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85 Easy DIY Holiday Ornaments for All Ages
Add a personal touch to your Christmas tree this holiday season with our DIY ornaments every member of the family can make.
Handmade Ornament Ideas
Skip the store-bought baubles this year, and trim your Christmas tree with handmade, personalized ornaments that will last for years to come. Made from materials you might already have around the house, we have a DIY ornament for every skill level, including painted ornaments, dried orange slices, ornaments made from office supplies, salt dough ornaments, upcycled ornaments and more. So, gather the whole family for a night of Christmas crafting, and don't forget to make a few extra ornaments to gift to friends and loved ones for the perfect DIY holiday present idea.
Yarn Ball Ornament
Cover inexpensive foam balls with yarn to create a rustic Christmas ornament the kids can hang on the tree or use to top wrapped gifts. Choose traditional wool or synthetic yarn for a smooth look, or get creative by wrapping the balls with fun, novelty yarns with fluffy faux-fur textures or variegated colors.
Photo By: Picasa ©ten22 studio | Rennai Hoefer
Beaded Snowflake Ornament
Made from ribbon and wooden beads, this Scandinavian-inspired star ornament looks beautiful hanging in a window, on a door or nestled in a Christmas tree.
Photo By: Photographer: Christina Wedge
Modern Black + White Ornament
Add your own personality to solid white ornaments with a black paint pen and some fun ribbon. Simply draw geometric designs, polka dots, stripes and even hearts to create one-of-a-kind tree decor. This is a great project to get the kids involved as they'll love seeing their creations hanging on the tree.
Clothespin Snowflake Ornament
In just a few steps, you can turn wooden clothespins into beautiful snowflake tree ornaments. This is a great project for older children to tackle on their own or for small kids with help from a crafty adult.
Embellished Wood Slice Ornament
Birch log slices have been popping up everywhere as a way to add a rustic touch to just about any space in your home. They even make great Christmas tree ornaments. Pick up pre-cut wood slices, available at most craft stores, or cut your own logs into 1/4-inch-thick discs. Stencil on a wintry design with colorful craft paint or top with a scrapbook sticker, then drill a hole in the top for ribbon.
Cinnamon Scented Ornament
Enjoy all the fun of making Christmas cookies without the mess or calories. These fragrant (non-edible) and festive cinnamon ornaments are a must-make, kid-friendly holiday craft that will have you rolling, baking and decorating.
Photo By: Marian Parsons
Wood-Burned Snowflake Ornament
Give your Christmas tree a woodland theme with plaid and burlap ribbons, pinecones and handmade wooden ornaments. For the wood-burned ornaments, gather round wood slices, a wood-burning tool, ribbon or twine and a hot glue gun. Start by wood-burning whimsical snowflake motifs into each wood slice and hot glue the ribbon onto the front and back of the wood to create an ornament.
Cinnamon Stick Bundle Ornament
Crafting a homemade ornament is a simple as gathering a few cinnamon sticks and some twine. Bundle five sticks together and tie with the twine to create a fragrant and festive tree decoration.
Custom Clay Ornament
With a set of alphabet stamps and bakeable clay, your favorite holiday saying becomes a modern, colorful ornament. Make a few extras to gift to friends and family.
Timeless Gingerbread Ornament
These gingerbread cookie ornaments, made out of wood and paint, look like the real thing but can be enjoyed for many Christmases to come.
Photo By: Marian Parsons
Colorful Pom-Pom Ornament
Kids love seeing their handmade ornaments and decorations used at Christmas. This colorful yarn ornament garland is fun and simple to make for kids of all ages, making it an ideal family craft. The best part? You only need three materials.
Photo By: Marian Parsons
Wooden Spool Ornament
A relic of days past, wooden thread spools evoke a feeling of nostalgia. If you don't have a store of old spools lying around, however, you can buy them in bulk online. From there, simply add festive twine, wire or fabric to the center of the spool and hang for a warm and cozy Christmas look.
Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions
Glittered Light Bulb Ornament
Give worn-out lightbulbs new life as glittering tree ornaments. A few coats of metallic spray paint and a ribbon for hanging are all you need. Smaller light bulbs work best grouped together in odd numbers, while larger lightbulbs are best as single ornaments.
Metal Stencil Ornament
Make a graphic statement on your tree by stringing metal stencils from the hardware store onto twine. Create a similar look with cardboard stencils by punching a hole through the top, then hanging with twine.
Glass Terrarium Ornament
Bring texture and color to your front porch or Christmas tree with a grouping of clear glass ornaments filled with everyday organic materials such as moss, bark, lavender and dried oranges.
Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn
Button Christmas Tree Ornament
Put a kid-friendly spin on tree decor with ornaments made from stacked buttons. Add thread to a needle and knot the end, then slide an assortment of small neutral-toned buttons onto the thread as a tree base. Gradually build a tree silhouette with an assortment of large buttons along the bottom, medium buttons in the center and smaller buttons near the top. For a tree topper effect, add a small star decoration on top with looped string as a hanger.
Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn
Paint-Dipped Wooden Sphere Ornament
Craving a more modern holiday look this year? These dipped wooden ornaments are stunning and simple to make.
Photo By: Photographer: Christina Wedge
Felt Kissing Ball Ornament
Put a colorful, modern spin on mistletoe by creating a grouping of artificial pinecones made from felt and foam spheres. Craft a large version of these colorful spheres to hang in a doorway as a kissing ball or make several smaller versions for cheery ornaments.
Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn
Bird Seed Ornament
For the holidays, don't just decorate the Christmas tree inside your house. These birdseed ornaments add color to bare winter trees and treat hungry feathered friends to a snack. This is a great project for kids and to give as gifts to your favorite nature lovers.
Photo By: Marian Parsons
Mini Pinecone Elf Ornament
How cute is this festive little guy? Grab some craft felt, mini pinecones and our step-by-step instructions below to make a gaggle of your own.
Photo By: Photographer: Christina Wedge
Mason Jar Lid Ornament
Turn a simple Mason jar lid into a tree ornament by covering its interior with glitter paper and an assortment of decorative buttons.
Photo By: Brian Patrick Flynn
Tinsel Glass Ornament
Glass or clear plastic ornaments are perfect because you can fill them with whatever strikes your fancy. Here, we've added some tinsel garland for a touch of sparkle.
Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions
Sweater Pinecone Ornament
Turn an outdated sweater into this cozy, country-chic decoration with just a few materials and a little crafting time.
Photo By: Photographer: Christina Wedge
Coffee Bean Ornament
If you have leftover coffee beans, consider using them in clear ornaments. Once the bulbs are on the tree, the warm lights will heat your bulbs and give off a warm coffee aroma.
Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions
Toy Figurine Ornament
Get playful with your tree by turning small toys into ornaments. All you need is a simple ornament hanger or a small strand of string.
Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions
Pressed Clay Ornament
Turn an evergreen sprig into a stamp to create these beautiful, easy handmade pressed clay ornaments.
Photo By: Flynnside Out Productions
Walnut Santa Ornament
Perfect for the littlest crafters, this easy project uses materials you probably already have on hand. You and the kiddos can turn a bag of walnuts into a whole tree full of everyone's favorite elf in no time flat.
Patterned Poinsettia Ornament
Designer Britany Simon created these black, white and red poinsettias from solid-colored felt and patterned cotton fabric. Once added to the tree, they become the first thing guests notice. Then they help draw the eye around the room to other coordinating design elements.
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