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| The original Holiday Onion: December 2020 |
I created my first Holiday Onion in the beginning of the Covid pandemic, and it charmed my heart enough that I have decorated an onion every year since. (You can find my original Holiday Onion post here.) This year I decided to spread the joy by distributing Holiday Onion Kits. Most folks got a flat mailer, complete with instructions and decorations, and had to supply their own onion. A few recipients who live close enough to allow an easy hand-off got the full kit complete with onion.
"Maybe the best package I have ever received." - Cici, age 13
The feedback has been enthusiastic and included requests to copy the materials and use the idea. I have always believed ideas are free, so I've decided to make it easier for Holiday Onion enthusiasts and post the how-to with links to PDFs of all graphics and copy. Enjoy!
Materials:
• Paper lunch bags
• Tissue paper for wrapping onion
• Decorations (Google "decorative paper fasteners" on Amazon for a range of options)
• Onions (Either make a complete kit and include onion, or mail kit and have recipient supply the onion)
The Gift Bag
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| Front of Bag (click to enlarge) |
For printable PDF for front of bag, click here.
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| Back of Bag (click to enlarge) |
For back of bag printable PDF click here.
The Ornaments
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| Ornament Packet |
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| Ornament packet unwrapped reveals instructions |
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| The ornaments |
For a printable PDF of the ornament wrapper, click here.
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| click to enlarge |
The ornaments are decorative paper fasteners. I just happened to have a bunch in my overflowing maker stash when Covid hit. I have discovered since that if you google "decorative paper fasteners" on Amazon you will have a variety of options to choose from. As shown here, you'll need about 13 - 15 ornaments per packet, depending on size of ornaments.
Mailing the Holiday Onion
Since it would be downright stupid (barring exceptional circumstances) to mail an onion, for mail recipients I created a mailing packet, sans onion, that slides into a mailing envelope. The recipients then supply the onion at their end. To help them comprehend what is going on, I have created an added "What the Hell is This?" sheet.
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| The mail version |
For a printable PDF of the "What the Hell" insert, click here.
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| click to enlarge |
The End Goal
My dream is that, a century or two from now, people across the nation and the world will be decorating holiday onions each year without an entirely clear understanding as to why. The might have some vague idea that the tradition grew out of the great Covid pandemic of 2020-21, and that it has something to do with making do, being grateful, and the healing nature of tears.
To this end, encourage your recipients to save their onion ornaments each year. I keep mine inside of an old caviar jar.
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| Ornament storage |
