As you read through these ideas, you can think of them two different ways:
- a surprise activity for a loved one or a gathering
- a weekly or seasonally tradition
1. S’mores Wonderland
Oh why restrict yourself to the traditional s’more? Make a s’more buffet or tray!
Here are some ideas to add to the traditional recipe:
- peanut butter cups
- carmello bars (cut into squares)
- crunch bars (cut into squares)
- Mr. Goodbars
- dark chocolate
- M&Ms
- sliced strawberries, bananas, apples
- peeps
- Nutella
- chocolate graham crackers
- cinnamon sprinkled graham crackers
- gingersnaps
- chocolate chip cookies (chewy or crunchy, you can’t go wrong)
- ice cream toppings that could be spread on the cracker during construction (think strawberry and carmel!)
2. Color Changing Pine Cones
Super Easy to make or buy from the store!
These cost anywhere from $20-$40 for a basket of various types or you can collect your own and use the instructions we have here to make them yourself.
We have the instructions for you here.
3. Pop Popcorn
How great for a romantic movie in front of the fireplace!
Stores like plow and hearth sell popcorn roasters for your fireplace, or you could use jiffy pop, but make SURE that you use fireplace gloves or heavy baking mitts when removing the popcorn. You can also make your own jiffy pop style popper from a tin pie plate, tin foil, and a wire hanger.
4. Summer Doesn’t Have to Mean its Over
In the summer, unless it’s a cold and blustery day, you probably aren’t going to light a fire, but you might want to still have that “feel.” Make your own candle arrangement for fireplaces on a tin tray, using various sizes candles. They look great lit or unlit!
Want an even more realistic experience? Make one or two of those candles Woodwicks. There is a selection available here of wooden wick candles. These make popping noises just like a fire, without the heat. One or two mixed in with some less expensive candles make for a perfect experience.
Some online stores sell candelabrums that fit inside a fireplace as well.
5. Footprints!
You’ve seen those “Santa Keys” in the store, but if you have a fireplace, why not leave a little “evidence” that Santa has visited? There is a nifty template that you can use here to make a stencil of a santa footprint, or you can design your own. Simply make the stencil, then lay it on the floor and sprinkle a mixture of baking soda with a little glitter in it over it gently. You can even lightly spritz it with a peppermint room deodorizer for an extra kick. You can also trace around a shoe and then just sprinkle the mixture lightly over it, as shown in the picture.
6. Cowboy Night
Cowboy night is something that is guaranteed to be a cherished memory. This is one of those times that you have the opportunity to teach too, if you so choose, by talking about pioneer life and so forth.
Or, you can just take turns telling stories to each other. The point is, this is a moment to unplug and focus on the family.
For cowboy night, it’s as simple as making campfire food in foil packets, similar to a campfire. I put some links below. The 9 recipes range from hamburger packets to desserts. Allrecipes, of course, has all sorts of things.
9 Delicious Manly Recipes for the Fire
Campfire Recipes at Allrecipes
Old West Cookin’ (There are some Native American Recipes here too)
Alternatively, you could use those iron hobo pie makers.
If cowboys aren’t your thing, get creative! You could do Viking adventures or whatever your heart desire.
Just remember, these will be hot,hot,hot! just like out of the over, so adult supervision for this is necessary.
