A Victorian Christmas

Print instructions & templates

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Make your own cards, gift tags and decorations.

You will need:

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small scissors
craft knife (for adults only please)

stick glue
ruler

cardboard (white, patterned or coloured)
printouts of templates
ribbon

Zoe's corner: A very victorian hobby

When great grandma was a girl making scrapbooks was a popular hobby. A bit like stickers today, they came in pre-cut sheets, called scraps, which were glued into large, especially-made books with blank pages. The types of pictures are just like you might collect today, flowers, butterflies, baby farm animals, and Christmas themes. Christmas scraps were also used to make tree decorations, cards and even decorated biscuits and cakes. These pictures are from a scrapbook made between 1880 and 1890. It was given to the Powerhouse Museum by Neville Williams in 1981.

Step by step:

Image of Victorian Christmas part 2

For making cards: Using template pieces and coloured papers make your seasons greetings. Instructions can be found in Victorian Christmas Part 2.

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1. For making swing tags: Roughly cut out template pieces. Using glue stick, stick to white or coloured card.

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2. Carefully cut out each image carefully leaving the white border.

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3. Make a hole at the top of the tag using a hole punch or carefully push the end of the scissors through the card.

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4. Thread a ribbon through the hole.

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5. Attach to the christmas tree as decoration or tie to a gift.