Is your Christmas tree looking a little ratty? Is it sagging, leaning, or dropping needles?
Well, don’t just fling that flagging fir into a snow bank – recycle it. And by recycle, I mean prop it up in front of your windows and redecorate it for the birds to enjoy.
No, not to enjoy visually although, who knows, maybe they do. But redecorate it with attractive food ornaments that will please your eyes and will give those freezing feathered friends a much needed avian energy bar.
Your children or grandchildren will have fun making these projects with you. And you’ll all have fun watching the different birds flock to the laden tree. Of course, all of these may be hung from branches on trees growing in your yard if you don’t have a Christmas tree to recycle.
Cheery Ohs
Tie yarn or ribbon strung through the hole in a doughnut or bagel to make a loop for hanging. Dip half the pastry into melted suet or peanut butter, sprinkle with birdseed and hang.
Garland of Munchies
The first project is simple. And for some of you, it’s already a decoration in your home. String popped popcorn and cranberries on heavy thread or waxed dental floss, using a heavy-duty needle. You can add marshmallows, large raisins or other dried fruit to the string if you wish. Then, simply drape the old fashioned garland across the branches for a quick and colorful snack. It’s like making candy necklaces for the birds.
Stuffed Pinecones
Tie string or ribbon to the tops of opened pinecones, making a loop to hang on the tree. Stuff the open “petals” of the cones with peanut butter and/or jelly and roll in birdseed if desired. Deck the boughs with cones by golly, fa, la, la, la, la… Well, you know the rest.
Fruit A-peel
Cut oranges and/or grapefruits in half and scoop out insides to use later. Or, use rinds after you’ve squeezed the fruit to make fresh juice. Pierce the top edge of the resulting “cup” in three places, spaced equally around the rim. String ribbon or yarn through each hole and tie the six ends together to make a hanger. Fill cups with a mixture of various chopped nuts and coconut, chopped fresh fruit, black oil sunflower seeds, or suet.
Suet Cakes
You can buy suet at your grocery store or meat market. Although the sight of these hunks of fat may make you gag, birds need this nourishment as part of their diet.
Cut the suet into pieces, put in a heavy pot and add about a half-inch of water. Cover and heat on top of the stove at a medium temperature until a third to a half of the suet melts. At that point, remove the cover, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally.
When suet is completely melted, stir in about a cup of peanut butter and remove from heat. Then, stir in four cups of cracked corn and two cups of cornmeal. Pour the mixture into muffin tins, loaf pans, or anything else you think might work, and chill until hard.
These suet cakes can be put in feeders, tucked into the fruit cups (above) or softened and stuffed into the pinecones or into holes drilled in small logs.
I hope you have fun making these bird treats with the special children in your life. The results are well worth the effort.
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