80 Homemade Christmas Ornaments to Spruce up Your Tree
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While shopping for new Christmas decor every year can be fun, it can also become quite expensive over time. However, that doesn't mean you can't continue to buy new holiday decorations year after year — that's what Christmas crafting is for! So why not get the whole crew together to craft some homemade Christmas ornaments? After all, Christmas is the one of the best seasons to spend some quality time with family.
These simple DIYs, which also happen to be fun Christmas crafts for kids, are made from a range of affordable materials, many of which you may already have around the house. Think pipe cleaners, felt, clothespins and more. Plus, they're super easy to hang on the Christmas tree, be it real, artificial or "snow-covered." Some of our favorite DIY ornaments use upcycled materials, too. Take our pressed foil ornament made from a used tube of tomato paste, for example. The possibilities are endless!
So, if you're hoping to spend more holiday time with family, and create custom decor and save money all at the same time, try some of our favorite handmade ornaments this holiday season. Take your pick on beaded bows, toy drums, pom pom gnomes and much, much more. They're sure to impress kids and adults alike.
Cupcake Liner Ornament
Cupcake liners are not just for dessert. Turns out you can get crafty with them, too! First, flatten 10 cupcake liners and fold them in half, colored side in. Secure the middle with a glue dot so the edges of each side of the liner stick together. Repeat this step with all other cupcake liners. Add glue dots to the top and bottom of the outer layer (the white side) and place the next cupcake liner on top until you use all 10 liners. Connect the top and bottom liners with two more glue dots so they create a stunning sphere ornament to hang on the tree.
Upcycled Pressed Foil Ornament
Believe it or not, this gorgeous ornament is actually made from a recycled tube of tomato paste! Carefully cut open a used foil tube of tomato paste with scissors. Rinse off all the residue and let it dry. Using the handle of the scissors, smooth out wrinkles in the foil. With a pick, draw leaves onto the foil. Cut out the leaves with scissors and poke a small hole at the top of each leaf. Cut 12" strings of gold wire and thread each leaf onto the wire, twisting each end together. Gather all wired leaves and twist all the ends together into a single system with varying heights and positions. Use the twisted wires to create a loop for the tree and tie with a decorative bow.
Pipe Cleaner Ornaments
Pipe cleaners can add a personalized touch to any ornament. Simply thread a tinsel pipe cleaner through an ornament and create stars, diamonds, teardrops or starburst shapes.
Wooden Beaded Starburst Ornaments
Create beaded starburst ornaments for the tree with wooden dowels. Start with a full length 3mm dowel and string on beads. Glue the second to last and last pieces to hold it all in place and cut off any extra wood off each end. Then, cut four pieces of dowel that are half the size of the piece you just created and string on beads in the same pattern on each, securing with hot glue on the ends. Attach the ends of the four pieces to the center bead on your first dowel to create a starburst shape. Add wire or ribbon and hang on the tree!
Beaded Bow Ornaments
Create cute beaded bow ornaments with wires and beads. String on six smaller beads, one large bead and then six more smaller beads. Next, thread one end of the string through the large bead, repeating on the other side so that the two tails come out of the large bead. Then, add six more smaller beads to the ends of the string and secure each tail by wrapping it around the last bead. Add wire to the top so you can hang it on your tree.
DIY Paper Ornaments
Decorate your tree at basically no cost with these DIY paper ornaments! This blogger suggests using thick paper to ensure they don't rip or break over the holiday season.
Harry Potter Ornaments
If watching a few of the Harry Potter movies over the holidays is part of your Christmas tradition, add these DIY ornaments to your list of crafts to try this year.
Velvet-Inspired Ornaments
These pastel-colored beauties can be easily crafted with just a few materials — glass ornaments, paint, baking soda and flour. Plus, they look and feel just like velvet!
Paw Print Ornaments
While it's common to hang photos of our human family members on the tree around Christmas time, some of us may be forgetting about our four-legged friends! These cute DIY paw print ornaments can be hung on the tree or used as gift toppers throughout the holiday season.
Gumball Machine Ornaments
Calling all candy-lovers! DIY your own mini gumball machine to hang on your Christmas tree this year using just a few materials. You can even put real candy inside if you want!
Donut Ornaments
Get crafty with felt this year by making a dozen donut ornaments for your tree. This project is no-sew, so kids can take part in the fun too!
Wooden Ski Ornament
If you have a family of skiers, add this fun craft to your list this season. Use scissors to cut out two ski-shaped figures from wood wallpaper or contact paper. Criss-cross them and add a plaid bow as a finishing touch.
Frame Yarn Ornaments
The holiday season is all about family. This year, try framing your favorite photos with yarn to hang on the tree.
Embroidery Hoop Snowman
These cute little guys will brighten up your day every time you look at your tree. Create these friendly snowmen using embroidery hoops, pom poms and a few other crafting materials.
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.
- 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.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC's TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.
Amanda Garrity is a lifestyle writer and editor with over seven years of experience, including five years on staff at Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including the latest interior design trends, inspiring DIY ideas and gift guides for any (and every) occasion. She also has a soft spot for feel-good TV, so you can catch her writing about popular shows like Virgin River, Sweet Magnolias, Hallmark Channel’s When Calls the Heart and more.
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