TP your Christmas, and Roll into Reusing!

Hey all it has been a while since my last post and I want to apologize looks like the Holidays caught up with me.
I have been working on the article on indoor air quality and I will be posting that in early 2010.
I wanted to take advantage of the Holidays being here to post some things that are reliant to this time of year!

This post is dedicated to my nearly five year old daughter Addy. She is obsessed with the cardboard tube in the middle of the toilet paper roll. She will remove them from the dispenser and add them to a collection she has in a gift bag in her room, she does all sorts of things with them from making "Lincoln Logs" and building things to making puppets. When I say she is obsessed I mean it, she will take them from other peoples homes- she says, "Are you going to recycle this?" The usual answer is no- as most people don't even think about them being recycled they just toss them into the trash - where Addy rescues them! So in the interest of not having all of my in laws and neighbors now bringing my daughter TP rolls I am sharing some of her better ideas of what we can do to repurpose the TP roll! below are the ideas with instructions for doing things , crafts and practical ideas with Toilet Paper rolls.
This time of year she had some really amazing Christmas ideas!!

The Advent "Candle" wreath:
4 TP Rolls
1 side of a large cereal box
adhesive

We started by covering 4 rolls with the corresponding colors of the Advent(you can color with markers or glue construction paper around the tube). One Pink , One white and two purple. Addy traced a large circle on a cereal box and then a smaller one inside that one. We cut it out and that made the wreath shape, to make the wreath look green and full we shredded green scrape paper and attached it. Then we took each of the candles and placed them in the space appropriate, for the Sunday.

Nativity Scene
You need at least 3 tubes for this one but if you plan on making it more elaborate then save more.Mary Joesph and baby Jesus are the main attention so start buy making them. You want to clothe and swaddle your characters. You can use paper (reclaimed or construction or felt) Make the faces, and if you fill they won't stand up well with help you can secure the bottoms to a cereal box you have cut a base out of. You are essentially making puppets.(* You can also use the remaining box to make the stable- or if you have enough TP rolls make a "log" stable)

Christmas Light and Extension cord storage:
fold lights or extension cords end over end and push through the center of the tube the tube keeps the cords wound tightly and secure until you take it out to use it- NO MORE BALLS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!
Candy or small gift containers
Roll the tubes in enough wrapping paper to go all the way around and extend about an inch at either end.Adhere the paper to the tube then twist and tie one end securely with pretty ribbon or twine. Fill with goodies and then twist and tie the other end.
This is a great way to wrap stocking stuffer or an inexpensive holiday party favor idea!!!
(greener version - use those odd pieces of paper scraps from wrapping or use newspaper, at our house we stamp news paper with holiday themed stamps and soy ink)
Stay tuned for more Greening your Christmas, Holiday ideas and as always if you try any of these ideas please post pic or comments letting me know what you thought. I would love some feed back too- what do you reuse your TP rolls for?