bring love and connections like nothing else can. To see my children’s faces light up when they unpack old favorite Christmas books and ornaments they have made is one of my favorite parts about being a mother!
But life gets busy and stressful. Plus there is always the problem of what tradition to start?
This is why I have created a simple Nutcracker tutu ornament craft to make as a family and a story of a family enjoying making the tutus together. You may not wish to make tutus every year unless you choose different people to make for, but the story will be loved for years to come and will become a sweet reminder of your own family’s experience. The tutus are best done by children ages 8 and up, but can be enjoyed by some as young as 6, depending on their sewing ability.
Last week I shared with you a Snow Queen tutu tutorial that can easily be turned into whatever tutu you want! Hot Chocolate, Sugar Plum Fairy, etc.
Click here for the tutu tutorial.
if you would like to listen to the story with the full music playing while you craft,________ click here. Our family loves it!
Now it’s time to snuggle up with your cuties and enjoy the story!
Tulle, Tutus, And Family Fun
It was a cold, dark, and quite December evening.
There was a house that was not cold nor dark. This home belonged to the Wetherwind family.
This home was often very noisy what with the six children who lived there. Tonight was not as noisy as usual because the two youngest were in bed. Dad, and the four oldest were happily chattering at the kitchen table.
Mom brought in a box everyone knew was full of craft supplies for this years Christmas tree ornament making!
For past Christmases they have made wool angels, clay Christmas figures, simple embroidery ornaments, cloth angels, and more.
“What will we make this year?” wondered the Wetherwind children.
Tutu Christmas Ornaments!
“Hem hem,” said mom to get everyone’s attention, “This year we are making…..TUTUS! You may pick whatever tutu you want to make inspired from the Nutcracker ballet!”
Three of the four children present were boys. So one might think this tutu project would not interest them. But in this you would err for mom, who was once a ballerina by profession, brought the tradition of the Nutcracker ballet into their home. Every year they would watch a performance and have a little Nutcracker party! They had many Nutcracker ballet books, listened to the music, learned about the composer, and more. But their favorite way to enjoy the story was with an audio recording of the story with the full ballet music.
The boys of the family loved the battle scene! It was often acted out with great gusto, or noise as some may call it.
“Oh I am going to make a Hot Chocolate tutu! I love hot chocolate!” declared Adam, the eldest boy whose rip old age was 11.
Looking at the candy canes on their Christmas tree Joseph said, “Candy canes are the best! My tutu will be a Candy Cane tutu!”
“And I will make the Marzipan tutu because I was the only one who liked it last year.” said Benson, who had liked the marzipan candy Abigail had made the year before.
The Joys Of Being Big
Benson was 7 years old and more excited then anyone else because this was his first year to join the older Christmas ornament making group. He had of course joined the whole family for the easier crafts during the day, but he knew only truly big kids could join these special gathers, thus proving how truly big 7 year old’s are.
Abigail, age 14, was the oldest Wetherwind child and the only girl, “I’m having a hard time deciding between a Flower tutu, and a Snow Queen tutu…”
“Why not make both?” asked dad. Why not indeed!
“I’m going to make the Columbine doll tutu.” decided mom.
“Which one is the Columbine doll?” asked Benson.
“It’s the doll that blows kisses. ” explained mom.
Dad did not say what tutu he was to make for he always gave himself the job as helper each year.
The Sewing Begins
The box was opened. Mom showed them how to make a basic tutu.
Happy faces peeked into the box, to see what would help them make a perfect tutu! The boxes contents were dumped on the table to better enable everyone to see what options there were. There were all sorts of odds and ends! Ribbons, lace, felt, needles, thread, and much more. Dad plugged in the glue gun and now they were ready to begin!
“Ouch!” said Joseph.
“Are you alright?” inquired mom.
“Haha, ya,” replied Joseph, “I just poked myself again.” Poor 9 year old Joseph often poked himself.
“Do you remember when I poked myself so hard last year that I bleed?” Adam was rather accident pronged. To tell the truth he was proud of it!
Abigail started laughing, “Do you remember last years Christmas ornament makings when mom angel’s face got wet and the face turned into a blob? We called her blob face!”
Mom laughed too. “I am not the only who had troubles with their angel. What happened to your angel Abigail?”
“I sewed the arms to the body!” laughed Abigail.
So the reminiscing continued as the tutus were made.
“Do you remember Oscar kissing my angel?” laughed Adam.
“That was so funny!” laughed Benson.
“Yeah!” replied Joseph, “He thought she was so pretty!”
In Oscars defense, he was only 3 years old at the time. At the grand age of 4 comes more wisdom then one has when they are only 3.
Showing Off Their Tutu Ornaments
Adam couldn’t find anything in the craft box that he liked for his hot chocolate tutu, so he got out the embroidery floss and started sewing.
“What a great idea!” said mom to Adam, “I’m going to embroider on my tutu as well.”
“Look at what I made!” said Benson proudly. Dad had been helping him glue on a bunch of small ribbon pieces to his marzipan tutu.
All were properly impressed. (Making fun of any ones work was against the rules.)
“Cute idea Joseph!” said dad.
All looked to see Joseph’s tiny candy canes he made from pipe cleaners or chenille stems, as some call them.
“That is cute” said Abigail. “What do you think of mine?”
All agreed the lace on the Snow Queens gown was perfect.
Speaking of snow…
Snow!
“It’s snowing.” said dad calmly knowing that exclamations would be coming.
He was right for all made their exclamations of joy, dropped what they were doing, and rushed over to the window.
It was snowing. The snow looked like beautiful lace that Abigail had sewn on her Snow Queen tutu. Several inches of snow already on the ground lightened the night beautifully. The family stood their enjoying watching more snow gently fall. In December the sight of snow is always magical and with it the hope of a white Christmas. The topic of a white Christmas was now talked of.
At last, the crafters went back to the table.
“Ouch!” yelled Joseph as he stepped to the table.
The offending needle that caused the hurt was found, and scolded by its victim. But Joseph was remined that it was his fault and to not blame the poor needle. After all he was the one who didn’t put his needle back in his needle book.
One by one the tutu’s were finished and placed on the tree.
“Remember if you don’t want the baby to eat it you must put it out of his reach!” warned dad.
A Perfect Way To End
So all the tutus were placed in a safe spot. The crafters admired their hard work. While looking at the candy cane and the hot chocolate tutu, gave Adam an idea.
“Can we drink hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane?”
Unashamed begging followed.
Mom and dad were declared the best parents in the world. Everyone got to work and soon, the special Nutcracker treat was being enjoyed.
Suddenly, Benson gave mom a big hug and said, “I love you mom! You are the best mother in the whole world!”
Mom gave him a big hug back and replied, “Your the best Benson in the whole world!”
Warm fussy love was strong enough in the room to be felt by every one.
Soon the home of the Wetherwind family was quiet. The snow continued to fall softly, while tomorrow waited to come.
The End
Come Back next Week For…
I hope your family enjoyed this literary and tutu Christmas family tradition! Did your children love the story? I dearly hope so. I also hope to see you next week for a Gnome Christmas tradition! This is an easy way to add some magic to a new Christmas family tradition.
You May Also Like:
- Poseable Nutcracker ballet themed doll tutorials from my Etsy shop. I take you clearly step by step so you won’t be stresses out!
- Ballet costumes embroidery patterns, also from my Etsy shop.. This are great for beginners for your children and yourself.
- Start a free embroidery curriculum especially made with Charlotte Mason and Waldorf homeschoolers in mind!
