Heirloom Hearth

The holiday season is a special time for making memories and traditions. This year, why not start a new tradition by crafting simple Christmas ornaments with your kids? These DIY decorations can become a family tradition, making your home a cozy place filled with handmade holiday joy.

Why Crafting Christmas Ornaments Creates Lasting Family Traditions

Making Christmas ornaments with your kids is more than a fun holiday activity. It’s a great way to start lasting family traditions and make memories that last. This activity helps your family feel closer and builds strong bonds that will be remembered for years.

The Psychological Benefits of Creative Family Time

Doing creative things together as a family is very good for your mental health. Working on a project like making Christmas ornaments together makes you feel closer and proud of what you’ve done. It helps your family feel like they belong together and strengthens your bond.

How Handmade Ornaments Strengthen Family Bonds

Creating handmade Christmas ornaments is not just fun; it also makes your family closer. Each ornament is a symbol of the hard work and love put into it by every family member. These ornaments remind you of the special times you’ve shared and the traditions you’re building together.

“Crafting Christmas ornaments together is a wonderful way to create lasting family traditions and cherish the memory-making experience with your loved ones.”

Essential Materials and Supplies for DIY Christmas Ornaments

Making your own Christmas ornaments can be fun for the whole family. You’ll need some basic craft supplies and DIY materials to start. With these items, you can create special holiday decorations that will be treasured for years.

First, get some kid-friendly craft tools. A good glue gun, sharp scissors, and different paintbrushes are a must. These tools will help you make a variety of ornament-making kits.

Craft Supply	Description	Recommendation
Felt	Versatile material for cutting shapes and creating textured ornaments	100% wool felt or eco-friendly felt made from recycled materials
Craft Glue	Permanent adhesive for securing decorative elements	Non-toxic, child-safe craft glue
Decorative Embellishments	Ribbons, pom-poms, sequins, and other trimmings to personalize ornaments	Sustainable, natural decorations whenever possible

The fun of making DIY Christmas ornaments is in the creativity and time spent together. With the right craft supplies and DIY materials, you and your kids can make unique, special holiday decorations. These will be treasured for years to come.

“Crafting Christmas ornaments with my kids is a tradition I cherish. It’s a time to bond, get creative, and create keepsakes that will be passed down for generations.”

Whether you make simple cut-outs or detailed paper art, the fun of paper crafts and card stock ornaments with your family will become a special holiday tradition.

Making Christmas ornaments with your children isn’t just about decorating the tree – it’s about creating cherished memories and handmade keepsakes that can be passed down for generations. Each year, as you pull these ornaments from their boxes, you’ll remember the fun and creativity shared as a family. Here are some simple and timeless Christmas ornaments that you and your children can make together and treasure forever.

1. Handprint Salt Dough Ornaments

Supplies:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water
• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutters (optional)
• Acrylic paints and brushes
• Ribbon

Instructions:
Mix the flour, salt, and water to create a dough. Roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Help your child press their hand into the dough to leave an imprint. If desired, use cookie cutters to shape the dough around the handprint. Poke a small hole at the top for the ribbon, then bake at 200°F for 2-3 hours, or until fully hardened. Once cool, paint and decorate the handprints. Write the year on the back, and tie with a ribbon for hanging.

Tip: These ornaments are a great yearly tradition. Create a new handprint each year to see how much your child has grown!

2. Pinecone Snowy Owls

Supplies:

• Pinecones
• Cotton balls or white craft cotton
• Googly eyes
• Felt or craft foam
• Glue

Instructions:
Let your child stuff bits of cotton between the pinecone scales to create a snowy effect. Attach googly eyes near the top with glue. Cut small beak and wing shapes from felt or craft foam and glue them on. These cozy little owls add a woodland touch to the tree, and each one will have its own personality based on your child’s imagination!

Tip: If you have different types of pinecones, make an owl family!

3. Cinnamon Stick Stars

Supplies:

• 5 cinnamon sticks per star
• Hot glue gun (parental assistance needed)
• Twine
• Star anise (optional)

Instructions:
Arrange the cinnamon sticks into a star shape and hot glue them together at the ends. Wrap twine around each junction for extra support and a rustic look. For a special touch, glue a star anise at the center. Tie a loop of twine at the top to hang. These natural ornaments smell amazing and add a lovely, earthy look to the tree.

Tip: If you’re making several, consider gifting them to friends or family with a note about their origin as a family project.

4. Button Wreath Ornaments

Supplies:

• Green and red buttons (in varying sizes)
• Craft wire
• Ribbon

Instructions:
Help your child thread buttons onto a piece of wire, arranging them in a circle to form a wreath shape. Twist the wire ends together and shape it into a neat circle. Finish by tying a ribbon bow at the top and creating a loop to hang the wreath. These colorful ornaments are quick to make, and the different shapes and textures of the buttons make them extra charming.

Tip: If you have special buttons from family clothing, incorporate those to make it even more sentimental.

5. Photo Frame Ornaments

Supplies:

• Mini photo frames or wooden frame cutouts
• Photos of your child or family moments
• Acrylic paint and brushes
• Glitter or stickers (optional)
• Ribbon

Instructions:
Let your child paint and decorate the frames. Once dry, cut photos to fit the frames and insert them. Attach a ribbon at the top to hang on the tree. Each year, you can add a new photo frame ornament to document your family’s holiday memories over time.

Tip: Write the year on the back of each frame as a way to remember each holiday season.

6. Popsicle Stick Reindeer

Supplies:

• 3 popsicle sticks per reindeer
• Brown paint or markers
• Googly eyes
• Red pom-poms for noses
• Ribbon

Instructions:
Create a triangle with the popsicle sticks and glue them together. Paint or color the sticks brown. Once dry, glue on googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose for Rudolph. Tie a ribbon at the top to hang. This classic ornament is simple and fun for kids of all ages to personalize!

Tip: Use small twigs for antlers, adding a more natural look to the reindeer.

7. Beaded Candy Cane Ornaments

Supplies:

• Red and white pony beads
• Pipe cleaners (white or red)

Instructions:
Twist one end of the pipe cleaner into a small loop to prevent beads from sliding off. Let your child alternate threading red and white beads onto the pipe cleaner to create a candy cane pattern. Once the pipe cleaner is full, bend it into a candy cane shape and twist the end to secure. These ornaments are great for little hands to practice fine motor skills and add a pop of color to the tree.

Tip: Try creating other shapes with different bead colors, like stars or hearts.

8. Yarn-Wrapped Stars

Supplies:

• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Yarn in various colors
• Glitter glue or stickers (optional)

Instructions:
Cut star shapes from the cardboard. Let your child wrap yarn around each star until the cardboard is fully covered. Secure the end of the yarn with a dab of glue. Decorate with glitter glue or stickers if desired. These ornaments look beautifully handmade and can be customized with any color yarn to fit your holiday theme.

Tip: Use different yarn textures, like chunky or sparkly, to add variety to the ornaments.