Here are the tips I have for making your own Christmas "China" tradition. I encourage you to try it!
If you are local to Nashville, I recommend Third Coast Clay in the Franklin Factory. There is plenty of room and their staff won't try to over-direct you or freak you out about oils from your hands ruining the entire thing. When you get what you need from your kiddo, someone else (bring reinforcement) can walk/run around the factory. Santa is usually walking around greeting people and there's Five Daughter's Bakery next door. I like to call it "If and Then Parenting", but it's bribery in this case. We all do aree beest work when donuts are at the end.
Limit your palette. You really don't need a ton of colors. Consider a majority cool colors (greens, blues & purples) with a splash of warm (reds/pinks, oranges & yellows/ochre) or vice versa. If you seperate your palettes like this, it won't really matter if the colors get mixed up in that tiny dish.
First layer should be lighter colors. If you start dark, you'll never see the lighter, more tranlucent colors. So, let the kid be them with the lighter coolor first. Then, go in last with a darker or contrasting color handprint at the end.
Bring a ton of weet wipes. I literally wear a puffy jacket that's wipeable, because I end up having glaze all over me. Then, I just wipe them and myseld down.
They have puffy paint type bottles of glaze at the front desk for detail work and writing. I usually do all after I have handed the wild ones off.
Use the black pencil to write anything you want to remember about the year on the back. I started writing what they asked Santa for that year on the back. Who cares if it's pretty!!
Don't overwork it!! In my opinion, I like white space. If there's too much, I go in with clusters of little dots to break it up. Similar to holly berries.
What are some of your DIY Holiday traditions?