If you’re looking for easy DIY Christmas crafts to make this holiday season, homemade ornaments are the perfect project to add to your Christmas bucket list. They’re inexpensive, beginner-friendly, and full of personal charm – not to mention a fun way to spend a cozy afternoon with family or friends.
Whether you prefer rustic, elegant, or colorful designs, these DIY Christmas ornaments will help you create a festive tree filled with personality and warmth. So get out your hot glue and start making!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. You can see our full Disclosure Policy here.
1. Cinnamon Stick Star Ornaments
A simple rustic Christmas ornament idea. To make these cinnamon stick star ornaments, arrange five cinnamon sticks into a star shape, glue the ends together, and tie on twine. Add a small ribbon bow or greenery sprig for a farmhouse-style touch.
2. Salt Dough Ornaments
Mix 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and ¾ cup water. Add some food coloring if you like. Roll out the dough, use cookie cutters for shapes, bake at 250°F until dry (about 2 hours), and paint or stamp designs. A perfect kid-friendly Christmas craft.
3. Dried Orange Slices
Bake thin orange slices at 200°F until dry (2-4 hours). String them with twine or use a hook for a natural Christmas ornament that smells amazing.
4. Pinecone Elves
Make these pinecone elves with a pine cone, a wooden ball, and felt hats. Use a marker to draw the face, and add a hanging loop for a whimsical woodland Christmas ornament.
5. Paper Snowflakes
To make paper snowflakes, fold and cut paper into snowflake shapes. Add glitter for shimmer. A quick budget-friendly Christmas craft.
6. Wood Slice Ornaments
Paint or wood-burn messages onto small wood slices – make your own or buy pre-sliced wood slices. There are so many design ideas! Drill a hole and hang with twine or ribbon. These wood slice ornaments are perfect if you’re looking for a rustic tree ornament look.
7. Mini Wreaths
Wrap pipe cleaners, faux greenery or Christmas ribbon around mason jar rings. Add a bow and hang – an adorable mini wreath ornament.
8. Button Tree Ornament
Stack green buttons on wire in a tree shape. Top with a star-shaped button or bead for a colorful handmade ornament.
9. Felt Gingerbread Men
Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut two brown felt shapes. Decorate the front with white fabric paint or embroidery thread for icing, add buttons on the torso, eyes, and a tiny red nose. Sew the pieces together with a running stitch, leaving a gap. Lightly stuff with cotton or felt scraps through the gap, then sew the gap closed. Sew or glue a ribbon to hang and you have a cute felt Christmas ornament.
10. Scrabble Tile Words
Glue Scrabble tiles spelling out family names or seasonal words like “PEACE”, “JOY” or “NOEL” on ribbon or paint sticks or popsicle sticks. Perfect for a personalized ornament craft.
11. Mason Jar Lid Ornaments
Use mason jar lids and rings. Use a lid as a template to cut Christmas themed wrapping paper, fabric or glitter paper to size. Glue the pieces to both sides of the lid and tie on a ribbon or twine to the ring to hang. Then, glue the lid onto the ring for a vintage Christmas ornament.
12. Photo Ornaments
Paint a layer of modge podge onto wood slices and use it to glue on the cut to size printed photo. Let it dry and then coat the photo with another layer of modge podge. Once dry, decorate edges with ribbon or glitter and add twine to hang. Great for DIY family photo ornaments.
13. Twine Ball Ornaments
Wrap glue-coated twine around a small balloon, let it dry, then pop the balloon. Add more twine or ribbon to hang and a small bow for a beautiful rustic Christmas decoration.
14. Beaded Snowflakes
All you need for this beaded snowflake Christmas ornament craft is some 28 gauge wire, glass beads and some needle nose pliers. Finish by twisting a loop for hanging, and you have an elegant Christmas ornament.
15. Beaded Candy Cane
Following the beaded theme, these candy cane ornaments are easy to make festive decorations. All you need to do is thread red and white beads on a pipe cleaner and shape it into a candy cane. You can add a bow or some ribbon for extra color – a fun kids Christmas ornament idea.
16. Pom-Pom Reindeer
Hot glue googly eyes, a small red pom pom nose, and pipe cleaner antlers to brown pom-poms. Don’t forget to glue on a pipe cleaner hanger loop for a quick cute Christmas ornament DIY idea.
17. Book Page Paper Stars
Get your origami on with this book page paper star ornament. All you need is some pages out of a book or old maps, scissors, a ruler and some twine for a truly vintage DIY Christmas ornament.
18. Mini Gift Box Ornaments
This is such a simple homemade Christmas ornament idea! Wrap small boxes in festive paper and ribbon, then hang. Perfect for a gift-themed tree decoration.
19. Yarn Wrapped Stars
Use a star cookie-cutter to trace and cut a star pattern on cardboard. Wrap the cardboard stars in Christmasy yarn and secure the ends with hot glue. Add some twine or more yarn as a hanger for a cozy homemade Christmas ornament.
20. Fabric Scrap Baubles
Cover foam balls with fabric scraps and Mod Podge for an eco-friendly Christmas ornament.
21. Popsicle Stick Ornaments
These easy DIY popsicle stick ornaments are an easy Christmas craft for kids. As long as you have a supply of popsicle sticks and some basic crafting supplies, the possibilities are endless (and fun!).
22. Snow Globe Ornaments
Paint the outside of a clear glass spice jar with clear glitter nail polish and let it dry. Secure tiny holiday-themed objects on the bottom with hot glue and let dry. Add a layer of kosher salt to the bottom of the jar to simulate snow. Poke a couple of holes in the lid and thread ribbon or twine through the holes and tie as a hanger.
23. Painted Acorn Ornaments
Paint acorn tops gold or silver and then paint the nut with the Christmas color of your choice. Let dry completely, then secure a thread loop with hot glue. A beautiful nature-inspired ornament.
24. Snowy Pine Cones
Spray pine cones with snow spray for a snow-covered pinecone ornament, then tie some twine to hang. These can not only be used as tree decorations, but can also be used in other Christmas DIY home decor applications like table centerpieces.
25. Burlap Stars
Use a star cookie cutter to trace and cut 2 stars from burlap. Sew the pieces together with a running stitch, leaving a gap. Lightly stuff with cotton or felt scraps through the gap, then sew the gap closed. Add lace or beads and add a twine hanger loop for a rustic farmhouse ornament.
26. Cork Reindeer
These cute little cork reindeer can be used as tree ornaments or on mantels and in centerpieces. Use wine corks for the body, smaller corks for legs, and add twig antlers. A creative recycled Christmas ornament idea.
27. Paper Chain Garland
These adorable Christmas paper chain garlands are made from ordinary construction paper! Once the rings are linked, all you need for the reindeer, snowman or santa are basic craft materials like googly eyes, buttons, pom poms and twigs. This is a simple kid’s Christmas decoration idea that will make them proud!
28. Sequin Balls
Attach sequins onto a foam ball with sequin pins for a sparkling glam Christmas ornament DIY.
29. Crochet Snowflakes
Use one of these snowflake crochet patterns and stiffen with starch for a classic handmade Christmas ornament like your Grandmother used to make.
30. Rustic Twig Stars
All you need is five pieces of thin twigs that are the same length and some twine. Here’s a tutorial for how to make a simple twig star to make your own country Christmas ornament.
31. Cookie Cutter Frames
A few basic supplies like a cookie cutter, a photo, some ribbon and cute scrapbook paper are all you need for this DIY cookie cutter ornament. Perfect for photo Christmas ornaments, but you could use any Christmas themed paper you like for the inside of the frame.
32. Mini Mitten Ornaments
Cute Christmas mitten ornaments are not hard to make – even for beginners! Sew or glue felt mitten shapes and decorate with trim for a cute felt ornament craft.
33. Glitter Feather Ornaments
Glue, feathers and glitter are the basics for a gold and glitter feather ornament. This delicate boho Christmas ornament can also be used as an ornamental gift topper.
34. Wood Bead Snowmen
These wood bead snowmen are quick and easy to make. Paint wooden beads, add buttons, faces, and hats then string them together. Add the scarf to finish it off. An easy Scandinavian ornament idea.
35. Confetti Filled Ornaments
Fill clear plastic ornaments with confetti or tissue paper shapes for a fun and festive DIY ornament.
36. Macramé Snowflakes
Use simple knots to create patterns on metal rings for a modern handmade ornament. This macramé snowflake ornament tutorial will walk you through it – and has more macramé ornament ideas.
37. Nature-Inspired Terrarium Ornaments
If you’re missing gardening and wanting a woodland Christmas ornament look, these DIY terrarium ornaments will fit the bill. Fill clear ornaments with pine sprigs, faux snow, and tiny pinecones for a woodland Christmas ornament look.
38. Jingle Bell Clusters
Tie several jingle bells onto ribbon and knot them together. They make a fun, musical DIY Christmas tree ornament.
39. Ribbon Scrap Ornaments
Cut ribbon scraps into short pieces and tie them onto a stick or wire in a tree shape. A simple Christmas craft using leftovers.
40. Seashell Ornaments
Collect shells, paint them white or gold, and add a hanging loop. Or thread them into a garland. Perfect for coastal Christmas decor or a beach-themed tree ornament.
From rustic pinecones and cinnamon stars to glittery snowflakes and twine balls, these easy DIY Christmas ornaments prove that decorating your tree doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. With just a few supplies and a little creativity, you can create handmade Christmas decorations that feel personal, festive, and totally unique. You could even sell them at your local Christmas craft fair!
Whether you’re crafting for fun, gifting loved ones, to sell at a Christmas market, or looking for DIY Christmas decorations on a budget, these 40 ideas offer something for every style – from cozy farmhouse to coastal to elegant modern.