20 DIY Ornaments to Give or Keep

If your branches appear a little bare or your packages need a little sprucing up, or if you’ve swapped more cookies than your teeth or stomach can bear, consider a homemade Christmas ornament or two.

We’ve collected some favorite DIY ornaments that won’t break the bank or your patience but will still bring out your holiday crafter. From felted toadstools to plaster doughnuts, these are sure to make this Christmas memorable. Click the links below for the full instructions, or just revel in their cuteness.

Felted egg and toadstool ornament. Maybe it’s the association with elves that makes a toadstool seem classically Christmasy. This mini felted ornament from 54 Stitches brings the woodland to your tree in a few easy steps.


Angled starburst ornament. Sometimes cut and folded paper is all you need, and Denise Sharp has created a pretty amazing template for Poppytalk. Metallic paper adds a festive touch, but you can customize with your own paper.


Paper reindeer ornament. It wouldn’t be Christmas without reindeer, and this mini faux taxidermy reindeer is a nice update on the theme. Miranda Anderson from One Little Minute even includes a helpful pattern printout that only requires you to swap out the paper in your printer and cut around the dots.


Dried citrus ornament. Looking for a fresher way to decorate the tree? Mandi Johnson of A Beautiful Mess shows us that food ornaments don’t have to include cranberries and popcorn. These baked citrus slices look good and smell great.


Message in an ornament. Who doesn’t love a message in a bottle? While these ornaments by Tan Rutley of Squirrelly Minds are designed as part of an Advent calendar, they could be a great way to exchange personalized Christmas notes or coupons.


Felted macaroon ornament. Macaroons are among the chicest desserts, so it makes sense that they would make some of the cutest ornaments. Hannah Wareham shows us how on The Homesteady. And a dozen of these will last much longer than the ones from Ladurée.


Himmeli ornament. Scandinavian design feels especially timely around Christmas. The himmeli, a traditional Finnish Christmas decoration, is customarily hung above the dining table to ensure a good crop in the coming year. Aside from being a symbol for a family’s livelihood, these decorations are also quite beautiful. This one, from Rachel Denbow of Smile and Wave, uses geometric paper straws.


Hardware ornament. For the antithesis of the natural Christmas tree, Kate Albrecht of Mr. Kate shows us to how to make machine-age ornaments by mixing and matching painted hardware parts.


“Home sweet home” ornament. There’s no place like home for the holidays. Brittni Mehlhoff of Paper & Stitch uses graphic wallpaper samples to personalize mini houses.


Cinnamon stick tree ornament. Here’s another holiday craft from Melhoff. While these may not be the ornaments that get handed down through generations, there’s something kind of sweet about a tree on a tree. The simple shape makes these trees versatile — you could even string them as a garland or use them as a place setting. The cinnamon scent pairs nicely with that of pine.


Cactus ornament. Mandi Gubler of Vintage Revivals has created a mini desert snowscape inside classic glass ornaments. While she experimented with salt in this example, fine white sand could be a longer-lasting alternative. Plant the cuttings once the holidays are over, and your ornaments can live long after the tree is gone.


Ornament cluster. Combine store-bought globe ornaments to create a more dramatic ornament cluster. Gwen Hefner of The Makerista put about 12 gold and silver ornaments from the craft store on a piece of wire to make these easy, chic hybrids.


Faceted gemstone ornament. Diamonds at Christmas are always a welcome treat, and this piece, made with thread and wood, makes it easy to spread the wealth. Marlene Sauer of Jade and Fern offers some templates to get you started, but these graphic ornaments could easily take on any shape.


Gold-dipped ornament. Sometimes an update on a classic is all you need to give your tree new flavor. Tara from Suburble has painted porcelain ornaments with gold paint and hung them from red ribbon to dress up a basic.


Paper ball ornament. Here’s another ornament using paper and a lot of folds. If you’re already looking for ways to reuse your holiday cards or still have last year’s saved in your house, this is your project. Amy Johnson of Maker Mama shows how to make an intricate-looking ball ornament that requires only a lot of paper circles and some strategic folding.


Glitter tassel animal ornament. Who wouldn’t want to see a glittery llama hanging from the tree year after year? For A Subtle Revelry, Brittni Mehlhoff turned ordinary plastic toy animals into festive party animals using silver paint and tissue paper tassels. You don’t even need a special occasion to hang these up.


Doughnut ornament. Kelly Lanza at Studio DIY shows us that you don’t have to use green and red to be festive. This plaster of paris doughnut ornament really reimagines holiday decor, in the best way — just look at the pink tree it’s hanging on. Don’t limit yourself to pink frosting and sprinkles. Maybe consider a variety pack of doughnut ornaments, from chocolate to vanilla to something more unusual, like green tea.


Clay house ornament. Clay ornaments are a pretty classic holiday DIY project, but these ornaments by Ez Pudewa of Creature Comforts offer a little more neighborly connection. Hang one on your own tree or share with friends and neighbors to let them know you’re thinking of them. Pudewa even includes a printable template.


Log slice chalkboard ornament. The chalkboard paint trend may have peaked, but I don’t think it’s leaving soon. These log slice ornaments by Shauna Oberg of Satori Design for Living would make perfect holiday gift tags, and you can reuse them year after year.


Paper ball ornament. These paper ball ornaments from Nalle’s House add to an understated Christmas tree — or a stylish Scandinavian version of Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree.


More:
30 Beautifully Inventive DIY Christmas Decorations
4 Rustic, Romantic Christmas Ornaments to Craft in Minutes

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