How to make a magic Key for Santa

Many homes and apartments do not have a chimney.  This is a serious problem for many children who are concerned that Santa will not be able to get into their home to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. 

The solution is 'Santa's Magic Key!'  Sometimes Santa will have his own magic key, but children can make their own to hang outside the front door on Christmas eve so that Santa can get into the house and deliver his gifts. When the kids go to sleep, parents can place the key next the empty plate of cookies and put some cookie crumbs and black ink finger prints on the ribbon.

This is a wonderful way to help children in believing in Santa, and can be done with one child or in groups, in school, day care, or after school fun. It can also be one of those wonderful things that parent and child can to together.

Although we sell special keys on our web site, we also know that it is a lot of fun to make your own key or keys.  So here are some fun directions.  Remember adult supervision is advised, and please read all instructions before you start.

 
Materials Needed:
 
  • One Old Key per child or household (an old skeleton Key is the best) (The keys can be rusted or tarnished, but should be free of dirt and oil so the paint will stick.)
  • Gold acrylic paint
  • One small tube or jar of Glitter (Want to have more fun?  Have two or three colors of glitter to dip in!)
  • Holiday print ribbon and gold cording
  • Some paper plates (Makes clean up easier.  Just throw everything away!)
  • pipe cleaners or floral wire cut into pieces six to eight inch long
  • a place to hang the keys until they dry (approximately 30 minutes)
  • Key tags or cards
  • Red and Green Pens or fine tip markers
  • Special cutting shears and glue sticks (for those of you who are into Paper crafts)
  • Newspapers or a plastic drop cloth

 

Instructions:

This is a very simple project.  a key or keys are painted or dipped in gold paint and then dipped into glitter.  Then the keys are hung to dry.  While the keys are drying, the children can prepare the ribbon or cord and the card which they will attach to the key.  After drying, the note is attached with a ribbon or piece of gold cording.  The cording should be long enough to go over a door knob.

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Start by setting out all materials and supplies and putting down newspapers or the drop cloth for both the working area and the drying area.. (Especially if you are working indoors!)  Pour a small puddle of gold acrylic paint (no more than 1/8 inch) in one paper plate and an equal amount of litter in another paper plate. 

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Each child should take one key and attach a pipe cleaner or piece of floral wire. Remember these should be old un-used or discarded keys.  

Carefully dip the key into the gold paint coating first one side and then the other side of the key.

Once the key is completely covered with paint, the child can then move the key over and dip it into the plate of glitter, again covering both sides.  If you are using two colors of glitter, you can cover one side one color and the other side the second color.

After the key is covered with glitter the key is then hung up to dry (Approximately 30 minutes)

Next the child or children can start on making the special notes that will be attached to the key after they are dry.  They can be creative and cut and paste a simple card with a message to Santa telling him that this magic key will open the door to their home.

Here is a little poem that they can put on their card:

We don't have a chimney for you to climb through,
But if you don't visit my our house I don't know what I'll do.

Some say you are magic and can use any old key
As long as we hang it out in a place you're sure to see.

So we're leaving this old key right outside our door
Saying our prayers, jumping in bed, and we won't worry anymore.

Once they have the card finished, and the key is dry, discard the pipe cleaner or floral wire and use a piece of holiday ribbon to tie to the card to the key.  The gold cord can then be attached to make a loop that will hang over the door knob on the front door to their home. 

Have fun with this project and let us know how it went.