When you decorate your Christmas tree with store-bought ornaments, it is easy to drop a ton of cash very quickly. But there’s no reason to clean out your bank account when you are decorating for the holidays. Instead, opt for DIY ornaments, and your tree will look and smell better than you could ever have imagined.
Here are 25 ideas for DIY ornaments for this holiday season.
1. Cinnamon Ornaments
If you love the idea of your house smelling like cinnamon throughout the holiday season, try making these ornaments from Fountain Avenue Kitchen. With just three ingredients, some cookie cutters, and whatever embellishments you’d like, you can make cinnamon-scented ornaments in a variety of shapes, like trees, stars, and bells.
The best part is, you can find everything you will need to make these ornaments at a dollar store.
2. Home States
This idea from the American Patriette is easy on the wallet, and it also allows you to show off the state where you were born or where you live now. If you want to add some state pride to your decorating with these felt ornaments, all you will need is some felt, ribbon, and poly-fil and scissors, a marker, and a needle and thread.
3. Burlap Reindeer
For a rustic look, try adding these burlap Rudolph ornaments to your tree. This craft project comes from The Resourceful Mama, and all you will need to make these are some burlap, googly eyes, mini clothespins, tiny red pom-poms, glue, and twine.
4. Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Once a holiday novelty, ugly Christmas sweaters are now tradition, so it’s time to add some to your tree with this idea from Crafts By Amanda. The best part about making these is that they don’t have to be perfect. Any imperfections just add to their ugliness!
5. Homemade Santas
This idea from Sew Many Ways recycles old red ornaments. Simply add some black electrical tape, foil ductwork tape, and jumbo chenille stem. The result is a chunky Santa made from simple items that you can find at home or for cheap at your local craft store.
6. Patterned Paper Ornaments
For ornaments that cost next to nothing to make, try this idea from Make Your Mark. These ornaments are colorful, and all you will need is some scrapbook paper, string, and wire. You can embellish these any way you want, using whatever colors and designs you would like to match your decor.
7. Scrabble Tiles
Scrabble tiles are an awesome material to use for craft projects, especially Christmas ornaments. All you’ll need are Scrabble tiles, a paper plate, ribbon, felt, snow texture paint, and craft glue, and you will have awesome personalized decorations in just a matter of minutes. Of course, your new ornaments will need a couple of hours to dry.
8. Photo Keepsakes
This ornament from Simple As That takes no time at all to make, but it will preserve memories so that they last a lifetime. Cover your tree with family memories in just minutes with a photo editing program, some wood discs, twine, and matte Mod Podge.
9. CD Ornaments
Remember CDs? Chances are you still have some in your house, and there is also a strong possibility that at least one of those is scratched or broken. You can put those shiny discs to good use by decorating clear ornaments with CD pieces. Add some sparkle to your Christmas tree with this idea from Creme De La Craft.
10. Sparkling Stars
With just some foam balls, toothpicks, glitter, and silver spray paint, you can add some sparkle to your tree with these ornaments from Woman’s Day. Start by carefully pushing toothpicks — both whole and halved — into one-and-a-half-inch foam balls. Then spray them with silver paint and dust them with silver glitter. Finally, use some hot glue to attach a string to each one.
11. Mason Jar Rings
Does your family like to travel? Perhaps you have a favorite destination that you would like to highlight on your Christmas tree. This ornament project from Happy Mothering uses vintage maps and mason jar rings to create a colorful travel-themed ornament.
12. Peppermints
If you want your house to smell like the North Pole, try turning peppermints into super cute tree ornaments. With just some metal cookie cutters, nonstick cooking spray, some peppermints, and a few minutes of your time, you can turn a popular Christmas candy into fun ornaments that will make your house smell like Christmas.
13. Hot Cocoa
This ornament idea from Creme De La Crumb is beyond amazing. Not only do these decorate your tree, but they also make an amazing cup of hot cocoa. You’ll need a clear ornament, ribbon, some hot cocoa mix, crushed candy canes, and marshmallows. A beautiful decoration couldn’t be easier.
14. Felt Trees
You can decorate your big tree with a bunch of little trees this Christmas, thanks to this idea from This Heart Of Mine. You can customize these felt trees to match any decor, and they are beyond adorable.
15. K-Cup Snowman Hats
Upcycling items is a hot trend in decorating, and you can take this concept and apply it to your Christmas ornaments. Pitter And Glink turned trash into cute decor with this K-cup snowman hats idea.
The supply list is minimal. In addition to the used K-cups, you will need an empty snack box, a circle punch, black spray paint, twine, decorative trim, scissors, and a hot glue gun. And in one evening, you can bring this brilliant idea to life.
16. Bearded Elves
Add some bearded elves to your tree this holiday season with this idea from Tikkido. They look like gnomes, and they are so cute you will want to put them on everything from the tree to the presents underneath.
17. Popsicle Stick Sleds
Making simple popsicle stick sled ornaments is a great project for parents and kids to do together. This comes from Serendipity Refined, and you’ll only need a few materials and tools: some popsicle sticks, twine, stick matches, and paint plus an X-ACTO knife, a cutting board, glue, scissors, and a paintbrush.
The adults can use the tools to cut the sticks and make the holes, and the kids can put it all together to create Santa’s sleigh.
18. Sweater Scraps
Wool ornaments bring coziness to your holiday decorations, and you’ll only need some sweater scraps to make these mitten ornaments happen. You won’t have to know how to knit, but you will need some scissors, fishing line, and beads to make these cute ornaments from Confessions Of A Serial DIYer.
19. Stuffed Ornaments
Take the idea of photo keepsake ornaments to the next level with these stuffed ornaments from Woman’s Day. You will need some basic sewing skills to make these, but after scanning some favorite pictures of your family members and printing them out on fabric sheets, all you will need to do is add some batting and stitch the edges. Too cute!
20. Soda Cans
Bring some shine to your tree by using aluminum soda cans to create any Christmas ornament you’d like. This craft project from Learning And Yearning requires used soda cans and some scissors. Then find your desired design online, and before long you will have tons of shiny ornaments for your tree.
21. Bottle Cap Snowmen
This fun project from Amy Latta Creations makes simple, cute Christmas ornaments. To create these bottle cap snowmen for your tree, you’ll need bottle caps, paint, buttons, ribbons, and glue.
22. Cookie Cutters
Some of the ornaments on this list require cookie cutters to make. But you can transform a cookie cutter into the perfect football-themed ornament. If you have a favorite team or a favorite player, show off your fandom by turning a football jersey cookie cutter into a Christmas ornament with just a few craft items.
23. Paw Prints
You can’t forget the family pet when you decorate your tree. This idea from One Little Project uses salt dough, paint, glitter, and matte finish Mod Podge — plus puppy or kitty paws — to create ornaments that showcase your pet’s paw prints.
24. Music Sheets
Turn some old sheet music into 3D ornaments using simple folding techniques. These ornaments will make a statement, and if you already have old sheet music in the house, they won’t cost you a dime.
25. Vintage Maps
You can use vintage maps to make this folded flower ornament from Chic California. Vintage maps are easy to find, and they are super cheap. With just a glue gun, ribbon, and a little bit of your time, you can make the perfect keepsake ornament.
