39 Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments
Welcome to our festive guide on creating easy homemade Christmas ornaments! In this post, we’ll explore fun and creative ways to bring the holiday spirit into your home. Whether you’re a fan of traditional salt dough Christmas ornaments or looking for innovative ideas with acrylic paint and mod podge, we’ve got you covered. This time of year is perfect for crafting with the whole family, and what better way to celebrate than by making beautiful ornaments for your Christmas tree?
The Joy of Homemade Ornaments
Dive into the world of homemade Christmas decorations and discover the best way to make this holiday season special. We’ll discuss how simple materials like regular table salt, parchment paper, and craft paint can transform into beautiful ornaments.
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
Learn our easy recipe for salt dough Christmas ornaments. We’ll guide you through the process, from mixing flour, warm water, and salt on a cookie sheet to baking your creations to perfection. Plus, tips on using cookie cutters for different shapes!
For the salt dough, mix 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of salt, and 1 cup of warm water until it forms a dough. Knead on a floured work surface until smooth.
Roll out the dough, use Christmas cookie cutters to make shapes, and poke a small hole at the top of each ornament.
Bake at a low oven temperature (about 250°F) for 2 to 3 hours until hard. After cooling, decorate with acrylic paint, then seal with a clear glaze spray or polyurethane spray.
Crafting with Kids: Salt Dough Handprint Ornaments
Salt dough handprint ornaments are not just crafts; they’re keepsakes. Involve little kids in this great craft, ensuring fun for the whole family. Simply press their hand into the rolled-out dough, cut around the imprint, and bake as directed above.
Getting Creative: Mod Podge and Acrylic Paint Techniques
Use mod podge and acrylic paint to add a personal touch to your ornaments. From simple designs on small pieces to detailed artwork on larger ornaments, the possibilities are endless.
Mod Podge works as a sealer or for attaching small pieces of holiday-themed paper to your ornaments. Acrylic paint is great for adding colorful designs. For a smooth surface, ensure the dough is well-kneaded and rolled evenly.
Cinnamon Ornaments: A Fragrant Addition
Nothing says Christmas like the sweet smell of cinnamon. Here’s a delightful recipe for cinnamon ornaments.
Mix 1 cup of ground cinnamon with 1/4 cup of applesauce and 1/2 cup of craft glue to form a dough. Roll it out, use cookie cutters for shapes, and make a hole for hanging. Allow them to air dry in a dry place for a day or two, flipping occasionally. These ornaments will add a delightful cinnamon smell to your home.
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils and fragrance oil to the dough for extra holiday scent.
Decorating Tips and Tricks
From adding a clear glaze spray for a glossy finish to creating small holes at the top of each ornament for hanging, we’ve got all the tips you need. Learn about using polyurethane spray for larger ornaments or puffy paint for smaller details.
- After painting, let the ornaments dry completely before sealing.
- Use a straw to make the small hole at the top of each ornament.
- Add details with puffy paint or glitter for a festive touch.
- For a glossy finish, apply a coat of mod podge after painting.
- For hanging, use festive ribbons or rustic twine.
39 Handmade Christmas Ornaments You Can Make
Homemade Christmas Ornaments
Explore our festive list of homemade Christmas ornaments! Get inspired with easy, creative DIY ideas to add a personal touch to your holiday decor.
Take some craft sticks, ribbon and glue, and you have the cutest little ornaments!
If you have an old Mason Jar lid, you can turn it into a super cute holiday wreath ornament.
This cute craft works as a wall hanging OR a Christmas tree ornament, and it is super cute!
Turn craft sticks into an old fashioned sled to hang on your tree.
Make a beautiful batch of ornaments from wood slices. Use them for your tree, or hang them along your mantle.
These simple but sweet Mason jar lids turn into charming Christmas tree ornaments to give your tree that country chic look you're going to love. Easy to make, you can add embellishments to make each one unique! Perfect holiday craft.
Cinnamon salt dough ornaments are such a fun and easy way to get into the Christmas spirit! They smell amazing too.
Make a Christmas ornament classic with these vintage, felt ribbon candy ornaments. You can change up the colors to suit your Christmas style and they come together quickly with this detailed tutorial!
These cute ornaments are simple to make and very cheap as you are using air dry clay!
How to make a simple DIY nativity ornament for your Christmas tree with popsicle sticks or cinnamon sticks, peanuts, felt & glue.
A fun Melted Crayon Art for kids & adults alike! Inexpensive, Colorful, & a great way to reuse crayons!
Grab some colored duct tape and create some easy and festive plaid Christmas ornaments for your tree! Great for gift tags, too!
All you need is 2 ingredients to make these super simple and easy Homemade Cinnamon Ornaments! A great DIY holiday craft or fun Christmas gift for both kids and adults to make and customize!
Make these cute felt penguin ornaments using a free pattern download. No sewing is needed, just glue together!
Create easy leaf print ornaments with your family this season. You can make these in 5 minutes using air dry clay. Have fun exploring different textures and shapes.
Make Christmas salt dough ornaments using our simple salt dough recipe. This is a fun Christmas craft for all the family.
Learn how to make easy DIY Harry Potter ornaments for a magical Christmas tree with this craft tutorial featuring the Harry Potter book covers.
Make adorable coffee cup ornaments that look professionally made. These coffee Christmas ornaments make great gifts for coffee lovers.
DIY gumball machine ornament is one of the easiest and cutest Christmas ornaments you will ever make. It’s so simple, your kids can get in on the fun. Make different variations of gumball ornaments to use on several Christmas trees.
Wine cork ornaments are so much fun to make. Since I have plenty of wine corks saved (no judging) I decided to put them to good use to create a Reindeer ornament that is adorable. It’s so simple to make! Follow these easy instructions below to make a variety of reindeers including Rudolph the red nose reindeer!
Create a magical winter wonderland with this homemade snow globe ornament. Felt pieces and a free pattern are used to make this adorable ornament. This easy-to-sew ornament uses hand-stitching with a needle and thread, no sewing machine needed!
This is a super easy tutorial for a cute gingerbread ornament that is great for decorations or as DIY gifts.
There's gnome better time than the holidays! Deck your halls this season with these fun gnome ornaments.
These cute farmhouse ornaments can easily be made with dollar store supplies.
How to update old ornaments with DIY gold leaf. These will take your ornaments to the next level!
If you know how to crochet, make this adorable mini Santa hat ornament for your Christmas tree!
Mod podged ornaments are an easy and fun way to decorate for Christmas! You can use wrapping paper, tissue paper, or whatever else you have on hand!
These simple DIY shooting star clay ornaments are made from air dry clay. They are minimal and neutral to go with any decor.
Easy fabric-wrapped ornaments, that can be personalized.
These DIY Santa wish list ornaments will be cherished for years to come. Parents can write the lists for you her children while older children can write their own.
This cute little TP roll Santa Claus ornament is easy and fun for kids of all ages. Plus, it teaches them about repurposing during the holidays.
Check out this super easy macrame Christmas tree craft using yarn and cinnamon sticks! These are perfect for Christmas tree ornaments, gift toppers, or even using them as a garland!
These vintage-style William Morris ornaments are very simple to make. All you need is some air dry clay and your favourite Christmas cookie cutter shapes.
Baking Soda Ornaments are so fun and easy to make using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand! This is a great holiday activity for the whole family.
Homemade gingerbread ornaments use simple ingredients and are so fun to make as an activity! So fun decorating how you wish, or you can leave them blank!
These unique ornaments are perfect for a beachy Christmas!
For those who want that coastal living feel, these seashell ornaments are amazing!
DIY Floral ornaments are a great way to preserve special dried flowers.
We hope today’s post inspires you to create your own salt dough ornaments and other homemade Christmas crafts. Remember, the best part of the holiday season is making memories with loved ones, and what better way to do so than with these fun, easy craft ideas? Don’t forget to check the bottom of the post for affiliate links to craft store essentials and detailed instructions for each project. Happy crafting and happy holidays!
Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.
