“People have a spirit inside them that makes them want to make something happy,” said Anna Marie Newman. “That’s what’s special about critters,” reports 6abcnews.

Newman is a 31-year volunteer at the critter workshop at the Brandywine River Museum.

She noted the critter craze carries on this year, even though this year’s traditions were altered due to the pandemic.

The 130 volunteers spend many months creating critter crafts in their own homes. The whimsical objects are all-natural, put together with pinecones, leaves and seeds.

“We’ve been in the business of preserving art and the environment for over 50 years,” said Donna Gormel, director of Volunteers and Events. “The money we raise benefits the museum volunteers’ purchase fund and art education and programming.”

This year saw 7,604 orders,  from dancing bears to flying pigs.

“Every year, we add a couple new ones to the tree,” said Dave Rudolph, who is carrying on a 15-year-long tradition to his young children.

The museum has the critters for sale during normal hours as well as online.

 “If there’s something in one of these critters that hits the right chord, it makes you smile,” said Newman.

Find out more at 6abcnews.