95 Unique Homemade Christmas Ornaments to Easily Make for the Holidays
Personalize your tree with these creative wood, fabric and clay ideas.
Get into the holiday spirit by hosting a fun-filled day of Christmas crafting! Making holiday-themed DIYs are a creative way to save money on decorations, especially if you can't find the unique and personalized ornaments you seek for your tree (be it real, artificial or "snow-covered"). That's why these homemade Christmas ornaments are perfect for the holiday season.
These easy ornaments are made from various materials, including stamped clay, stained glass, fabric, felt and paper. Some of the coolest options in our roundup are candy-inspired peppermint stripe ornaments, fluffy Santa ornaments and holly cornucopia ornaments. There are even food-themed creations made of butter cookies, cinnamon sticks and gingerbread men, along with more unconventional accessories like miniature emojis, donuts and mini art easels. Plus, vintage decor lovers will appreciate the old-fashioned picks, including giant finial ornaments and the Shiny Brites (this time made of paper). So gather your family, friends and even neighbors to help bring these festive ornaments to life.
Mini Canvas Ornaments
Kids will love DIYing these adorable mini canvas ornaments and tapping into their inner artist. Use acrylic craft paint and paint pens to decorate mini canvases. Make sure your canvas is dry before moving on to the final step — attaching the ribbon to the back with glue.
Pinecone Swan Ornaments
These mini swans are the cutest Christmas tree accessories.
- To make, paint a mini pinecone white and let it dry completely.
- Roll the end of a white pipe cleaner around itself to make a little head for your swan.
- Cut the pipe cleaner about 1” below the head you made and attach it to one end of the pinecone with a dot of hot glue. This will create your swan's neck and head.
- Cut a small triangle out of gold craft paper and attach it to the side of the pipe cleaner head to make your beak.
- Cut two small wing shapes out of felt and hot glue them onto the side of the pinecone to make your wings.
- Add a looped piece of string to the swan to create an ornament for hanging!
Toy Drum Ornaments
These mini toy drums are trash-to-treasure ornaments made of toilet paper, craft paper, ribbon and washi tape.
How to Make:
- Cut down a toilet paper roll with scissors to about 1.5”- 2” tall.
- Paint the outside of the roll with acrylic paint and let it completely dry.
- Cut two circles the size of the opening out of the roll.
- Attach craft paper using a thin line of hot glue to secure.
- Add your preferred details to the side of the drum and make a crisscross pattern with washi tape or ribbon. Attach them with a thin line of hot glue if needed.
- Attach a strip of washi tape, ribbon or craft paper onto the top and bottom of the ‘drum’ to create a clean, straight line.
- Create a loop for hanging out of ribbon and attach it to the drum using a dot of hot glue.
Pinecone Flower Ornaments
Use sturdy floral clippers to make these flower-shaped pinecone ornaments. Start by cutting off the bottom half of a pinecone (it’s easiest to make a few cuts and twist until the pinecone breaks). Hot glue the bottom of the pinecone to a round wooden disk. Once dry, glue a ribbon loop on the back of the wooden disk to hang.
Animal Face Ornaments
Easily add the faces of your pets and family members to these DIY ornaments using pipe cleaners and string. Start by wrapping a pipe cleaner around the ornament (use hot glue if needed). Cut small bits of pipe cleaner and twist them around the one already wrapped around the ornament to create a tail and legs. Use a small dot of hot glue to attach your family member's or pet's printed face to the top. Then, add a string for hanging using hot glue.
Wrapped Candy Ornaments
This is a great way to repurpose mismatched ornaments! Cut a square of parchment paper. Place a round ornament in the center and wrap the paper around the ornament like candy, twisting the paper to secure it. Add decorative bows to either end and hang.
Upcycled Wallpaper Ornaments
These baubles may look like glass ball ornaments, but they're actually made of paper. To make, cut wallpaper into nine .5” x 10” strips. Poke three holes into each strip (middle, top and bottom). Thread a wooden bead onto a 10” piece of floral wire and wrap the wire around itself to secure it. Add paper strips onto the wire through the center hole. Thread each end of the bottom strip onto the wire. Move clockwise, repeating with each strip until all of the ends are on the wire. Add on another wooden bead, make a loop of wire and wrap it around itself to secure it. When done, tie a ribbon on top to hang.
Starburst Ornaments
These starburst ornaments can double as tree toppers.
- To make, paint the inside and outside of the toilet paper rolls with contrasting paint colors and let them dry completely.
- Measure 2” down the roll and mark all the way around before flipping the roll over.
- Measure 2” down and mark all the way around so you have a ½ wide inch gap marked in the middle of the roll.
- Starting on one end, cut eight evenly spaced lines, stopping at the 2” mark you made.
- Flip the tube around and repeat step three on the other side.
- Fold down the cuts you made on one side and cut the rectangles into points with scissors.
- Repeat step 5 on the other side.
- Finish the star off by flattening the folds to ensure they stay in place.
- Add a ribbon or hang the ornament onto the tree through the opening!
Window Craft Stick Ornaments
Little ones can help paint and decorate these fun craft stick ornaments. You'll need five craft sticks per ornament to make the window frames, along with glitter, faux snow and ribbon to give them that holiday flair.
Giant Finial Ornaments
Lovers of more old-fashioned ornaments will enjoy making these colorful finial versions. They're made with wooden dowels and candlesticks.
Cinnamon Stick Ornament
This ornament looks great and smells divine, too! Use a hot glue gun to stick the button on top, before tying green ribbons around the stick.
Felt Dog Ornaments
Gift your dog their very own ornaments to hang on the tree. These adorable accessories are made of felt, with pieces attached using tacky glue.
Shadow Box Ornaments
Create a miniature snowy scene with toilet paper rolls. Use scissors to cut out a framed "window," then paint the inside of the roll dark blue and the outside white. Finally, stick holiday graphics — trees, reindeer or snowmen — to the roll.
Twisted Paper Ornaments
This ornament is made of twisted paper! It's the perfect craft for those aged 12 and up. Plus, it took blogger Amanda less than an hour to make.
Ugly Sweater Ornaments
Wearing ugly sweaters is a holiday tradition! Replicate the fun with these adorable ornaments, complete with mini wire hangers. Make your own using felt, craft wire and embroidery floss.
Emoji Ornaments
These ornaments are far from the traditional picks, but they're just as cool and fun (maybe even more!). Spray paint white ceramic ornaments yellow. Then, draw all of the silliest emoji faces you can think of using paint pens.
Fringe Ornaments
Here's an easy holiday upgrade: Dress up old ornaments that have seen better days with textured fringe ribbons. Hot glue ribbon (½” to 1” wide) to a glass ornament, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Continue to glue rings of the ribbon about ½” above the previous ring so that the ribbon overlaps. Trim the end of the tinsel fringe to perfect the shape. Tip: Paint your ornament the color of your ribbon beforehand in case you miss any surface space.
Marbled Nail Polish Tree Ornaments
For this project, you'll need wooden miniature trees and various shades of green nail polish, as well as mini screw eyes and ribbon to create the loop topper at the end. Fill a cup with cold water and drizzle in two different nail polishes. Dip your wooden tree into the mixture and turn it upside down over a towel until it stops dripping. Then, you can let it dry upright.
3-D Paper Ornaments
Make colored cardstock multi-dimensional and super chic. To create this ornament, cut out five strips of paper: two 1.25" x 10", two 1.25" x 7" and one 1.25" x 5". Then punch a hole 1/4" from the top and bottom of each strip. Stack the papers together with the smallest in the middle sandwiched by the medium strips, followed by the largest strips. Line up all of the strips on one end and thread a piece of string or wire through the holes and tie it off. Repeat this step on the other end of the strips, which you can then fan out. Add tassels or beads to the bottom of the ornament for extra sparkle.
Brush Stroke Ornaments
Add artsy interest to traditional plastic or glass ornaments with this abstract technique. First, remove the ornament cap and use acrylic or spray paint to create a base. Next, use paint brushes in a variety of shades and sizes to create unique patterns. Finally, reattach the cap and add a decorative ribbon topper.
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