Making Christmas Banana Santas with my boys

On a bitter Saturday morning watching under 10’s football recently, which saw Dominic and I endure Harry’s footie team’s crushing defeat in biting cold conditions, there was only one place we were headed afterwards.

Home to Ginger Towers for steaming mugs of hot chocolate and an afternoon with the central heating cranked up, some Christmas tunes on, a large dose of tree decorating and a bit of fun in the kitchen for me and the boys was in order.

As regular readers will know, I’m a shortcut mum when it comes to culinary efforts with the kids. Neat freak tendencies and a lack of crafting skills means I’m usually googling ‘no bake cakes’ or looking up ‘easy fun crafts with kids’ on Pinterest!

For a while, I’d had these festive lovelies up my sleeve as I knew the boys would delight in making them and I’d get an extra injection of fruit in alongside the sugar fest. A quick Tesco shop provided our ‘ingredients’ and we set about our little Christmassy makes with eager anticipation.

First up were these Banana Santas, which had to be eaten fast as the fruit does not enjoy a long period of airtime before looking less than pretty. (Checkout the sad looking Santa on the far left – tasted great though!)

Simply chop up bananas, skewer them, pop on half a large marshmallow, a strawberry segment for a hat and top with a mini marshmallow for a pom pom. Two little chocolate strands for eyes and a red Smartie for a Rudolph style nose and job done! The boys fave part was separating the Smarties into different colours and ‘losing’ the mini marshmallows in their tummies, mid-make! Harry came up with a few ideas of his own too!

As they were doing that, I chopped up a fruity candy cane with bananas & strawberries for no other reason than I just wanted to! I’d seen it on Pinterest and felt the urge to make my own. There was only one thing to do with it afterwards though, so my five-a-day boxes were well and truly ticked.

Strawberry Santas were the last on our to-do list and these didn’t last long as they were gobbled up the second I took the money shot of them. A bit of squirty cream for the beards, edible food gel for eyes and strawberries a plenty were all it took to make these cute characters.

Feeling like a can-do Mum, my boys were happy, there was no mess to clear up and the children were stuffed full of fruit so we happily got down to the business of putting the Christmas tree up – a job which both delights and annoys me annually.

I often think I may be bordering on OCD as I like to place the decs in exact positions, dressed how just I like it but obviously I have to let the boys ‘help’ so on with the decs – well I can always re-jiggle them once they are asleep!

I love this tree, each year I vow to bin it and buy a new one but it has sentimental value as I bought it in Elstree when I was working for the BBC,  a struggling actress pre-children and I’m loathe to part with it! It really has seen better days but once we get the embellishments on there, it is as pretty as a picture!

This gorgeous mini tree is an annual feature in our home. I bought this from Harrods when Harry was tiny and it has been a festive favourite ever since. So delicate, yet can withstand Dominic’s heavy handedness, it is a vintage delight.

We worked like busy little elves, embracing all things Christmas, well into the evening before it was time for the grand switch on!

I made this over-the-door garland myself by buying long lengths of wreath making materials and adding a huge amount of twinkling lights and gold decorations. I am SO proud of my handiwork but it’s a mission to hang the heavy centrepiece every year, especially on the windy evening it was here!

Have you got your decs up yet?  What’s your fave pre-Christmas prep?

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