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FUN FOR GIRLS

Special Issue Your

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Contents

Editorial Director JODI GOLDBERG

Follow Your Inner Star

Executive Editor

BARBARA E. STRETCHBERRY

Senior Editor

MARY RICHARDS BEAUMONT

Lifestyle Editor ANDREA DEBBINK

e s th love ll of sme trees pine

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o Associate Editor to g MELISSA SEYMOUR likes nhill dow ing Contributing Editor ski DARCIE JOHNSTON

s love ay d i l h o ts ligh

Contributing Writer KITSON JAZYNKA

Manager of Creative RILEY WILKINSON

snow likes ice and

Art Directors

GRETCHEN BECKER, DAN NORDSKOG

Editorial Coordinator JOLENE SCHULZ

Manager - Senior Production CINDY STILES home ints m e mad e her Lead Production Artist LISA BUNESCU ar rite favo

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Marketing Manager SARA HERELEY

Special Thanks to

ALEX BELMONTE, CARYL BOYER, PATTI KELLEY CRISWELL, SUSAN DOPKINS, MEAGAN EGGERS, JOE HINRICHS, MARK SPELTZ, YOUA THAO

Cover Credits:

WARDROBE STYLING: MARY RICHARDS BEAUMONT HAIR: DEB AHRENS AmericAn Girl ® (ISSN 1062-7812, Canadian Sales Agreement Number 40635507) is published bimonthly by American Girl Publishing, 8400 Fairway Place, Middleton WI 53562. Copyright © 2017 American Girl. All rights reserved.

Subscription rates: One year (six issues) $24.95. Non-U.S. subscriptions $29 U.S. Funds. Single issues (current or back copies) $5.99. Prices subject to change.

Periodical postage paid at Madison, Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to American Girl, PO Box 5535, Harlan IA 51593-1035 Customer serviCe: 800-234-1278. subsCriber: Send change of address information six weeks before moving to American Girl, PO Box 5535, Harlan IA 51593-1035. Send old address label (recent mailing label is best), new address, and new telephone number, or call 800-234-1278. Occasionally, American Girl makes its list of adult and family names available to other reputable companies for their offering of products and services. We make every effort to ensure that girls’ names are not included on this list. If you prefer not to receive such mail, please call our customer service department at 800-2341278 or write to us at 8400 Fairway Place, Middleton WI 53562. editorial offiCes: American Girl, Editorial Department, 8400 Fairway Place, Middleton, WI 53562. American Girl Publishing cannot accept liability for loss or damage of photographs or other materials. Unsolicited materials will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. All submissions received by American Girl become the sole property of American Girl Publishing and may be used by American Girl Publishing or its parent or affiliated companies without compensation or acknowledgment. Even though instructions have been tested and results from testing were incorporated into this magazine, all recommendations and suggestions are made without any guarantees on the part of American Girl. Because of differing tools, materials, ingredients, conditions, and individual skills, the publisher disclaims liability for any injuries, losses, or other damages that may result from using the information in this magazine. Not all craft materials are tested to the same standards as toy products.American Girl®, Follow Your Inner Star™, Girls Express™, and According to Aggie™ are trademarks of American Girl. American Girl trademarks cannot be used without the express written consent of American Girl.

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Countdown Crafts

14 School Surprise

AmericAn Girl is Published by american Girl PublishinG 8400 Fairway Place Middleton WI 53562

4

Holly Jolly Cookies

16 Wintry Weekend

Winner of a Parents’ Choice Silver Award, 2016

®

Printed in the USA on paper containing at least 10% post-consumer waste.

Recycle me or pass me on to a friend.

10% post-consumer waste

10 The Holiday Freeze!

18 Frost Fest

12 Cold & Bold

20 DIY Time!

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24 Holi-DECOR

42 This or That?

26 Festive Foods

45 Posters

30 Mini Christmas

49 Behind the

34 Mystery at the

Blue Hills Diner

Scenes

Plus AG’s Peace Garland!

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Creative Countdown Looking forward to a holiday, vacation, or special event? Keep track of how many days you have left with one of these crafts!

Roll-y Cute

Collect the same number of paper rolls as the number of days until your event.

Trace the circular end of a paper roll on a piece of colored paper. Cut out twice as many circles as you have rolls.

Tape one circle to each roll.

Fill the paper rolls with fun trinkets.

Then tape another circle on the open end of each roll to close it. Use double-stick tape to bundle rolls together and secure with a bow.

Carefully poke the circles each day to get your prize and count down to your exciting event!

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Snail Mail

Create mini envelopes by following the steps below. Glue the envelopes to a picture frame, and use a whiteboard marker to write on the glass. Fill the envelopes with fun stickers or small trinkets. Open an envelope each day and enjoy.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3 Flip!

Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour

Step 4

Chalk It Up!

Use craft glue to attach two clips to the top of a chalkboard. Create a small banner using letter stickers to spell out “Days Until . . .” Tape the banner to the center of the board.

Use chalk to write the name of the event you’re counting down to below the banner. Make extra paper numbers 0-9 and change them each day as you count down. s

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Bake holiday treats for delicious homemade gifts!

Snowball Cookies

Ingredients: 1 cup butter ½ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 (12-ounce) package chocolate kisses 1 cup powdered sugar Directions:

.

2.

3.

4.

4

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla.

(You may want to ask an adult to use an electric mixer.) Then stir in the flour. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Unwrap the chocolate kisses. Wrap about a tablespoon of dough around each chocolate kiss. Roll it into a ball.

Place each dough ball on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 375-degree oven for 10–12 minutes. Let them cool slightly.

While cookies are still warm, roll each one in a bowl of powdered sugar and place on a cooling rack.

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Place each snowball cookie in a cupcake liner, and fill a cardboard treat box.

Ask an adult to help you when using the oven. Also, making food for other people is a big responsibility. Always use clean hands and equipment. When sharing cookies with friends, let them and their parents know the ingredients in case they have food allergies. It can be helpful to include a tag with the ingredient list.

Gingerbread CutOuts Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 3 cup vegetable oil ¼ cup molasses 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs Directions:

Photos: Chris Hynes Photography Illustrations: Gretchen Becker Styling: Andrea Debbink

.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Stir together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, molasses, sugar, and eggs.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, and stir until a soft dough forms.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough so that it’s about ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the shapes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

After the cookies have cooled, decorate them with white chocolate drizzle. Ask an adult to melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave. Use a spoon to drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies. Let set.

Place a cookie inside a plastic treat bag.

Seal the bag with a 2-inch-by-4-inch rectangle of scrapbook paper. Fold the rectangle in half, and staple it over the top of the treat bag.

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Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ¾ cup old-fashioned oats ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 egg 1 cup dried cranberries ¼ cup chocolate chips ¼ cup white chocolate chips Directions:

.

2.

3.

4.

6

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and oats. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. (You may want to ask an adult to do this with an electric mixer.)

Add the egg to the butter mixture and stir well. Then add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time, stirring after each addition.

Stir in the dried cranberries and chips. Mix the dough with clean hands.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, and place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Flatten each dough ball. Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 8–10 minutes. Let cool.

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Wrap a clean cardboard tube container with wrapping paper. Carefully stack the cookies inside, and seal with the lid.

Lemon Sugar Cookies Ingredients: 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1¼ cup granulated sugar 3 egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract zest of 2 lemons 1½ tablespoons lemon juice ½ cup colored sugar Directions:

.

Stack cookies in a clean canning jar. Decorate the lid with a circle of fabric.

2.

3.

4.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar. (You may want to ask an adult to use an electric mixer.)

Add egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the butter mixture. Mix well.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until just combined.

Be careful not to overmix.

Form the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll them in a bowl of colored sugar.

Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.

Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10–15 minutes until they start to crack. Let cool completely.

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Red Velvet Crinkles

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar

cup light brown sugar 3 eggs 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 2½ teaspoons red food coloring 1 cup powdered sugar 13

Directions:

.

2.

3.

4.

8

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars. (You may want to ask an adult to do this with an electric mixer.)

Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time. Then add the milk, vanilla, and red food coloring. Stir until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, stirring after each addition. You may need to mix the dough with your hands.

Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl. Form the dough into 1-inch balls.

Roll each ball in the powdered sugar, then place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 10–12 minutes.

Let cool.

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Place the cookies in a sealed plastic sandwich bag. Then place the plastic bag inside a paper lunch bag. Fold over the top of the lunch bag.

Use a hole punch to make two holes, and thread a ribbon through the holes.

Finish by tying the ribbon in a bow and adding a tag.

Dipped Chocolate Cookies Ingredients: 2 (15.25 ounces) boxes chocolate cake mix 4 eggs ½ cup vegetable oil 1 cup chocolate chips 2 cups white chocolate chips candy sprinkles Directions:

.

2.

3.

4.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the cake mixes, eggs, and oil until well blended.

Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Roll dough into balls (about the size of a golf ball), and place them on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Ask an adult to bake the cookies in a preheated 350-degree oven for 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Start with a 7-inch-by-7-inch square of wax paper. Fold and crease each corner so they meet in the center of the square.

Unfold the paper, place a cookie inside, and refold. Hold the tabs in place with a sticker or colorful tape. s

Ask an adult to melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave. Dip each cooled cookie halfway into the white chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip into the bowl. Set each cookie on wax paper.

Before the white chocolate hardens, sprinkle it with candy sprinkles. Let set.

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Ever have an awkward moment at a family gathering when you had no idea what to say? Here’s how to thaw out after you freeze up.

Freeze

You are at your grandma’s house and have just unwrapped her gift. Inside the box, you find a giraffe sweatshirt and a giraffe bookmark and some orange giraffe knee socks. Trouble is, you stopped liking giraffes two years ago.

Thaw Freeze

Uncle Joe has just asked you if you have a boyfriend. Again. He asks this question every single time you see him.

Thaw

Look Uncle Joe in the eye and say, “I’m too young to talk about boys, Uncle Joe. How about I tell you about my soccer team?”

Or “I’d rather talk about my new puppy.”

Or whatever you think is more interesting.

Lots of adults ask this question. Usually it’s because they have no idea what else to ask about, or else they think they’re being funny. (Soo not funny.) You’ll probably hear it sooner or later, so it’s best to be prepared. If you don’t want to talk about it, adults need to get that message. So be firm, and change the subject. Get a parent’s help with this problem if needed—especially if Uncle Joe won’t drop it.

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Look Grandma in the eye, smile for real, and say, “You remembered I like giraffes!

Thank you!”

Grandma did remember, and that was thoughtful—it’s just that her information is out of date. In the coming year, be sure to tell her all about the things you like now so that she’ll know for next time. And always, always say a genuine “thank you” for a gift, no matter what it is.

Freeze

You walk into your room to find that your little cousin Elliott has gotten into EVERYTHING. Your stuffed animals are scattered, your pencil cup is tipped over, and Elliott is using your science report as a coloring book.

Thaw

Take a deep breath and say, “C’mon, Elliott. Let’s go back to the family room.”

Then take him with you and go find a parent—Elliott’s or yours. Explain (as calmly as you can) what happened, and ask for help cleaning up the mess.

Little kids are naturally curious and usually don’t mean any harm. Next time, ask a parent to help keep little ones away from your room. You can also cousin-proof your room by putting away valuable items (stash them on high closet shelves) and checking on your room every so often to make sure all is well.

Freeze

Thaw Tips

You’ve just come into the kitchen to ask if you and your friend Jasmine can have a sleepover tomorrow night. Your dad is getting ready for a family gathering that day, and he snaps at you. In fact, he’s practically yelling, like you just did something really bad.

Some situations can be really hard. Keep these tips in mind when you feel yourself freezing up:

1.

Breathe. Deep breaths tell your brain not to be stressed, so it will be easier to think.

Thaw

Illustrations: Vera Brosgol

Stay calm and say, “Oops, sorry to have bothered you with that right now. What can I do to help?”

Chances are, your dad is not mad at you at all—it could be that he’s super stressed because of the party. That doesn’t make snapping at you OK, but it’s easier to not get upset by someone’s actions when you know it’s probably not about you.

Sometimes timing is everything with parents, and your question might get a better reaction at a different time. Ask again later, when the party is over or when you’re not interrupting your dad.

2.

Shake it off. Moving your arms and legs will help ease tension.

Freeze

Your cousin Ava got a smartphone as a gift. She keeps taking it out to look at it and has already showed it to you four times. When she asks to friend you on her favorite social site and you tell her that you don’t have a smartphone, she says, “Ohhh, too bad!” in a kind of mean (actually, a very mean) way.

Thaw

3.

Relax your jaw. Take a bite or a drink of something, yawn, or move your chin back and forth. This will help you relax and buy you some time to answer. (Bonus: It might help you avoid tears if something has made you feel like crying!)

Still Frozen?

Say “Excuse me for a minute,” and leave the situation. If you need some time to regroup, that’s not just normal—it’s A-OK. s

Shrug and say “Oh, well.” Then change the subject or go find something else to do or someone else to talk to.

Being super happy about an amazing gift you just got? Understandable. Being rude and braggy about that gift? Not cool. You can be happy for someone who gets a good gift, but if she starts to overdo it, you don’t have to play along. This advice might be useful when you go back to school, too.

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Quiz

Cold & Bold How adventurous areyou during winter?

Would you . . .

try out for the winter play at school?

ride a dogsled?

Yes! Maybe No way!

Yes! Maybe No way!

hike up a snowy mountain?

Yes! Maybe No way!

sign up for an ice skating class?

Yes! Maybe No way!

ski down a giant hill?

Yes! Maybe No way!

attend a winter carnival with friends?

Yes! Maybe No way!

go ice fishing? spend a weekend camping in the snow?

Yes! Maybe No way!

sled down the biggest hill in town?

Yes! Maybe No way!

go on a night snowshoe tour?

Yes! Maybe No way!

explore an ice cave?

Yes! Maybe No way!

ride a horse on a snowy secret trail?

Yes! Maybe No way!

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Yes! Maybe No way!

Mostly blue: Chill Thrill The cold never holds you back! You’re up for any type of icy adventure whether snowboarding down the biggest hill or hiking a snowy mountain ridge. You are always ready for the next thrill—just remember to stay safe!

Mostly pink: Frozen Fun You often jump into the winter action, but sometimes you just aren’t up for it— that’s all right! You know your limits, and you like a variety of snowy activities. You might not be ready to go off that big jump, but most days will happily horseback ride through pretty snow-covered trails.

Illustrations: Zoe Persico

Mostly purple: Snug Bug Winter adventures usually aren’t your thing. You’d rather curl up with a hot cup of cocoa and enjoy the pretty snowflakes falling outside your window. Relaxing inside is great, but sometimes it can be fun pushing yourself to take a hike in the snow—give it a try!

Holiday 2017

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Fill in this quiz to create a silly story!

School Surprise

Illustrations: Zoe Persico

Holiday 2017

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ent was s e r p 5 es. A y e r e h ound the e r v a e i l e b 0 1 rdly 1 could ha 1 hool. c s t it there. a t k u s p e d o r h e w nh ondered w sitting o d n a he lassroom ddenly, t u S . t empty c n e es 12 at the pr 1 1 7 d a n d na own, an s sat dow t i n 1 o y a er fell aw p a p g n i wrapp d box. he air an t e h o t t f n i o t ou 13 7 e . Th 1 d i a s !” “ 8 . lassroom c e e door. h t h t d h n g u u o r o a th r , coming 3 aid g on?” s n i o g ’s t re!”

“Wha out of he 7 he t rest of t e h “Get tha T . k s de into her 7 he shoved t ’s desk?” he door. t h 1 g 1 u o r th 16 out of 14 5 1 e m a d c e g t class t th in s s ta r hat’s tha assmate l W c 1 !” ’s “ 9 2. All of d aske sroom. s a down!” l c m e l h a t c d y n d o arou . “Everyb 4 7 1 e.” t k h jo g i a r b s a rned in here classe h 7 t ’s face tu n i e 1 t els ha veryone . “I put t E !”

4 s y a lid yelled appy ho H “ . h g u to la star ted . onfused c d e k o room lo

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Wintry Weekend Which winter getaway matches your personality?

3. If you were stuck inside during a snowstorm, you would . . . a. challenge your sibling to a game. b. snuggle up and watch your favorite movie. c. rearrange your bedroom.

4. Which country would you love 1.

You’re assigned a project on an endangered species. Which type of project do you like best? a. A speech b. A book report c. A photo collage

2. Which app would you use most? a. One that tells you jokes b. One that helps you learn yoga poses c. One that gives you new craft ideas

to travel to? a. New Zealand b. Sweden c. Greece

5. Which animal is most interesting to you? a. Kangaroo b. Chipmunk c. Robin

6. Which would you like to attend most? a. A funny talk show b. A behind-the-scenes tour of a museum c. An orchestra concert

7. What’s your favorite thing to do at a sleepover? a. Make up a dance b. Have a spa night and talk c. Do a fun craft

8. The first thing you do on a trip is . . .

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a. get outside and start exploring the new place. b. research all the best attractions. c. unpack your things.

9. Which winter scent is your favorite? a. Pine trees b. Peppermint c. Apple cinnamon

10. Which coat would you love to wear? a. sporty, puffy coat

b. cozy jacket

c. fancy peacoat

Mostly a’s: Ski Lodge Your friends would describe you as always being on the go. You love exploring and getting to know new places and people.

The outdoors are almost always calling your name, so you’d have a blast spending a weekend at a ski resort.

Mostly b’s: Cozy Cabin You love relaxing, quiet nights, and snuggling up. Spending time with family or friends in a laid-back environment is your perfect kind of weekend. You’re a bit of a homebody. A cozy cabin would be the perfect winter weekend spot for you.

Illustrations: Zoe Persico

Mostly c’s: Downtown Ice Rink Creativity and organization are your thing.

You love being inspired by beautiful places, and you feel right at home in the hustle and bustle of a big city. A visit to a fancy downtown ice rink would be right up your alley.

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After school you can’t wait to get to . . .

a pony tail.

You love wearing your hair in . . .

Funny squirrel poster.

complex braids.

Sloth

Artwork you painted in art class.

Which would you hang up in your room?

Hummingbird

Which animal do you like best?

START

A map of a country you’d like to visit.

a mix of frozen yogurt flavors.

The nights spent baking cookies.

Lion

Which winter celebration should you attend?

FrOst Fest Frost

The best treat is . . .

The beautiful scenery.

What’s the best part about winter?

Illustrations: Zoe Persico

Holiday 2017

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Blizzard Boogie

fun and silly.

Your friends describe you as being . . .

really make you think.

after-school art club.

Your fun-loving spirit makes you shine. You’d love to show off your best dance moves at a blizzard boogie!

leave you rolling on the floor laughing.

The best stories . . .

volleyball practice.

creative and colorful.

full of comfy clothes.

You’re known for being crafty and dedicated.

You would build an amazing snow fort.

Snow Fort Celebration

full of colorful, quirky clothes.

Your wardrobe is . . .

a girl who creates her own business.

Winter Wonderland Sleepover

a girl who finds a magical land.

is filled with inspirational photos.

Your locker . . .

You’re a dreamer. You would have a blast at a beautiful, sparkly sleepover with your friends. s

You’d love to watch a movie about . . .

is full of extra craft supplies.

is where you keep your sports equipment.

the perfect slice of apple pie.

DIY Time!

Create these gifts for under $10.

PAINTED POTS Cover your work space. Coat a flowerpot in nontoxic, kid-friendly paint, and let dry. Dip a pencil eraser in a darker paint color and press it against the pot to add polka dots. Let dry. Add dirt and a houseplant, and your gift is good to go!

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HEY, MACRAMÉ!

Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour

Cut a 10-inch piece of yarn. Tie the yarn around a foot-long wooden dowel. Repeat these steps until you’ve covered almost all the dowel with strings of yarn. Use scissors to trim the yarn in an interesting shape. Tie a piece of yarn on each end of the dowel so it's easy to hang up.

BEAUTIFUL BOWS Cut a piece of fabric or felt that is 5 inches by 3 inches. Save the scraps!

Pinch the center of the fabric rectangle, and tie a long, thin scrap around the middle to create a bow shape. Tie the bow to a purse or a headband!

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MORE MUGS! Fill a cute mug with hot cocoa supplies. Add a heartfelt tag that includes the ingredients within.

FILL YOUR MUG WITH: G Cocoa mix G Candy canes G A bag of mini marshmallows G Cinnamon sticks G A small bag of sprinkles G Mini whisk G Chocolate chips

CREATIVE COASTERS Print a favorite photo on paper, and cut it into a 4-inch square.

Spread a thin layer of decoupage glue on a 4-inch white tile (found at your local home improvement store). Press the photo to the tile, and let dry. Spread another coat of decoupage glue over the photo, and let dry. Repeat this step five times, letting the coaster dry between layers. The more coats of decoupage glue you use, the more waterproof your coasters will be! Use craft glue to attach felt to the bottom of each tile.

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BRIGHT BAG Decorate a canvas bag with nontoxic, kid-friendly paint. Lay the bag flat on a covered work space. Use a sponge or stencil to create fun shapes using paint. Let dry overnight.

TRAVEL JOURNAL Glue a map (or map paper) to a journal, and let dry. Use decoupage glue to seal, and let dry. Use stickers to spell out your friend's name on the cover of the journal.

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-Decor

Make your room sparkle with Christmas spirit!

Ask an adult to help you hang your new decor.

Wrapping Wreath Use cute bows to make a happy wreath. Start with a foam wreath form (available at craft stores).

Attach bows all over the form until it’s covered.

Tip: Attach the bows with tape

if their adhesive doesn’t hold or if you’re crafting with bows that have already been used.

Snowfall Strands Make it snow! First, ask an adult to help you thread a needle with a long piece of thread. Tie a knot at one end of the thread, and then tape the end to a covered work surface. String white pom-poms in different sizes onto the thread by carefully pushing the needle into each pom-pom’s center and pulling it through. Fill each strand with as many pom-poms as you’d like. Ask an adult to help you hang the strands in front of your window.

Tip : If you don’t have white pom-poms, cotton balls work great, too.

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Lovely Letters Are you all about the holidays? Dress up your name in festive paper! Choose cardboard letters to spell your name. Use wrapping paper and tape to wrap up each letter.

Tip : For letters that have holes in them, such as A or R, don’t try

to cut the paper to fit—just wrap over the hole! And if you have a curvy letter, such as an S, it will be easier if you cut the paper into smaller scraps before wrapping.

Use aG’s Peace Garland to decorate a shelf!

Illustrations: Galia Bernstein

Tinsel Tree Use your favorite colors to make your own mini Christmas tree.

Attach a few strips of double-stick tape to a cardboard cone (available at craft stores). Starting at the top, wrap a string of tinsel garland around the cone, sticking it to the tape. Tuck any extra garland inside the cone, or trim it to fit.

Festive Flakes Your space will glitter with these sparkling snowflakes! Cover your work surface, and arrange craft sticks into snowflake shapes. Use craft glue to attach the sticks in the shape. Let dry overnight. Paint the snowflakes with nontoxic glitter craft paint. Let dry.

Tip : Glue a few snowflakes to a

wide ribbon to make a pretty wall hanging. s

Tip : Use a feather boa instead of tinsel for a softer look.

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Make these dips for a holiday party, sleepover, or movie night!

Pizza Dip Stir together 1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Spread the mixture in a baking dish. Spread 2 cups pasta sauce over the cream cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup shredded cheese and your favorite pizza toppings. (Like pepperoni!) Ask an adult to bake the dip in a 350-degree preheated oven for 10–15 minutes. Serve warm with breadsticks.

Veggie Dipir together

owl, st In a mixing b ed) and eese (soften ch m 1 cup crea 1½ teacream. Add ½ cup sour oo n as dill, ½ te p spoons dried garlic salt. n o ½ teaspo d an , no ga ore cup en mix in ½ Mix well. Th ch as h veggies su chopped fres d peppers. rrots, and re broccoli, ca ackers.

Serve with cr

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Honey Mustard Dip In a small bowl, stir together ½ cup mayo, ¼ cup Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons honey. Serve with pretzels.

Illustrations: Melissa Manwell

Hummus

blender in the Add ingredients to a p water, 2 following order: ¼ cu , 3 tablespoons tahini tablespoons olive oil ds), de from sesame see (tahini is a paste ma rlic ga n oo sp wder, ½ tea 1 teaspoon garlic po se rin d an ain cumin. Dr salt, and ½ teaspoon e th ickpeas. Pour 1 (15-ounce) can of ch nder. Ask an adult to ble chickpeas into the ooth. If the hummus blend on high until sm tablespoons of water is too thick, add a few with pita chips or and blend again. Serve fresh veggies.

Pumpkin Pie Dip Stir together 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, 1 (5-ounce) package vanilla pudding mix, and 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice. Then add 1 (8-ounce) container whipped topping, and mix well. Serve with graham crackers.

Cocoa Dip Stir together 1 cup cream cheese, 1 (7-ounce) jar of marshmallow cream, and 1 tablespoon baking cocoa. Top off the dip with a few mini marshmallows. Serve with fresh fruit, pretzels, or marshmallows.

Creamy Caramel Dip Place 5 tablespoons butter and ¾ cup brown sugar in a microwavable mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time until the sugar and butter are melted. Mix in 1 cup cream cheese and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract until well blended. Serve with apple slices.

Christmas Cookie Dough Dip Mix together 5 tablespoons softened butter, 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, and 1 cup sugar. Add ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, and mix again. Stir in candy sprinkles, and top with extra sprinkles. Serve with gingersnaps or sugar cookies. s

Holiday 2017

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Mini Christmas Sculpt clay ornaments for adorable DIY decor!

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Getting Started •Cover your work surface with wax paper.

Tree

•Use nontoxic air-dry clay.

Step 1

•Create new clay colors and shades by blending different colors together. For example, we used blue, green, and white clay to make the tree ornament.

Make a 1-inch ball of clay.

Step 3

Make tiny balls in different colors for the ornaments.

Press them into the tree.

Step 2

Roll the clay into a log shape.

Then roll one end of the log to a point. Press the bottom

Work the clay in your hands until the colors have completely blended.

of the cone shape against your work surface to flatten it.

Step 4

Make a tree stand.

Roll a small ball of clay, and press the tree on top of it.

Cardinal Step 1

Photos: Chris Hynes Photography Styling: Andrea Debbink

Make a 1-inch ball of red clay. scissors to cut the ball in half. half can be used to make one cardinal.

Step 2

Take one of the halves and slightly Use Each

Step 4

stretch and bend one end to make the cardinal’s crest.

Use black clay to make a small flat rectangle. Press the rectangle onto the bird’s face.

Step 3

Step 5

For wings, use red clay to make two small flattened football shapes.

Press the shapes against the sides of the bird’s body.

Make a tiny orange triangle for the beak, and press it into place.

Stack a tiny ball of black clay on top of a ball of white clay for each eye.

Press the eyes into place.

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Elf Step 1

For the elf’s body, roll a small piece of clay into a ball. Use a different color to make a second smaller ball for the elf’s head.

Stack the head on top of the body.

Gift Step 1

Roll a small piece of clay into a ball.

Use your fingers and a flat surface to shape the ball into a cube.

Step 2

Step 2

Make a ball of clay about the same size as the head. Roll the ball into a log; then roll one end of the log into a point.

Using a different color, roll a small piece of clay into a rope shape. Wrap the rope around the cube, trimming any excess.

Step 3

Step 3

Use your thumb to make an indentation in the bottom of the hat. Press the hat onto the elf’s head.

Make a second rope, and crisscross it over the first rope. Trim excess.

Press all sides of the cube against your work surface to flatten the ropes.

Step 4

Create a third clay rope and flatten it. Fold it as shown, meeting in the middle to make a bow. Use

Step 4

Use tiny bits of clay to add ears, a nose, and buttons. O nce the clay is dry, use a marker to add details such as eyes and a mouth.

another bit of clay to cover where the ends of the bow meet.

Step 5

Set the bow on top of the gift, and carefully press it into place.

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Candy Cane Step 1

Roll a small piece of white clay into a rope. Roll a second rope using red clay.

Step 2

Press the two clay ropes side-by-side and gently twist them together.

Snowman Step 1

Roll a small piece of clay into a ball.

Make a second ball that’s smaller than the first. Stack the smaller ball on top of the larger one.

Step 3

Bend the twisted ropes into a candy cane shape.

To hang the ornaments: Step 1

Let the clay ornaments dry completely (at least overnight).

Step 2

Take a small metal screw eye

Step 2

Use a tiny piece of orange clay for a carrot nose. Roll the clay into a tiny log, pinching one end into a point. Press the flat end into the snowman’s face.

(available at craft stores) and gently twist the screw into the top of your ornament.

Step 3 Step 3

Make eyes from black clay and buttons from purple clay.

Cut a 5-inch piece of string or baker’s twine.

Thread the string through the hole, and tie the ends together.

Now you’re ready to decorate! s

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Fiction

Mel loves a good mystery. But can she solve this one in time to save the diner?

by Laura Dower

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americangirlmagazine.com

Illustrations: Maike Plenzke

O

ver here, ladies!”

The young photographer posed the servers against the long counter at the Blue Hills Diner. I got into the photo, too, next to my mom. She squeezed me tight as the flash went off.

“Perfect!” the owner of the diner, Miss Ella Costello, cried. “Easy as pie!”

The photographer took a seat so he could finish the extra eggs and grits on his plate. The local paper was doing a feature story on the diner again. It won “Best Food in the County” for the thirty-fifth year in a row. So far this morning he’d interviewed all the usual customers, took a tour of the kitchen, had a one-on-one interview with Miss Ella, and devoured three helpings of breakfast.

Ever since I was little, I’ve been coming to work with Mom on her shifts at the Blue Hills Diner.

After she and Dad split up, I started going everywhere with Mom. When I turned eleven, Miss Ella pronounced that I was practically a part of the “family.” She named me honorary server with a name tag and everything. Mine says MEL in gold stick-on letters. Miss Ella pays me in grilled cheese melts and moon pie cookies.

I’m in charge of refilling napkin holders, making sure there’s enough ketchup in each bottle on every table, and checking to see that the lids on the salt and pepper shakers are screwed on tightly. I always try to smile at customers even though all you can see when I smile are my braces.

I spend a lot of time sitting at the counter doing homework or reading mysteries. I love mysteries!

When I don’t have my nose in a book, I’m eavesdropping on other people’s conversations. All the great detectives are the best listeners—and there’s

plenty to hear in this place.

Miss Ella’s food is always voted the best because her family recipes have been passed down for generations. Thanksgiving specialties are the stars: apple-pumpernickel stuffing; chive butter biscuits; good-as-gold gravy; and legendary pumpkin buckle pie. No one has been able to make food this good for a century. No one dares try. The biscuits and buckle have secret ingredients. Miss Ella keeps the family heirloom cookbook inside a small safe in the back office.

Only she and Phil, the cook, have the combination to the safe.

As people walked in and out, the bells over the door tinkled. I turned my head every time. As a family of six waddled out, a couple of boys rushed in. An elderly couple went out, and some girls burst through the doors.

And not just any ordinary girls! My best friends, Anne and Bess, rushed right over to me.

“Hey, Melanie,” Anne said, throwing her arms around me for a hello hug. She always did that.

She was like the sister I never had.

Bess came over, too. She wasn’t really a hugger, but she was friendly. She stopped to say hello to Mom and half the other customers. Bess’s dad was the mayor, and everyone in town had known her since she was born.

“Whatcha doooooing?” Bess said in her funniest accent.

“Working, as usual,” I said proudly. “Don’t you Holiday 2017

35

see the name tag?”

“It says, ‘ME,’” Bess said. I looked down and saw that she was right—the letter L had peeled right off.

“Wait. Why are you guys here so early? Wasn’t art club today?” I asked, but they both shrugged.

“Canceled,” Anne said. “We figured we’d come down to the diner and bug you.”

“And get a slice of free pie,” Bess added.

“Yeah, yeah, well, let’s sit down,” I said, sliding into a booth.

“Did you finish your homework?” Anne asked as she flipped through the song selections on the table’s mini-jukebox.

“I didn’t get the essay question,” I said.

“Neither did I,” Anne said. “We need your brains, Mel . . . er . . . I mean ME.” Beth made a funny face. “No, what we need is pie.”

I laughed and swept out of the booth toward the huge wooden pie cabinet with its glass doors.

Inside the hutch were dozens of different pies:

apple, blueberry, rhubarb, lemon and lime cream, banana coconut, pecan, mince . . . I could hardly remember all the types.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a woman in dark glasses slip in through the diner door. She looked familiar.

“Hey! Squirt!” Gloria said, coming up behind me. She’s my favorite server and has big bouffant hair. “Be a sport and get that lady a glass of iced peppermint tea, would you? Miss Ella’s expecting her. Her name is Wilma Winchell.”

I went off to get the tea and brought it over to Ms. Winchell with lemon slices and sugar packets.

Winchell. Funny name.

“Well, thank you, dahhhling,” the woman smiled. I remembered where I’d seen her before, last week and the week before that. It was right here at the diner!

Ms. Winchell was trying to do business with Miss Ella. Ms. Winchell’s company, Pies Inc., wanted to make a deal with Miss Ella for her pie recipes. I’d heard Miss Ella talking about it

with Phil in the kitchen. I remember Phil wasn’t too keen on the idea. In fact, he was downright grumpy about it.

“Why do we need Blue Hills Diner pies at the supermarket?” Phil had said to Miss Ella. He thought people should come to the restaurant to

linoleum and nearly collided with a customer.

Mom bumped hip-first into one of those spinning leather stools at the long diner counter.

Miss Ella dashed out through the kitchen’s swinging doors. “Someone stole my recipe book!

One hundred years of recipes! GONE!”

Miss Ella dashed out through the kitchen’s swinging doors. “Someone stole my recipe book!

One hundred years of recipes! GONE!” enjoy his pies, not buy them at a store.

Nadine, another server, rushed past the counter and grabbed my sleeve. “Hey, do you have time to help me with a table, Melanie?” she asked. “Grab a tray.”

My friends were still waiting for their pie, but I helped Nadine. After all, she was Miss Ella’s cousin. Nadine had been working here for a few weeks so she could learn more about the diner business. I noticed she was a little bit nosy, always asking questions and trying to get in on the gossip at the diner. Sometimes I wondered if she was really working there just so she could steal Miss Ella’s good ideas.

“Grab me a couple of slices of pound cake for my table,” Nadine asked. I walked back over to the pie cabinet. There was a shelf for cookies and cakes, too, not just pies.

All at once, a huge howl came from the kitchen.

“It’s goooooone!”

The scream was so loud that Gloria nearly spilled a pot of coffee. Nadine skidded on the

“Oh!” Everyone in the diner let out a simultaneous gasp.

Then everyone eyed one another suspiciously.

How on earth could it have been stolen? I wondered to myself. Miss Ella was usually so careful about that book. We weren’t even allowed to flip through it. Had she left it on the countertop while baking cornbread, or had she forgotten to lock the vault? It seemed unlikely—she always put the recipe book away.

“I didn’t see anything!” Phil cried, grumpy as ever. He rushed into the dining room, too, wiping his brow. Phil was always sweating. “One moment we are loading up some of the special Thanksgiving deliveries, and the next minute there’s chaos. I don’t know how it happened!”

“We have to find that book,” Gloria blurted, pushing her red hair behind one ear and jutting out a hip. She cast a serious glare around the diner.

“Which one of you swiped it?” she whispered under her breath, giving the customers her stink eye.

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I looked around at all the faces of all the diners, too. We had a roomful of possible suspects, like the start of some crazy TV mystery or police show.

Was our prime suspect right in this room? Should we lock the doors and start questioning everyone?

“Now, now,” said Miss Ella, waving her hands around. “It couldn’t have been any of my friends.”

Phil leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“Melanie, I bet you can figure out what happened to the book. You’re the smartest one in the place. You and all those mysteries you read.”

I grinned at Phil. “You think?” I asked him.

Then I thought about it seriously.

Fact: I’ve been reading mystery stories since I was a kid.

Fact: I’m basically the champion whenever we play Clue.

Fact: I visit this online mini-mystery site all the time, and once I won a “super solver” prize package that included a box of puzzle books. Finished those puzzles in three hours flat.

I, Melanie Tidswell, wannabe super sleuth, 38

americangirlmagazine.com

could definitely do this.

The photographer’s camera flashed again. We were all taken by surprise. “Hey!” Nadine called out. “What’s that photo for?”

The photographer sheepishly tucked his camera into its case. “W-w-well,” he stuttered nervously. “I was doing a story about the Blue Hills Diner being voted the best in town, but now we’ve got a real-life mystery!”

Flash. Flash. Flash.

“Hey! I think you’d better go, young man, and take your camera with you,” Miss Ella cried.

Everyone gawked at Miss Ella because she never lost her temper. And she definitely never threw someone out of the diner. But the recipe book was gone. She had every right to be mad about it.

She was so mad that she asked all the customers to leave, too. Everyone stood up, grabbed their coats, and shuffled out. Except for Bess and Anne, who waited for me in the booth.

Mom turned the bolt on the door and flipped the sign to CLOSED. “OK!” Mom said, clapping her hands together.

“Now we need a plan to find this book!”

I scrambled over to my friends. “We have to figure out who wanted to take that book. I think maybe I can solve the mystery,” I said.

“Well, we stayed because we figured we could help you,” Anne said.

“And I figured I might get some pie,” Bess said hopefully.

“So, who’s the prime suspect?” Anne asked.

“Aha! I thought you’d never ask!” I raised my pencil into the air and pulled out a sheet of blank paper. I started writing, and in no time I had penned a list of likely suspects.

We decided that I would try to collect clues for the next week. For days, I took notes on everything: the people who came into the diner, the orders people placed, and conversations I overheard at the counter. I was good at eavesdropping.

B

y the end of the week, Anne and Bess helped me narrow down the suspect list. I had four prime suspects.

“You have definitely been watching too many reruns of “Law on the Run” with your mom,” Anne laughed.

We went through the list suspect by suspect.

“I think Winchell did it,” I pronounced breathlessly to my friends.

“Definitely,” Anne said. “I don’t like those glasses.”

“Hey, you guys,” Bess countered. “What’s she guilty of? Eating too much pie?”

“Yeah,” I said. “If that were true, then you would be guilty.”

“She stole the book instead of waiting for a deal?” Anne suggested.

“Wait! Did she know that a recipe book like that existed?” I asked aloud. “Has she even ever been to the kitchen where we kept the book?”

“Good point,” said Bess.

“Yeah, really good point,” Anne added.

We crossed off WILMA WINCHELL. “I think the photographer was nice,” Bess said.

Anne laughed. “Yes, but he was in the kitchen taking pictures. Did he take it then?”

“I didn’t see any book in his hand,” I said, remembering earlier this week. “He was only carrying that big camera. Remember?”

“Hmm,” Anne said. “Maybe he didn’t do it.”

“Maybe he stashed the book in some secret hiding place somewhere else in the diner?” Bess said dramatically. “Maybe he hid the book in a—” “PIE!” I cried.

We all laughed. And then we crossed PHOTO GUY off the list of suspects.

The bells over the door jangled, and a busload of tourists poured in and filled up every last seat in the place. This is how it often worked in the fall season: People passed through the area for foliage Holiday 2017

39

tours or harvest festivals. They would stop in for cider doughnuts and other autumn specialities on the menu.

Gloria came over to our booth. “Girls!” she cried. “We need you. All of you, if you don’t mind.”

I rushed to put on an apron to help clear tables.

My friends grabbed aprons, too. For a moment, we forgot about the stolen book as we helped the servers, including Mom, carry plates to tables.

We wiped down the countertops. We refilled the little bowls of creamers on the tables.

I caught Bess sneaking a sliver of egg nog pie.

Miss Ella laughed when she claimed that Bess was now the official diner taste tester.

“That’s just what we need! A taste tester!”

Miss Ella said. “What would I do without all of you girls?”

“What would we do without you, Miss Ella?” we said.

After the crowd thinned out, we headed back to the booth and our list. Anne, Bess, and I weren’t sure what to do about the suspects. We’d crossed

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off two outsiders and were left with two diner employees. Was it an inside job?

Phil was the longtime cook. What would be his motive for stealing? Maybe he was planning a cookbook of his own? I thought about sweaty Phil, sneaking around, mixing ingredients found in a secret book. I decided that Phil was not a thief.

After all, Phil believed in me. He knew my abilities as a super sleuth.

Nadine took orders from her assigned spot behind the counter, but she acted strangely. When I asked her who she thought might have taken the book, she said, “I don’t know. It wasn’t me. You don’t think it was me, do you?”

In mystery stories, the suspects who protest too much are often guilty.

“Nadine has a great motive, too—maybe the best of all the people on the list,” Anne said. “She could use those recipes when she opens her own place. You said it yourself.”

“Yeah,” I said, thinking hard again. Nadine stole the book. I was sure of it. All the facts were there.

Anne, Bess, and I decided that we needed to tell Miss Ella what we had discovered. We would explain to her how we went through all the suspects like real detectives. She would be impressed.

Maybe she’d make Anne and Bess honorary employees too.

But the moment we actually got out of our seats and headed over to the table where Miss Ella was counting money and reviewing her receipts, something crazy happened.

“Wait,” I said, stopping short. “I just remembered something. Something important. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.”

“What?” Bess and Anne said at the same time.

“It’s something that Phil said. Right after the book was stolen. He said that they’d been packing deliveries for Thanksgiving. Do you think that the book got mixed up in those delivery boxes?”

“Aha!” Bess said. “That’s totally possible.”

“You are so smart, Melanie Tidswell,” Anne said.

We raced over to Miss Ella and shared everything we had done and learned during the week.

We told her how we’d come up with a genuine list of suspects and how, one by one, we eliminated most of them. And then we told her the best news of all: We figured out where the book had gone!

Miss Ella found the list of all the Thanksgiving deliveries that had been sent out on the day the book disappeared. A large order had gone to the Westbrook Senior Center. Miss Ella called over there right away.

“Thank goodness!” Miss Ella cried after she got off the phone. Sure enough, the recipe book had been packed up with all the food. It ended up at the bottom of a box inside a big freezer. It was still there, as cold as icicles.

When the good news was revealed, everyone in the Blue Hills Diner let out a cheer. The mystery was solved! The book was found!

But that wasn’t even the best part. The best part was that everyone got a huge slice of pie to celebrate. And Bess got two. s

Meet the Author

Laura Dower Age 10

Whenever I was too sick to Now go to school, my mom bought me a new Nancy Drew book. Once when I was really sick, I read three books in one day. Mysteries are the best!

Holiday 2017

41

This x That? live in a house made of chocolate-covered pretzels

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OR

fruity candy canes?

only be able to sing holiday songs

OR

break out into dance anytime someone says hello?

have it snow multicolored snowflakes

OR

skate on glow-inthe-dark ice?

meet a world-famous figure skater

OR

snowboarder?

decorate an ornament to look like a soccer ball

OR

a volleyball?

wear a hat that looks like a snowman

OR

a headband that looks like reindeer antlers?

make an ice sculpture that looks like a unicorn

OR

a dolphin?

jump into a pool of snowballs

OR

cotton balls?

decorate your locker with colorful string lights

OR

paper snowflakes?

attend a winter treats festival

OR

a twinkle light tour?

wrap a present to look like a horse

OR

a kitten?

spend the whole day dressed like a penguin

OR

an elf?

Illustrations: Flavia Conley

Would you rather . . .

work great, too.

Use tiny bits of clay to add ears, a nose, and buttons. O nce the clay is dry, use a marker to add details such as eyes and a mouth.

Step 4

indentation in the bottom of the hat. Press the hat onto the elf’s head.

Use your thumb to make an

Step 3

Make a ball of clay about the same size as the head. Roll the ball into a log; then roll one end of the log into a point.

AGM178_30 Mini Christmas.indd 32

32

a different color to make a second smaller ball for the elf’s head.

Stack the head on top of the body.

Step 2

Step 1

Roll a small piece of clay into a ball.

Use your fingers and a flat surface

the gift, and carefully press it into place.

Set the bow on top of

Step 5

Create a third clay rope and flatten it. Fold it as shown, meeting in the middle to make a bow. Use another bit of clay to cover where the ends of the bow meet.

Step 4

Make a second rope, and crisscross it over the first rope. Trim excess.

Press all sides of the cube against your work surface to flatten the ropes.

Step 3

Using a different color, roll a small piece of clay into a rope shape. Wrap the rope around the cube, trimming any excess.

Step 2

to shape the ball into a cube.

5/10/17 3:22 PM

2/16/17 2:41 PM

if their adhesive doesn’t hold or if you’re crafting with bows that have already been used.

Tip: Attach the bows with tape

Use cute bows to make a happy wreath. Start with a foam wreath form (available at craft stores).

Attach bows all over the form until it’s covered.

Wrapping Wreath

Gift Creative Countdown

For the elf’s body, roll a small piece of clay into a ball. Use

Step 1

Elf

AGM178_24 RoomDecor.indd 24

24

Tip: If you don’t have white pom-poms, cotton balls

Make it snow! First, ask an adult to help you thread a needle with a long piece of thread. Tie a knot at one end of the thread, and then tape the end to a covered work surface. String white pom-poms in different sizes onto the thread by carefully pushing the needle into each pom-pom’s center and pulling it through. Fill each strand with as many pom-poms as you’d like. Ask an adult to help you hang the strands in front of your window.

Snowfall Strands

Ask an adult to help you hang your new decor.

Make your room sparkle with Christmas spirit!

-Decor

Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour

Cut a piece of fabric or felt that is 5 inches by 3 inches. Save the scraps!

Pinch the center of the fabric rectangle, and tie a long, thin scrap around the middle to create a bow shape. Tie the bow to a purse or a headband!

BEAUTIFUL BOWS

AGM178_20 DIY Time.indd 21

AGM178_02 Countdown to Whatever.indd 3

Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour

Illustrations: Monika Roe

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2/16/17 11:56 AM

Holiday 2017

Use craft glue to attach two clips to the top of a chalkboard. Create a small banner using letter stickers to spell out “Days Until . . .” Tape the banner to the center of the board.

Use chalk to write the name of the event you’re counting down to below the banner. Make extra paper numbers 0-9 and change them each day as you count down. s

Step 4

Flip!

Step 2

Chalk It Up!

Step 3

Step 1

Create mini envelopes by following the steps below. Glue the envelopes to a picture frame, and use a whiteboard marker to write on the glass. Fill the envelopes with fun stickers or small trinkets. Open an envelope each day and enjoy.

Snail Mail

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3/7/17 10:47 AM

Holiday 2017

Cut a 10-inch piece of yarn. Tie the yarn around a foot-long wooden dowel. Repeat these steps until you’ve covered almost all the dowel with strings of yarn. Use scissors to trim the yarn in an interesting shape. Tie a piece of yarn on each end of the dowel so it's easy to hang up.

HEY, MACRAMÉ!

C

A

30

TM

AMM176337_AGM178_IBC.indd 1

We’re going to ROCK New York!

American Girl Place ller Plaza moves to Rockefe all-new in November, with experiences in store.

AGM178_30 Mini Christmas.indd 30

Find your wish-list favorites and make it the best day EVER!

Shops filled with the dolls, books, and accessories that girls love.

Fun and fancy dining for girls and moms— and dolls, of course.

Holiday events like a Santa Brunch, holiday tea, and cool crafts.*

*Events vary by location.

®

Visit americangirl.com/stores for the store nearest you.

3

2

1

holidAys

to visit American Girl stores for the :

Top 3 Reasons

3/7/17 3:08 PM

9/14/17 10:46 AM

©/TM 2017 American Girl

A DV E RT I S E M E N T

Sculpt clay ornaments for adorable DIY decor!

Mini Christmas Illustrations: Vera Brosgol

Being super happy about an amazing gift you just got? Understandable. Being rude and braggy about that gift? Not cool. You can be happy for someone who gets a good gift, but if she starts to overdo it, you don’t have to play along. This advice might be useful when you go back to school, too.

Shrug and say “Oh, well.” Then change the subject or go find something else to do or someone else to talk to.

Thaw

Your cousin Ava got a smartphone as a gift. She keeps taking it out to look at it and has already showed it to you four times. When she asks to friend you on her favorite social site and you tell her that you don’t have a smartphone, she says, “Ohhh, too bad!” in a kind of mean (actually, a very mean) way.

Freeze

Relax your jaw. Take a bite or a drink of something, yawn, or move your chin back and forth. This will help you relax and buy you some time to answer. (Bonus: It might help you avoid tears if something has made you feel like crying!)

Shake it off. Moving your arms and legs will help ease tension.

from

AGM178_FC_Sub.indd 2

Your

5/1/17 7:31 AM

Special Issue

FUN FOR GIRLS

5

Awesome Quizzes

Recipes

Delicious

Cookie

®

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Holiday 2017

Say “Excuse me for a minute,” and leave the situation. If you need some time to regroup, that’s not just normal—it’s A-OK. s

Still Frozen?

3.

2.

Breathe. Deep breaths tell your brain not to be stressed, so it will be easier to think.

1.

Some situations can be really hard. Keep these tips in mind when you feel yourself freezing up:

Thaw Tips

abulo

to Make and Give

Neat Gifts

AGM178_10 Knowing What to Say.indd 11

Chances are, your dad is not mad at you at all—it could be that he’s super stressed because of the party. That doesn’t make snapping at you OK, but it’s easier to not get upset by someone’s actions when you know it’s probably not about you.

Sometimes timing is everything with parents, and your question might get a better reaction at a different time. Ask again later, when the party is over or when you’re not interrupting your dad.

Stay calm and say, “Oops, sorry to have bothered you with that right now. What can I do to help?”

Thaw

You’ve just come into the kitchen to ask if you and your friend Jasmine can have a sleepover tomorrow night. Your dad is getting ready for a family gathering that day, and he snaps at you. In fact, he’s practically yelling, like you just did something really bad.

Freeze

Mini Mag

With the Mini Mag, you can make a miniature copy of American Girl for your doll or stuffed animal. All you need are scissors and a stapler. Read the directions all the way through before you begin.

1. Cut out each pair of pages only on the dotted lines. Be sure to cut around the tabs marked with the letters A, B, C, and D.

top of one another in the order shown below, with the letters on the tabs facing up.

2. Stack the pages on

Continued

☛

Holiday 2017

43

D

B

20

DIY Time!

Create these gifts for under $10.

3/7/17 10:47 AM

Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour Photography: Chris Hynes Styling: Melissa Seymour

PAINTED POTS Cover your work space. Coat a flowerpot in nontoxic, kid-friendly paint, and let dry. Dip a pencil eraser in a darker paint color and press it against the pot to add polka dots. Let dry. Add dirt and a houseplant, and your gift is good to go!

AGM178_20 DIY Time.indd 20

Creative Countdown Looking forward to a holiday, vacation, or special event? Keep track of how many days you have left with one of these crafts!

Roll-y Cute Collect the same number of paper rolls as the number of days until your event.

Trace the circular end of a paper roll on a piece of colored paper. Cut out twice as many circles as you have rolls.

Tape one circle to each roll.

Lovely Letters Are you all about the holidays? Dress up your name in festive paper! Choose cardboard letters to spell your name. Use wrapping paper and tape to wrap up each letter.

Festive Flakes Your space will glitter with these sparkling snowflakes! Cover your work surface, and arrange craft sticks into snowflake shapes. Use craft glue to attach the sticks in the shape. Let dry overnight. Paint the snowflakes with nontoxic glitter craft paint. Let dry.

25

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Holiday 2017

wide ribbon to make a pretty wall hanging. s

Tip: Glue a few snowflakes to a

ropes into a candy cane shape.

Bend the twisted

Step 3

ropes side-by-side and gently twist them together.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Cut a 5-inch piece of string or baker’s twine.

Thread the string through the hole, and tie the ends together.

Now you’re ready to decorate! s

Take a small metal screw eye (available at craft stores) and gently twist the screw into the top of your ornament.

Let the clay ornaments dry completely (at least overnight).

To hang the ornaments:

Press the two clay

Step 2

to cut the paper to fit—just wrap over the hole! And if you have a curvy letter, such as an S, it will be easier if you cut the paper into smaller scraps before wrapping.

Tip: For letters that have holes in them, such as A or R, don’t try

Use aG’s Peace Garland to decorate a shelf!

Tinsel Tree Use your favorite colors to make your own mini Christmas tree.

Attach a few strips of double-stick tape to a cardboard cone (available at craft stores). Starting at the top, wrap a string of tinsel garland around the cone, sticking it to the tape. Tuck any extra garland inside the cone, or trim it to fit.

Tip: Use a feather boa instead of tinsel for a softer look.

AGM178_24 RoomDecor.indd 25

Candy Cane Step 1

Roll a small piece of white clay into a rope. Roll a second rope using red clay.

Snowman Step 1

Roll a small piece of clay into a ball.

Make a second ball that’s smaller than the first. Stack the smaller ball on top of the larger one.

Step 2

Use a tiny piece of orange clay for a carrot nose. Roll the clay into a tiny log, pinching one end into a point. Press the flat end into the snowman’s face.

Step 3

Make eyes from black clay and buttons from purple clay.

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Holiday 2017

22

MORE MUGS! Fill a cute mug with hot cocoa supplies. Add a heartfelt tag that includes the ingredients within.

FILL YOUR MUG WITH: G Cocoa mix G Candy canes G A bag of mini marshmallows G Cinnamon sticks G A small bag of sprinkles G Mini whisk G Chocolate chips

Freeze

Uncle Joe has just asked you if you have a boyfriend. Again. He asks this question every single time you see him.

Thaw

Look Uncle Joe in the eye and say, “I’m too young to talk about boys, Uncle Joe. How about I tell you about my soccer team?”

Or “I’d rather talk about my new puppy.”

Or whatever you think is more interesting.

Lots of adults ask this question. Usually it’s because they have no idea what else to ask about, or else they think they’re being funny. (Soo not funny.) You’ll probably hear it sooner or later, so it’s best to be prepared. If you don’t want to talk about it, adults need to get that message. So be firm, and change the subject. Get a parent’s help with this problem if needed—especially if Uncle Joe won’t drop it.

Freeze

CREATIVE COASTERS Print a favorite photo on paper, and cut it into a 4-inch square.

Spread a thin layer of decoupage glue on a 4-inch white tile (found at your local home improvement store). Press the photo to the tile, and let dry. Spread another coat of decoupage glue over the photo, and let dry. Repeat this step five times, letting the coaster dry between layers. The more coats of decoupage glue you use, the more waterproof your coasters will be! Use craft glue to attach felt to the bottom of each tile.

You are at your grandma’s house and have just unwrapped her gift. Inside the box, you find a giraffe sweatshirt and a giraffe bookmark and some orange giraffe knee socks. Trouble is, you stopped liking giraffes two years ago.

Thaw

Look Grandma in the eye, smile for real, and say, “You remembered I like giraffes!

Thank you!”

Grandma did remember, and that was thoughtful—it’s just that her information is out of date. In the coming year, be sure to tell her all about the things you like now so that she’ll know for next time. And always, always say a genuine “thank you” for a gift, no matter what it is.

Freeze

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Little kids are naturally curious and usually don’t mean any harm. Next time, ask a parent to help keep little ones away from your room. You can also cousin-proof your room by putting away valuable items (stash them on high closet shelves) and checking on your room every so often to make sure all is well.

Take a deep breath and say, “C’mon, Elliott. Let’s go back to the family room.”

Then take him with you and go find a parent—Elliott’s or yours. Explain (as calmly as you can) what happened, and ask for help cleaning up the mess.

Thaw

You walk into your room to find that your little cousin Elliott has gotten into EVERYTHING. Your stuffed animals are scattered, your pencil cup is tipped over, and Elliott is using your science report as a coloring book.

Ever have an awkward moment at a family gathering when you had no idea what to say? Here’s how to thaw out after you freeze up.

AGM178_20 DIY Time.indd 22

10

AGM178_10 Knowing What to Say.indd 10

TRAVEL JOURNAL

Step 2

BRIGHT BAG

clay, and press the tree on top of it.

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Holiday 2017

Decorate a canvas bag with nontoxic, kid-friendly paint. Lay the bag flat on a covered work space. Use a sponge or stencil to create fun shapes using paint. Let dry overnight.

Step 3

Make tiny balls in different colors for the ornaments.

Press them into the tree.

Step 4

Make a tree stand.

Roll a small ball of

Step 4

Use black clay to make a small flat rectangle. Press the rectangle onto the bird’s face.

of the bird’s body.

Step 5

stretch and bend one end to make the cardinal’s crest.

Step 2

Step 3

Make a tiny orange triangle for the beak, and press it into place.

Stack a tiny ball of black clay on top of a ball of white clay for each eye.

Press the eyes into place.

two small flattened football shapes.

Press the shapes against the sides

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Holiday 2017

For wings, use red clay to make

Take one of the halves and slightly

Roll the clay into a log shape.

Then roll one end of the log to a point. Press the bottom of the cone shape against your work surface to flatten it.

Make a 1-inch ball of clay.

Step 1

Tree

Glue a map (or map paper) to a journal, and let dry. Use decoupage glue to seal, and let dry. Use stickers to spell out your friend's name on the cover of the journal.

AGM178_20 DIY Time.indd 23

Getting Started

•Cover your work surface with wax paper.

•Use nontoxic air-dry clay.

•Create new clay colors and shades by blending different colors together. For example, we used blue, green, and white clay to make the tree ornament.

Work the clay in your hands until the colors have completely blended.

Cardinal Step 1

Make a 1-inch ball of red clay. Use scissors to cut the ball in half. Each half can be used to make one cardinal.

AGM178_30 Mini Christmas.indd 31

Photos: Chris Hynes Photography Styling: Andrea Debbink

Illustrations: Galia Bernstein AGM178_30 Mini Christmas.indd 33

44 americangirlmagazine.com

Fill the paper rolls with fun trinkets.

Then tape another circle on the open end of each roll to close it. Use double-stick tape to bundle rolls together and secure with a bow.

Carefully poke the circles each day to get your prize and count down to your exciting event!

2/16/17 11:56 AM

Staple along the center line. Cut off the tabs, and you’re done!

4. Open the folded stack.

2

3. Fold the stack of pages

in half along the solid line in the center. The cover of the magazine should now be on top.

Run your fingernail down the folded edge to help the pages lie flat.

AGM178_02 Countdown to Whatever.indd 2

Mini Mag

✁ Posters

Copyright © 2017 American Girl. All rights reserved. All American Girl marks are trademarks of American Girl.

! e m o c Wel

Carefully cut along the dotted lines to remove your posters. s

Photo: © iStock.com/AndreAnita

Photo: Š iStock.com/Knape

Copyright Š 2017 American Girl. All rights reserved. All American Girl marks are trademarks of American Girl.

Copyright Š 2017 American Girl. All rights reserved. All American Girl marks are trademarks of American Girl.

take the plunge!

Photo: Š iStock.com/vladsilver

It’s the most wonderful tIme of the year.

Copyright © 2017 American Girl. All rights reserved. All American Girl marks are trademarks of American Girl.

Photo: © iStock.com/AleksandarNakic

BEHIND <Scenes Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happened during our Holly Jolly Cookies photo shoot!

Lifestyle editor Andrea made sure everything on set was just right.

Andrea put the cookies in cute wax paper!

Photographer Chris made sure the lighting looked great!

So many cookies!

Art director Gretchen worked on hand lettering the background.

Holiday 2017

49

A DV E RT I S E M E N T

Top 3 Reasons to visit American Girl stores for the :

holidAys

1 CK We’re going to RO ! rk New Yo American Girl Place er Plaza moves to Rockefell all-new th wi r, be m in Nove re. experiences in sto TM

2 3

Holiday events like a Santa Brunch, holiday tea, and cool crafts.* Fun and fancy dining for girls and moms— and dolls, of course.

Shops filled with the dolls, books, and accessories that girls love.

Find your wish-list favorites and make it the best day EVER!

Visit americangirl.com/stores for the store nearest you.

*Events vary by location.

®

©/TM 2017 American Girl