Christmas ornaments are often one of the most nostalgic parts of the festive season. The tradition of pulling out beloved baubles and trinkets that have trimmed the family tree for years is often paired with squeals of delight and stories to tell. So this year, why not gather the family and grab the grandparents to make baubles not just for your own tree but also as gifts for your nearest and dearest. Ranging from easy to intricate, these DIY Christmas ornaments will result in heartfelt Christmas presents that everyone will love.‍

Elegant Air-dry Clay Baubles

These air dry clay Christmas ornaments can be as simple or as creative as you like.
These air dry clay Christmas ornaments can be as simple or as creative as you like.

Simple and sophisticated, these clay baubles will be cherished for a lifetime. Whether you go streamlined or delicately decorative, air dry clay is so easy to use and doesn’t require any baking. You simply leave it to dry once your masterpiece is finished. 

DIY Christmas ornaments make unique Christmas gifts that are easy on the budget, too.

‍Step 1: Roll out air dry clay using a small rolling pin.

Step 2: Use a cookie cutter to get a firm shape as a base, then use shape cutters to make decorative shapes out of the excess clay.

Step 3: In the larger bases, use a clay tool to make scratches in the spots where the smaller shapes will be attached. This will help hold them in place, as will a little water. Gently press the small shapes onto the larger ones. 

Step 4: Using your sharpest tool with a fine point, make a small hole at the top of the design, which will be used to hang the ornament.

Step 5: Once all your decorative shapes are in place, use a pointed tool to do some more design work in your clay while it is still soft. You could also press lace tape or stamps into the clay for extra texture.

Step 6: Once completely dry, weave through string to make a hanging loop, and, with a paint marker, write a message on the back for the lucky person receiving your handmade gift. (Adding the year you made the ornament is also a nice touch.)

Optional: Paint your bauble once dry.

Use air dry clay and clay tools to make Christmas tree ornaments that double as keepsakes.

What You’ll Need

SEE ALSO: 8 Easy Christmas Crafts to Makeover Your Home

Fuzzy Pom Pom Puddings

These fuzzy pom pom puddings are fun Christmas ornaments for children to make.

This low-maintenance craft project is as fun as it is cute and will be a favourite for the whole family. Simply glue together pom poms, add ‘icing’, a ‘cherry’ and a pipe cleaner ‘holly’ sprig for a delicious decoration. This is a DIY idea that may just become a warm and fuzzy annual tradition.

These Christmas tree ornaments are a sweet Christmas craft idea.

‍Step 1: Take the brown pom-poms and glue them together with the glue gun to make a rough sphere shape, mixing bigger ones and medium-sized ones to get a 3D ball effect.

Step 2: Glue the tiny little white pom poms on top of your pudding to give it an ‘iced’ look. Finish with a little red pom pom ‘cherry’ at the highest point.‍

Step 3: Twist a green pipe cleaner into a holly shape by pinching and bending, and give the two ends a twist to secure. When you trim it, leave one end longer than the other.‍

Step 4: Push the long end through the top of your pudding – just gently find a spot that it will slide into – and pinch the pudding to get it to sit in place.‍

Step 5: Add a small loop of string to the back of your pudding, securing with the glue gun, and then hide where the string attaches with one last brown pom pom.

Use pom poms and a glue gun to make adorable Christmas ornaments.

What You’ll Need

Mini Felt Stockings

Try these easy DIY Christmas tree ornaments: mini felt stockings.

While these tiny little stockings are more of a doll-sized sock, they are simply too adorable not to create! Fun for little ones and grown-ups to create too, you could cover an entire tree with them, make them into bunting or use them as gift tags. So much scope for festive cuteness!

Mini felt stockings are ideal Christmas ornaments for children to make.

‍Step 1: Fold a piece of felt in half and cut out a stocking shape from the folded seam upwards. When you unfold, it means the bottom of the stocking is already joined, giving it extra strength.‍

Step 2: Glue the sides of the stocking together, making sure not to glue the opening at the top!‍

Step 3: Using your other coloured felt pieces, cut out a trim for the top of the stocking and other decorative shapes, or cut pipe cleaners to size to make stripe patterns. Glue decorations to the front of the stocking.‍

Step 4: Thread bells onto string and tie into a loop before gluing the bells onto the top edge of the stocking.

Use felt, tinsel pipe cleaners and bells to make charming Christmas ornaments.

What You’ll Need

SEE ALSO: Inspiring DIY Christmas Cards and Wrapping Paper Ideas

Sheet Music Stars

Sheet music stars make impressive origami Christmas tree ornaments.

Christmas-carol sheet music makes a unique base for paper crafts at Christmas. You can organise your printing with a few clicks thanks to Officeworks Print & Copy and have it delivered straight to your door, ready for crafting. (Allow 3-10 business days for delivery.) When you have your carol music, turn on your favourite Christmas movie (are you Love Actually or The Grinch?) and have fun watching while folding.

Challenge yourself to make these clever Christmas ornaments.

‍Step 1: Cut your A4 sheet music into a square: do this by folding a triangle out of one corner and cutting away the excess paper.‍

Step 2: Fold the square into triangles both ways, opening each time. Then fold your square into rectangles both ways and open each time. This leaves you with an 8-point star of creases in your paper.‍

Step 3: Open up the paper and lay it flat in front of you, carol-side up. Using scissors, make four small cuts, one in the middle of each straight side of the paper. Cut half-way to the middle of the square.‍

Step 4: Now flip the paper over, carol-side down. On either side of the cut, take the cut edge and fold it back up and towards the diagonal crease, and press it down. You will be left with a pointed triangle that looks like the beginning on a paper plane. Repeat on all four sides.‍

Step 5: Pull the cut edges of the triangle together and glue to each other – a hot glue gun dries fast but you could use a glue stick. Press down to secure. Repeat for all four points.‍

Step 6: When you turn it over you will have a four-point star shape. You can pinch the creases gently to sharpen them. Now repeat all over again to make a second four-point star.

Step 7: When you have two stars, lay them one over another to make an eight-pointed star and use hot glue to attach them. 

Step 8: Finally, pop a small hole in the tip of your highest point on the star and weave some string through, ready for it to be gifted and/or hung on a tree.

Use glue, scissors, string and sheet music to make beautiful DIY Christmas ornaments.

What You’ll Need

Popsicle-Stick Snowmen

These popsicle stick snowmen and cars are easy and cute Christmas ornaments for children to make.

This project uses the craft staple that all children know – popsicle sticks – and kids will have so much fun creating these sweet snowmen. Plus it will take them some time to complete, making it a fantastic summer afternoon project.

Hot Tip: You can use a similar method to make festive car-shaped ornaments, too, complete with a fuzzy pom pom Christmas tree in the boot.

Create popsicle stick snowmen as Christmas tree ornaments.

Step 1: Paint 5 popsicle sticks white and allow to dry.

Step 2: Apply warm glue to the fine edge of the popsicle sticks and press them together. The five sticks should now be a flat board about the size of your hand.

Step 3: Paint a separate popsicle stick black and allow to dry. Glue to the board, placing it horizontally about a third of the way down from the top.

Step 4: Paint the top of the white popsicle sticks with black, until you hit the black popsicle stick. This creates a hat-like effect.

Step 5: Cut an orange carrot nose and red scarf from coloured paper. Glue onto the snowman.

Step 6: Stick on googly eyes and draw a sweet little smile with a marker.

Step 7: Loop a pipe cleaner and glue to the back, so you can hang your snowman on the tree.

What You’ll Need

To make the car

Custom Printed Baubles 

Officeworks has a large range of affordable personalised Christmas ornaments.

There’s a lovely sentiment in receiving a personalised present; something that demonstrates the giver has gone to a lot of effort just for you. Talk about the warm and fuzzies. So put a smile on the faces of friends and family this year by ordering custom printed baubles designed especially for them. Choose from a wide range of bauble options as well as cute snow globes that can have photos slipped inside. No matter which one you choose, the receiver is sure to be thrilled.

Hot Tip: Allow at least 7-10 business days for personalised products.

What to Try