I wasn’t planning on posting anything today, Kate and I are supposed to be on a blog-cation! But I just finished making these and had to share. See, the stomach flu attacked our house this week, right after it attacked our house last week. So for almost 2 full weeks I’ve had at least one, and at times 4 people hurled over buckets in my family room. Needless to say, it put a kink in my holiday baking plans and I feel bad that I didn’t get goodies to all of my friends! But even the guilt isn’t enough to inspire me to slave in the kitchen on Christmas Eve, so I decided to scrap the last-minute baking and do a little craft for my boys to deliver to their buddies instead. I know this is a popular idea, but I spotted it most recently on The TomKat Studio because of these cute tags you can download!Basically you’re just putting random stuff in a little baggie and calling it Reindeer food, the poem on the bag is what I love (In case you’re on a screen where you can’t see the picture)
Since this was totally last minute, all I had was oats. Next time I do it, I think I’ll add some sunflower seeds and maybe a few nuts, or use granola. Or go with coarse sugar or colorful sprinkles like many of you readers suggested. But hey, this was totally last minute so since reindeer are magical, I’m sure they don’t eat normal oats. And as it says in the poem, the moonlight will make it *sparkle*. So, as I saw lots of people on the internet doing, I added glitter. In retrospect, I probably should have used something like sugar sprinkles so it’s more eco (and kid)-friendly. Don’t call PETA. And don’t lecture me 🙂
Just put your reindeer food in little baggies (a sandwich bag will do) and punch a hole in the corner and tie on the tag, or do as I did here and punch two little holes and pull the ribbon through
then tie in the front
My boys love pretending to be the mail man and making deliveries so they’re going to be super excited to get to carry a basket and hand out these little magical favors. And even if you don’t make these to pass out to friends, I think it’s a super cute thing to just do at home with your kids.
Head on over to The Tomkat Studio to download the free tags! Make sure to leave them a comment and say thanks- tell them OBB sent ya!
Oh ya, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Questions & Reviews
Sorry i am late in commentsing on this one we do either bird seed or in recent years Grass seed with colored sugar the grass seed is great as my lawn looks great every spring!!
What is the ratio of glitter to oats?
I blended a candy cane to the point of dust in my Ninja blender and added it as santa’s “magical secret ingrediant” …it also adds that candy cane smell 🙂
My 4 and 2 year old loved doing this also! Ours was the last gift from our Elf on the Shelf. She brought it with her Christmas eve morning when she showed up for the last time this year! It was magical. We love Christmas time!
I love this! I will have to make this for my son’s class next year. We’ll make a batch tonight! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Fantastic idea!!! Thanks so much!!!
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wut duz that mean
I am a teacher, and I give this to my students every year. I like the idea of all edible items like the colored sugar or jimmies. We have used bird seed in the past too instead of oatmeal. Thanks for all of your amazing ideas as always!
I’m planning a family reindeer party for my extended family- guess what I’m using for my favors! I did this many years ago and it was fun- thanks for the reminder!
nice I like it very creative
I love this it is sooo cute. I think i might try it out this year and make it for my little cousins. They would jump for joy and would be very excited to try it. 🙂
We have been doing tis for years, but we mix oats for strength, glitter so father christmas can see our drive way and run way and bird seed to help them fly. The children have great fun designing run ways with them. But I have sweep them up before they wake up. SUch fun
why sweep them up
r u faking 2 ur kids that they r real
I just got your cookbook from a friend and can’t wait to try ALL the recipes in it! I just had to check out your site. I saw this and it made me laugh becuase my aunt and uncles chidren came up with this idea about 10 years ago.
http://www.sistersgourmet.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=43
They have owned this cookie business for 16 years and there kids were just playing with the scraps one day. We have given it to our neices and nephews ever since for christmas but the kids always look forward to it and love it.
I like to make various tags and printables but I have to work very hard and it’s frustrating using WORD. I’m no tech genius and I don’t even know what’s out there. Is there an affordable easy program i can buy to make graphics etc…What do you use?
Amie, I use photoshop elements
This is a tradition at our house, but I love the idea of giving it as a gift! Thanks for the ideas and link to artwork 🙂
Thanks for sharing this great idea. I was in need of a few last minute neighbor gifts.
Growing up my sister and I would put a freshly baked loaf of bread on the back step for the reindeer to eat. Now that I'm older, I think this is an ingenious idea, as the loaf was always eating by something by morning.
I have a few secrets that I'm keeping from PETA, myself.
Love the idea and it's great for us last minute gals! Have a lovely Christmas 🙂
Mariel
★Merry★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★Christmas★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚From our home to yours!! May God Bless You and Your's in the coming New Year!
My kids love doing this! I usually make up enough for my son to give out to his class. I use a coarse colored sugar but I love the idea of using jimmies!
Merry Christmas!!!
Oooh, good ideas kara and mary! Kara i thought the same thing about little kids tasting it, *especially* if i tell them they're not allowed to, lol
What a CUTE idea!! Love it!
So fun! We started doing this last year with glitter, and this year it was colored sugar- I gave each girl an old spice jar with a bit of sugar in it, and we put a drop or two of food coloring in and they shook it like mad, then dumped in some oats. They shake their jars a few times a day, they're pretty excited to dump them out tomorrow!!
Will came home from school with this, except instead of sparkles, they had the colorful jimmy sprinkles. I thought it was a good replacement in case a small child found them (as would happen in my house, lol) and decided they wanted to see what it tasted like. 🙂