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Too cold to plant a tree outside? This tree can be the centerpiece at your Tu BiShvat party. Most materials can be found at your local craft shop (and, of course, a quick stop at your local candy store!)
Materials
- 1 foam ball for the tree (a 2 ½ inch diameter makes a small tree)
- 1 terra cotta planter (size of your choice)
- 1/2 foam ball (to fill the planter and hold up the tree)
- A popsicle stick and green tape for the stem
- Toothpicks or the smallest size package of dowels you can find
- Gumdrops (for the berries)
- Candy to fill the planter (e.g., caramel jelly beans, chocolate chips, rock candy. Be creative!)
Directions
- If your tree is small like the one pictured (2 ½ inch in diameter foam balls), you may want to break the dowels or toothpicks in half. For a larger size foam ball you can use the whole toothpick/dowel.
- Stick the dowels into the foam ball. Push a gumdrop on to the protruding end. Repeat until the foam ball is mostly covered.
- When you are two-thirds done, cover the popsicle stick with the green tape and insert it into the bottom of the ball. You can use a sharp knife to create a slit to make it easier to insert the ball. Finish covering the ball with gumdrop "berries."
- Take one foam ball and slice it in half. Place into the terra cotta planter flat side up. Push "tree" into the planter. (Again, use a knife to make a slit so it will go in easier.) Fill the bottom with candy.
Note: This is a very top heavy project, so put it somewhere it won't get jiggled too much.