Christmas is for the birds, too! You can decorate a tree, and give the birds in your neighborhood a merry Christmas! Here are some ideas: Pinecone Bird Feeders
You will need:
large pinecones
peanut butter (natural, unsalted peanut butter is best- birds prefer chunky!)
bird seed (mixed variety- some birds like sunflower seeds best, so have that in the mix)
bacon fat or melted suet
cornmeal
red yarn Mix the peanut butter, fat, cornmeal, and birdseed. Spread it thickly onto the pinecone "petals."
Tie a piece of red yarn to the top of the pinecone.
Tie the pinecone to a tree branch.
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Bagel Wreaths
You will need:
Stale bagels.
The same mixture of peanut butter, fat, cornmeal, and birdseed as in the pinecone feeder
red yarn
Spread the mixture on the bagels.
Tie the yarn through the bagel hole to hang.
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Christmas Cookie Ornaments for the Birds
You will need:
Christmas cookie cutters (such as stars and bells)
a drinking straw
6 pieces of bread
3 Tablespoons cornmeal
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
1 Tablespoon shortening
bird seed
red ribbon Cut bread into shapes with cookie cutters.
Using a straw, make a hole near the top of each ornament.
Slip red ribbons through the holes, and tie into a loop, for hangers.
Leave bread out overnight to dry.
Mix cornmeal, shortening, and peanut butter.
Spread on bread, both sides.
Decorate both sides with birdseed.
Hang your ornaments onto tree branches!
------------------------------------------------------------- Suet Feeders
You will need:
plastic net bags such as onions or potatoes come in.
birdseed
suet (ask for this at the meat counter of your grocery store)
red yarn
Roll the suet in birdseed.
Put the suet in the bag.
Tie the top of the bag with yarn, and hang.
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Garlands
You will need:
needle and thread
stale popcorn
dried fruits
String the popcorn and dried fruits to make a garland.
Tie the garland to the tree.
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Easy Garlands
You will need:
yarn
Cheerios or Fruit Loops
String the Cheerios or Fruit Loops.
Tie the garland to your tree.
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Scatter seeds on the ground.
Some birds are ground-feeders, so be sure to sprinkle some bird seed on the ground so they can eat, too.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- Now that your tree is decorated, watch from a nearby window. What kinds of birds do you see come to your tree? 
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