Christmas Question

I've been feeling a little homesick the last week. Instead of watching television shows dubbed in French, I've switched them to thre original English. I've stopped trying to struggle through French plays and have gone back to my English books. I've even gravitated towards socializing with the other English speakers, rather than feeling terribly guilty whenever I speak English outside of class. There's not much to complain about, because certainly the Christmas season in France is lovely; vendors set up long rows of little fake wooden huts and sell handmade goods, spiced wine, and churros; images like bells and snowflakes are outlined in Christmas lights and hung up between light posts; suddenly the shelves in grocery stores are stuffed with more types and brands of fois gras than I ever imagined existed...It's pretty amazing.

They play Christmas music in the stores, but not as loudly or as obnoxiously as in America. It's also, you know, in French. They don't really do the carolling thing. They don't send Christmas cards. They don't make Christmas cookies or do much by way of Christmas desserts...which as you all know, is a huge blow to me. I made some sand tarts for one of my English classes (you know, the sugar cookies with all the decorations on them), and I was shocked to find out most of the kids had never made cookies before in their life. I actually had to tell them it was okay to mix up the different types of sprinkles when they were decorating.
'Ce n'est pas grave?' They looked at me in confusion.
'Uh...No...you can decorate them however you want.'

Apparently the mistletoe tradition does in fact exist, though Don Julio had never heard of it. ('Since when did we do that?' he asked his friend. 'Um...since always!' she rolled her eyes at him) No one knows about egg nog, though Don Julio thinks I should try and make it for his sister's Christmas Eve get-together.
'I'm not sure it's really something French people would like...' I said warily.
'Don't worry,' he grinned 'my sister and her boyfriend love to drink. They'll adore it. No problem.'

He also called his sister to see if I could bake cookies with his niece, and - after watching me create a mound of paper snowflakes on his coffee table- even agreed to let me decorate his apartment with my junky handmade crap. I haven't done anything yet...which leads me to my question: Do any of you know how to make fun Christmas decorations out of paper or easy to find items? I might need it to stave off the Christmas blues.

I find it a little funny to feel this way. I get to spend Christmas with Don Julio's family in true French style, and how many people have a chance to do that? Thank goodness for all the kind people around me. I sound like a giant ball of cheese, saying that, but I'm grateful. I've been really lucky.