Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments: Simple & Creative DIYs

Have you ever wished your Christmas tree felt a little more you? If yes, then you’re going to fall in love with making easy homemade Christmas ornaments this season.

And I’ll be honest—every year I told myself “this is the year I’ll finally make my own ornaments”… and every year I ended up giving up halfway. I always chose projects that were way too complicated, got overwhelmed, and lost motivation until the next Christmas rolled around.

But once I discovered these truly easy homemade Christmas ornaments, everything changed. They were simple, fun, and actually doable—finally giving me that cosy, crafty feeling I had always imagined. And from here? The sky’s the limit.

Introduction to Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

Creating your own ornaments is not just about decoration; it’s about making memories with family and friends. Plus, homemade ornaments often have more meaning than store-bought ones. They can represent milestones, like a baby’s first Christmas or a special family trip.

In this guide, you’ll discover a range of easy homemade Christmas ornaments for every skill level. From quick cookie cutter garlands to dried citrus slices and adorable gnome ornaments, you’ll find ideas that are simple, budget-friendly, and endlessly customisable.

So, gather your supplies, invite your loved ones, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of easy homemade Christmas ornaments! Get ready to unleash your creativity and fill your home with warmth and festive cheer.

Benefits of Making Homemade Ornaments

1. Personalised Christmas Ornaments That Tell a Story

Homemade ornaments give you the chance to create pieces that feel uniquely yours. You can choose colours that match your holiday style, add names or dates, or even design ornaments around family traditions. Every handmade decoration tells a story—and that’s something store-bought pieces simply can’t compete with.

2. Family Bonding Through Easy DIY Christmas Crafts

Crafting ornaments together is the perfect low-pressure, joy-filled family activity. Kids will love helping, and adults can enjoy the nostalgia of creating holiday magic together. These are the tiny moments that become big memories later.

3. Making Christmas Ornaments on a Budget

Holiday décor can get expensive—but DIY ornaments are a fun way to save money. Most materials are inexpensive, reusable, or things you probably already have at home. With a little creativity, you can decorate your entire tree beautifully without overspending.

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Essential Materials for Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

To start making your favourite easy homemade Christmas ornaments, you only need a handful of simple supplies. These basics will help you create beautiful DIY ornaments without stress, even if you’re a total beginner.

1. Basic Craft Supplies for DIY Christmas Ornaments

These everyday craft tools form the foundation of nearly all simple homemade Christmas ornaments:

• Scissors
• Glue or hot glue gun
• Ribbon or twine
• Acrylic paint
• Craft paper
• Markers or paint pens

2. Popular Ornament Bases for Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

Choose one of these beginner-friendly bases to make quick, Pinterest-worthy DIY Christmas ornaments:

• Clear fillable ornaments
• Wooden shapes
• Air-dry clay
• Ceramic ornament blanks
• Popsicle sticks

3. Decorative Add-Ons to Style Your DIY Christmas Ornaments

These little extras can turn your easy homemade Christmas ornaments into something truly unique:

• Glitter
• Beads
• Buttons
• Dried citrus or dried fruit
• Felt
• Stickers
• Pinecones
• Mini greenery sprigs

Once you’ve gathered these essentials, you’re fully ready for the fun part—creating your own beautiful, cosy, and meaningful Christmas ornaments!

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Easy DIY Ornament Ideas (Kid-Friendly + Beginner-Friendly)

Ready to make easy homemade Christmas ornaments that won’t fall apart five minutes later and are genuinely fun to create?
Here are my favourite simple ornament ideas that give you maximum “wow” with minimum effort — even if you’re not a Pinterest-perfect crafter.

1. Cookie Cutter Garland (Quite Possibly the Easiest Ornament Ever)

If you’ve ever wished for a DIY project you can finish in under two minutes… this is it. Cookie cutters instantly transform into charming, rustic easy homemade Christmas ornaments with zero stress.

Materials:
Cookie cutters, baker’s twine, small beads (optional)

Instructions:
Thread twine through the cutters, add beads if you’re feeling fancy, and hang it on your tree or mantel. Done!

Pro Tip:
Mix different shapes and sizes — it looks intentionally “designer,” even though you made it while your coffee was still hot.

2. Picture Frame Ornaments

These personalised DIY Christmas ornaments always steal the spotlight. Perfect for showcasing baby photos, family memories, or even cute pet snapshots.

Materials:
Mini frames, ribbon, printed photos

Instructions:
Insert your photo, tie on ribbon, hang it up. Instant charm.

Pro Tip:
Use black-and-white photos for that classy, boutique-holiday-store vibe. (No one needs to know the photo was taken during the chaos of school mornings.)

3. Dried Citrus Ornaments (The Ultimate Scandi Aesthetic)

These smell amazing, look beautiful, and give your home that warm, natural Scandinavian holiday glow. They’re classic homemade Christmas ornaments — with a Pinterest twist.

Materials:
Oranges or lemons, twine, parchment paper

Instructions:
Slice thinly, bake at low heat until dry, thread with twine, hang on your tree.

Pro Tip:
Sprinkle a little cinnamon on the slices before drying — suddenly your house smells like a Hallmark movie set.

4. DIY Snowflake Ornaments (Kids LOVE These)

These are perfect if you want to keep kids busy — like, actually busy — for a good 20 minutes. Simple, sparkly, and ideal beginner-friendly DIY Christmas ornaments.

Materials:
Popsicle sticks or paper, paint, glitter

Instructions:
Create snowflake shapes, glue sticks together, decorate with paint or glitter.

Pro Tip:
Let kids choose their colours freely. The more chaotic the colour combo, the cuter it looks on the tree.

5. Felt Gnome Ornaments (Whimsical & Surprisingly Easy)

They’re adorable, they get endless compliments, and they look way harder than they actually are. These gnomes might become your new signature ornament!

Materials:
Felt, faux fur, wooden bead (nose), glue

Instructions:
Shape a felt hat, glue the fur beard underneath, add the wooden bead nose, attach twine, and hang.

Pro Tip:
Use different hat colours for a “family of gnomes.” Yes — it’s as cute as it sounds.

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Tips for Making Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments with Kids

Crafting easy homemade Christmas ornaments with kids can be magical… and occasionally chaotic. But with the right approach, it becomes a fun, memory-filled activity instead of a glitter-explosion disaster. Here’s how to make ornament-making smooth, safe, and joyfully creative.

1. Choose Kid-Safe Materials for Christmas Crafts

When crafting with little hands, safety is the name of the game. Stick to non-toxic paint, washable glue, blunt scissors, and soft, lightweight materials. The goal is to have fun—not accidentally glue fingers together. (It happens. No judgment.)

Pro Tip: Skip glitter shakers and use glitter glue instead. Same sparkle, 90% less vacuuming.

2. Simple DIY Christmas Projects to Build Confidence

Kids absolutely thrive on small wins — and simple DIY Christmas ornaments are perfect for boosting their confidence. Start with projects that have clear steps and quick results, like popsicle stick stars or paper snowflakes.

Pro Tip: Let them hang their ornament first on the tree. Instant pride + instant motivation to make more.

3. How to Encourage Creativity While Crafting

The secret to magical Christmas crafts with kids? Let them take the lead! Give them options, let them pick colours, mix materials, add stickers, paint things purple… whatever makes them happy.

Pro Tip: Create a small “craft buffet” — a tray with beads, buttons, felt scraps, ribbons, stickers.
Kids love choice, and you’ll love the adorable chaos that comes from it.

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How to Store Your Homemade Christmas Ornaments Safely

After spending time creating your beautiful easy homemade Christmas ornaments, the last thing you want is to open next year’s Christmas box and find… well… glittery crumbs. Proper storage keeps your ornaments safe, organised, and ready to shine again next season.

Best Storage Boxes for Protecting DIY Ornaments

Choose sturdy, padded storage boxes to protect your more delicate DIY Christmas ornaments. Clear bins make it easier to see what’s inside, and dividers keep everything from bumping into each other during the “attic shuffle.”

Pro Tip: Reuse empty egg cartons for small ornaments — it’s cheap, surprisingly protective, and honestly kind of genius.

How to Prevent Christmas Ornaments from Breaking

Delicate ornaments appreciate a soft landing. Wrap them individually in tissue paper, bubble wrap, or soft felt scraps. Even simple homemade ornaments last longer when cushioned properly.

Pro Tip: Avoid newspaper — the ink can transfer and leave your beautiful white ornaments looking like they’ve been reading the morning news.

Organising Your Decorations for Next Year

A little organisation now = a stress-free decorating day next Christmas. Label everything clearly: “Kids’ Ornaments,” “Natural Ornaments,” “Fragile,” etc. Next December, you’ll thank your past self.

Pro Tip: Put next year’s Christmas lights on top of the box — because we all know that’s the first thing you’ll dig for and the last thing you’ll want to untangle.

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Creative Ways to Display Your Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments

Once you’ve crafted your gorgeous easy homemade Christmas ornaments, it’s time to show them off!
And trust me — your ornaments deserve more than being lost somewhere on the back of the tree. Here are some fun, creative, and totally Pinterest-worthy ways to display them.

1. Unique Places to Hang DIY Ornaments Beyond the Christmas Tree

Your ornaments don’t need to stay “tree-exclusive.” With a little imagination, almost anything can become festive décor. Door knobs, curtain rods, cabinet handles, window latches — they all make surprisingly charming display spots.

Pro Tip: Hang two or three ornaments together in little clusters. It looks intentionally styled (and hides the fact that you ran out of branches on the tree).

2. Mantel & Window Display Ideas for Homemade Ornaments

Mantels and windows are basically VIP spots for showing off your DIY Christmas ornaments. String a few ornaments on twine and drape them across the mantel, or hang them at different heights in the window for a magical floating effect.

Pro Tip:

Add fairy lights behind your ornaments in the window — they sparkle like crazy at night and look so cosy from outside, too.

3. How to Create a Festive Ornament Garland

The ornament garland is hands-down one of the easiest — yet most stunning — ways to display your creations. Just thread your favourite homemade Christmas ornaments onto ribbon or twine, then hang the garland across the staircase railing, mantel, or above a doorway.

Pro Tip:

Mix different ornament sizes for that “designer holiday décor” look. Uneven = aesthetic. Perfectly even = suspiciously store-bought.

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A Cozy Wrap-Up to Your Easy Homemade Christmas Ornaments Project

Making easy homemade Christmas ornaments is one of the simplest ways to add warmth, creativity, and personal meaning to your holiday season. These beginner-friendly DIY ideas give you quick wins, fun memories, and handmade pieces you’ll love hanging on your tree year after year.

If you enjoyed these cosy Christmas crafts, don’t stop here — explore my other festive DIYs, holiday recipes, and home-decor ideas for even more inspiration. And make sure to follow along so you never miss a new seasonal project!