Ellington

With the holidays around the corner, it's time to make your list and check it twice. Instead of store-bought fruitcake, indulge your creative urge this season. Check out these tasty and easy-to-make edible gifts that will please friends and family.

Peppermint "Tree"
Use a hot glue gun to attach wrapped peppermint candies to a Styrofoam cone. Curling ribbon streamers secured with a long pin make a lovely "tree topper" on this quick (and delicious!) decoration.

Candy Cane Reindeer
Using glue, attach two goggle eyes (from the craft store) to the candy cane near the bottom of the curve to create eyes. Add a small red pom ball for a nose, and then twist a brown pipe cleaner around the top curve of the candy cane for antlers. Complete the reindeer with a red and green yarn bow. This is a fun activity for kids.

Chocolate Ornaments
Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with a little butter in a saucepan over low heat, then spread out to about 1/2-inch thickness on parchment paper. Melt white and dark chocolate chips, and then drizzle each over the chocolate sheet on parchment. Grease holiday cookie cutter shapes and cut out stars, ornaments, trees and bells. Press candied fruit, nuts, coconut or small candies into warm ornaments. Use your imagination! Use a drinking straw to cut out holes and loops of yarn for hanging. Cool completely to set decorations.

Edible House
A basket of "building supplies" makes another kid-friendly gift: prepared chocolate frosting "mortar" and graham crackers make great edible holiday houses. Sliced gumdrops, licorice strings and mini candies glued on with frosting create windows and doors; and candy corn makes great roof tiles. Fudge sticks make a picket fence, and flaked coconut tinted with a drop of green food coloring makes delicious grass.