Enjoy a break from the hectic holiday shopping season and create some do-it-yourself gifts of your own. With a cocktail in hand, learn how to make meaningful gifts for your friends and family—and yourself—with guidance from experienced instructors of The Smithsonian Associates’ Studio Arts program.
See demonstrations by nationally and internationally known artists, then try your hand at a range of projects. Blend stamping, calligraphy, and collage to make a unique holiday card; fold an origami ornament to give as a gift or hang on your own tree; and decorate festive cookies with sweet treats.
Whether you’re an experienced DIY-er, or are looking for a way to add a personal touch to your holiday gifts, this is the perfect evening to mingle and be creative. Instructors will be on hand to provide answers and encouragement.
You may also find inspiration in holidays past. During the evening, Daniel Gifford, a Smithsonian program manager, takes a look at seasonal displays and decorations from a century ago through the medium of holiday postcards. Gifford, the author of American Holiday Postcards, 1905-1915: Imagery and Context, finds that these charming, humorous artifacts from long-ago Halloweens and Christmases also reveal much about America during a period when it was undergoing significant social and cultural changes.
Pricing
Members $25 in advance / $30 at door
General Admission $45 in advance / $50 at door
One drink ticket for a specialty cocktail or nonalcoholic beverage and light hors d’oeuvres is included with admission; a cash bar offers a specialty cocktail, wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages; must be 21 years old with valid ID; not a seated event.
