Over the years, our editors have envisioned and crafted Christmas ornaments of all styles. This year, why not find inspiration in our projects to start a new tradition? Perhaps you’ll evoke the story of your family with ornaments made by everyone, young and old. Or you might draw upon your own ancestral traditions or a favorite holiday legend.
We’ve gathered an array of handcrafted ornaments—including a flock of glittery birds, gilded baubles, and wooden beads—to fill your home with the holiday spirit. Some will take an afternoon to create, while others can be done in minutes. For keepsakes that will deck your halls now and for years to come, consider it time well spent.
Silver Seed-Pod Ornaments
Nico Schinco
If pine trees are Mother Nature’s Christmas gifts, seed pods are her stocking stuffers. To fashion your forest of easy and arresting ornaments, just spray an assortment—pine cones, poppy pods, acorns, and other natural beauties, like sponge mushrooms—with gleaming metallic paint. Add hooks, and they’ll dazzle in your home or a lucky recipient’s.
Paper-Clay Botanical Ornament
Kirsten Francis
Crafting these delicate botanical ornaments is like second nature. Before you begin, note that paper clay comes in white only, but you can replicate the subtle shades here by kneading in a few drops of black or pink craft paint.
On a flat surface covered with wax paper, roll out paper clay like cookie dough. Then, press seasonal sprigs (like rosemary, spruce, fern, or dried berries) on top and press them in with your rolling pin. Remove the greenery, punch out with a round cutter, and poke a hole for hanging. To avoid warping: Place wax paper on top of the ornaments, then put down something heavy enough to add pressure but not so heavy it squishes them. Let air dry fully for five to seven days, and voilà: a batch of decorations or sweet gifts that won’t disappear in a few bites.
Golden Wood-Bead Ornament
Kirsten Francis
These elegant ornaments combine natural wood and lustrous gold for a perfectly subtle holiday glimmer. You’ll need gold leather cord and round wooden beads in three sizes—we used 12-millimeter, 18-millimeter, and 35-millimeter—plus gold spray paint.
Start by painting some of the beads and letting them dry. String a small, medium, and large bead onto a 90-inch piece of gold cord. Loosely knot cord under a small bead. To make the cord design on the large bead, thread the cord around and back up through the large bead, as shown; repeat all around. Pull the cord tight. Top with a medium and small bead. Thread the cord back down through holes of all the beads, leaving a 4-inch loop at the top, and undo the knot at the bottom. Knot the two ends of the cord together; trim the excess and knot the loop above the top bead.
Drum Ornament
Lucas Allen
Drum-shaped ornaments are among the most iconic Christmas decorations. But you don’t need to scour antique stores for your own set—all it takes to make these classics are plain boxes, festive ribbon, and glue.
Decorate round boxes by attaching patterned ribbons around the bases and lids with craft glue. (For our 3-inch-wide box, we glued a 1-inch-wide ribbon around the base.) To create a strap for hanging the ornament, cut a length of thin ribbon and glue each end to the inside lip of the box lid.
If using the ornaments as favors, line their interiors with decorative paper cupcake liners and fill them with cookies, truffles, or other small treats.
Marbled Ornament
Pernille Loof
These swirled faux-stone orbs get their look from mixing paint in soft tones with marbling medium, a specialty product available at craft stores.
For the marbled ornaments, use clear glass balls and remove the top. Add a teaspoon of each of the two paint colors mixed with marbling medium and swirl. Allow to dry overnight.
For the glitter ornaments, brush glue on the bottom of the ornament. Dip it in glitter. Let dry overnight.
Agate Pendant Ornaments
Pernille Loof
To adorn your tree in glitz, just add jewelry. For these sparklers, we used agate pendants from a craft store, removed the jump ring, and threaded gold cord through the remaining loop for an instant ornament—or an extra-special gift tag.
Silk Flower Ornament
Katya de Grunwald
If a snowy landscape isn’t in your holiday décor repertoire this year, you can always go bright and floral. For these odes to spring, we stocked up on silk flowers from the craft store and transformed them into ornaments. Bonus: They can be spray-painted to match your other decorations.
To paint them, start by removing flowers from stems. For flowers with multiple layers of petals, separate layers, remove flower centers, and pin flowers (and leaves and stems, if using) to cardboard (or place on a protected work surface) and spray-paint in desired colors. Turn and spray the other sides if necessary (paint may soak through the fabric). Reassemble flowers, inserting gold balls on picks for centers. Twist wire on the backs of balls into little loops to secure petals—and attach to your tree with wire.
Frozen Ice Ornament
Katya de Grunwald
For glittering accents, these silvery frosted glass ornaments are as cool as you can get.
Mix fine and shard glitter, and apply one or two strips of tape to each glass ornament, dividing it into two or three sections. Brush glue onto one section, and working over a tray, sprinkle lightly with seed beads, not coating completely, then sprinkle with glitter mixture. Remove the tape and let dry for two hours.
Flower and Gem Ornament
Katya de Grunwald
Let metallic pink, copper, and gold glass “gems” dangle—many pendant-style, on chains—from the boughs for a dripping-with-jewels effect.
For the flower gems, gather supplies from your craft bin, costume jewelry box, or craft store. Make flower gems by positioning two same-size flowers back to back. (If desired, use three flowers for more dimension, sandwiching a larger one between two smaller ones.) Thread wire through the centers and around the petals to secure flowers together. Trim the wire, then hot glue the rhinestones to the flower centers. Open a jump ring with pliers, then use it to attach a length of chain to a flower or glass gem. Close the jump ring and attach a length of wire to the other end of the chain for hanging; wrap the wire around the tree branch.
For the sequin balls, glue a rhinestone to a sequin. If desired, glue that sequin to a larger one; continue making “stacks” of two and three pieces. Then, glue stacks to the ornaments, spacing evenly.
Glittered Bird and Nest Ornaments
Katya de Grunwald
Birds are a natural motif for Christmas décor and can bring beauty and whimsy to any tree. To add some magic to these avian adornments, which we purchased at a floral supply store, we used a brush to add details with glue, such as outlining wings and tail, dotting tips of beaks, and making speckles on the body, then sprinkling with glitter.
Position birds in your Christmas tree and hang ribbons from their beaks. Spiral lametta roping into a nest shape, or wrap tinsel garland around the wire and spiral that into a nest shape—and let it serve as a home for a special bird.
Plaid Ball Ornament
Eric Piasecki Photography
Red- and yellow-based tartans are a twist on the traditional Christmas colors of red and green. The ornaments are easy to make by winding bias strips of plaid fabric around foam balls or by folding and snipping ribbons into banners and finishing them with kilt pins (for either a Scottish or a decidedly punk vibe).
For the plaid balls, use a rotary cutter and ruler on a cutting mat to cut 1/2-inch strips of fabric on the bias. (A few will be too short to use.) Use glue to tack the end of one strip to a ball. Wrap the rest of this strip around the ball, gluing the end when the strip runs out. Continue wrapping with more strips in various directions until the ball is covered—glue to secure. Cut an 8-inch piece of ribbon, fold it over, and knot. Press a bank pin into the ball, anchoring the knot under the head of the pin.
For the pennant ornaments, cut a ribbon into 8-inch lengths. Fold each length in half; pinch the sides in at the fold, creating a point, as shown, then iron to set the pleat. Cut a serpent-tongue shape at the bottom. Using a pin, pierce a hole through each ribbon at the point to thread a jump ring. Thread an 8-inch piece of cord through and knot. Optional: Adorn with a kilt pin.
Needle-Felted Woodland Ornament
Sang An
Forest animals, mushrooms, and bristle ornaments mix the natural and the fantastical—and bring texture to your tree.
Start by printing our templates and cutting them out. Trace templates onto felt with tailor’s chalk and cut them out. Place a felting-needle mat under the felt, and lay a few tufts of roving side by side where desired. Using a needle-felting tool, punch fibers through felt until they transfer evenly to the reverse side. Remove stray fibers by pressing the felted area with one hand and teasing out stray pieces with the other. Repeat until the area is covered. Use a screw punch to make a hole at the top. Hang with twine.
Holiday Card Ornament
For preserving memories and upcycling at the same time, these ornamental balls are made from holiday cards from Christmases past.
Gather enough cards to cut out 20 circles: For a small ball, use a 1 1/4-inch hole punch; for a large one, trace around the bottom of a glass. Cut out the circles. To make a template, cut one more circle from cardboard, draw an equilateral triangle, points touching the circumference, and cut it out. Trace it onto the inside of each circle, then score and fold along all the lines.
Next, use clear-drying craft glue to join one flap from each of the two circles; triangles should point in the same direction. Using the same technique, attach three more circles to these two, forming what will be the top. Make the bottom the same way. Glue the remaining ten circles together, triangle points alternating up and down, forming a line. Glue two end flaps to form what will be the middle section, then glue the top and bottom to its flaps. Hang from a silver thread.
Quartz Icicle Ornament
Pernille Loof
Add some wintry wonder to your tree with this creative take on icicles. We made these shimmery, dangling strands by grouping top-drilled clear and light-pink quartz points on jewelry wire, adding a loop to each end, and attaching a metallic cord.
Glossy Painted Ball Ornament
Juliana Sohn
When former Living crafts editor Blake Ramsey didn’t have enough trimmings for her first Christmas tree, she beautifully embellished affordable glass balls.
To make your own, fill squeeze bottles with acrylic paints, adding a gloss finish as desired to thin the color and make it more translucent. Make a drying rack by inserting wooden skewers into some foam board. Remove caps from ornaments.
For speckled ornaments: Use a narrow-tip bottle to squirt paint upward into an ornament so it spatters. Let it dry upside down for one day on the rack. Then add a second layer, squeezing a small amount of new color into the ornament so it runs down the sides, then rotate the ornament to spread the paint. Repeat as needed for the desired effect.
For streaked ornaments: Repeat the above steps, but don’t let the first color dry. Add a second layer right away so colors swirl together.
For solid ornaments: Use a wide-tip bottle to squeeze paint into the ornament so it runs down the sides, then rotate the ornament to spread the paint. Repeat to achieve the desired look. Let all the ornaments dry for one day on the drying rack. Paint caps with a paintbrush and let them dry.
Star Ribbon Ornaments
Katya de Grunwald
If you have snowflake ornaments in need of framing, a simple star ribbon ornament, seen at the top and bottom left here, is the way to go. They are even beautiful all on their own for a star-studded tree you won’t soon forget.
In this easy, no-sew method—the ribbon is cut into lengths, looped, and pieced together with fabric glue, forming a figure-eight shape.
Salt Dough Ornaments
Raymond Hom
Two by two, they adorn the boughs of your Christmas tree. These animal ornaments look just like cookies but are long-lasting and “iced” with glue and glitter.
To make a batch, combine 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt. Slowly mix in 1 cup of warm water. Knead for seven to 10 minutes on a floured surface. Roll it out to 3/8-inch thickness and freeze for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and use cookie cutters to cut out animal shapes. Insert screw eyes at the top of shapes. Freeze for 30 minutes, then bake for four to six hours. Let them cool.
In a bottle, mix craft glue and paint to your desired color. Outline an animal with colored glue, then fill in the surface with colored glue. For a solid glitter effect, coat glue with glitter immediately. For a more layered look, let the first coat of glue dry overnight, then apply the second color for details, adding tinsel, regular glitter, or microbeads as desired. Use glitter glue pens for small details. You’ll need one screw eye (for hanging) for each ornament.
Metallic and Spun-Glass Ornaments
These refined ornaments—some brightened with gold or silver leaf, others tinted in soft pastels—are among the dozens adorning Martha’s tree. Her own collections of antique china, including Wedgwood drabware, jasperware, and Old Paris porcelain, served as inspiration.
To make them, use a paintbrush to apply acrylic paint (yellow ocher for gold leaf, white for silver leaf) to both sides of an architectural ornament; let dry. With another brush, apply size (an adhesive available at art-supply stores) to the front of the ornament and drape a gold- or silver-leaf sheet over the front of the ornament; smooth gently with fingers. Loop a cord through the top of the ornament and tie it, or attach a looped cord with hot glue.
Winter Village Ornament
Anna Williams
These winter village ornaments will remind you of a snowy stroll on a glittering winter’s day. They start with an easy-to-follow template. You can make these little houses into ornaments or forgo the string and create a whole tabletop Christmas village. Use the small house template for ornaments. Customize your houses by painting the exterior features whatever color speaks to your jolly spirit.
Fabric Balls
These classic ornaments will look elegant on your Christmas tree and don’t require any sewing; just some pins and craft glue! Customize your balls by choosing fabrics and embellishments in your tree’s color scheme. You’ll use ribbons, beads, sequins, and tassels to add beautiful, unique designs to each ball.
Mini Stockings
The best part about these mini stockings is that they’re functional! Stuff a few mini goodies inside each stocking and label them with numbers for a festive mini Advent calendar Christmas tree. Heads up: Some sewing is required for this project.
Pinecone Picture-Frame Ornaments
Make these seasonal pine cone picture frames for a special (and beautiful) way to showcase family photos. It’s a great Christmastime activity to get the family to reminisce together. Start by printing out your favorite photos, old and new, and prepping the pine cones by removing their scales. Then get to work with a hot glue gun, adhering the chipettes to your desired design.
Cookie Cutter Ornaments
Gift these DIY cookie cutter ornaments in a cookie tin for the sweetest surprise this holiday season. Have fun deciding what photos and designs to showcase in your cookie cutters. A bead strung down the ribbon gives the ornament an elegant touch while making for easy hanging.
Felt Christmas Ornaments
Lennart Weibull
Just a handful of supplies is all you’ll need to make these precious felt ornaments. We made trees, stars, and circles, but feel free to get creative with your shapes; think gingerbread men, stockings, and hearts. Stich the plushy ornament with a complementary color to the felt for a handmade look.
Spun-Glass Butterfly Ornaments
These butterfly ornaments were inspired by an antique spun-glass German pair. The supplies for making them are not as elusive as the originals: We purchased spun-glass wings from a specialty craft shop and combined them with clay bodies—adding painted details in red and white.
