A wonderful contribution from ChallahCrumbs:


Too cold to plant a tree outside? This tree can be the centerpiece at your Tu B’Shvat party. Most materials can be found at your local craft shop (and, of course, a quick stop at your local candy store!)

Materials:

• 1 foam ball (I used foam balls that were 2 ½ inches in diameter) for the “tree”
• 1 terra cotta planter — size of your choice
• 1/2 foam ball as the “filler” or holder for the tree
• A popsicle stick and green tape for the stem
• toothpicks or the smallest size package of dowels you can find.
• gumdrops for the berries
• candy to fill the potted “plant” (I used caramel jelly beans. You can use chocolate chips, rock candy pretty much anything else. Be creative!)

Directions:

1. If your tree is small like mine (2 ½ inch in diameter foam balls), you may want to break toe dowels or toothpicks in half. For the larger size foam ball you can use the whole toothpick/dowel.
2. Stick the dowels into the foam ball. Push gumdrop on to protruding end. Repeat until the foam ball is mostly covered.
3. When you are 2/3rds done, cover the popsicle stick with the green tape and insert it into the bottom of the ball. I used a sharp knife to create a slit so it was easier to insert the ball.
Finish covering the ball with “berries”.

4. Take one foam ball and slice it in half. Place into the terra cotta planter flat side up. Push “tree” into the planter. (Again, I used a knife to make a slit so it would go in easier.)
Cover the bottom with jelly beans, chocolate chips, etc.

Enjoy!

Note: this is a very top heavy project, so put it somewhere it won’t get jingled too much. . Repeat with all the colors you wish to use.