Real snowflakes are hard to come by in the greater-Phoenix area, but your family can still enjoy a rousing snowball fight using recycled-paper snowballs! Then get toasty with a cup of hot cocoa and a tortilla snowflake treat.

Recycled paper snowballs

Crinkle paper into tight balls. Use up leftover wrapping paper with the white, backside facing out, or roll and tuck a bunch of socks into spheres. Set a few ground rules and then let those snowballs fly!

Tortilla snowflakes

• fresh flour tortillas
• butter
• powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar
• clean scissors (or chomping teeth!)
• griddle

Fold the tortilla in half and then in half again. Cut out shapes from the sides of the folded tortilla just as you would cut folded paper to make a snowflake. Little ones who want to help can skip the scissors and have them take bites out of the edges to create a similar effect. Carefully unfold the tortilla. Dab with a small amount of melted butter then heat on a griddle until it begins to brown. Sprinkle the tortilla with powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar and serve warm.

Southwest cocoa

Add a pinch of cinnamon and chili powder to your favorite hot chocolate recipe or mix. (It may sound a little strange, but the pairing is delicious!) Don’t forget to add some marshmallows.

Monthly “Real Crafts” are created just for RAK by Bettijo B. Hirschi & Aimée Lowry, the Arizona moms behind family-style blog Paging Supermom.

◀ Oral care during pregnancy || DANIEL B. KESSLER, M.D.: Respecting individual differences ▶