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Handmade holiday sparkle
There’s something extra magical about holiday decorations made by little hands, and these ornament crafts are all about creativity, simplicity and festive fun. From sparkly keepsakes to colorful creations that brighten the tree, these DIY projects invite kids to jump in and make something they’ll be proud to display. Whether you’re looking for a rainy (or maybe even snowy!) day activity or a cozy weekend project, these easy ornament ideas bring joy, connection and a personal touch to your holiday season.
Click through to see all the crafting options, or jump to the project below you want to try today:
- Homemade gingerbread
- Waldorf stars
- Paper candles
- Tea light snowman
- Reindeer Christmas ornament
- Christmas tree craft stick ornament
- Colorful sprinkles ornament
- Dried-orange-slice ornament
- Rosemary wreath
- Mini chandeliers
- Sewed paper ornament
- Polka-dot glass ornament
- Christmas tree topper
- Bird-feeder ornament
- Paper flowers
- Snowflake pipe cleaner ornament
Up first: Homemade gingerbread
More holiday family fun:
Editor’s note: This was originally published in many years ago and was updated most recently on Dec. 3, 2025, by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. New projects were added, and all other information received a thorough fact-check.
Homemade gingerbread
Gretchen at Kumquat offers up these DIY classic cinnamon cookie-cutter ornaments — and we absolutely love that they are both simple to create and durable enough to last throughout the years! Be sure to check out Christina’s full post for the entire recipe and walk-through, and keep in mind that though they may look good enough to eat straight off the tree, these festive cinnamon-scented ornaments are just for show!
Up next: Waldorf stars
Waldorf stars
Fold and glue eight simple pieces of colored paper into a gorgeous star — a Waldorf star — that brightens up windows, walls or holiday decor. This project is easy enough for kids to help with, yet satisfying for adults too, making it a nice family crafting activity. Because the supplies are minimal (just paper and glue or tape) and the process is calm and repetitive, it’s a low-cost, low-stress way to encourage creativity and bring warmth — both literally and figuratively — into your home during the holidays. Find a step-by-step tutorial at Country Living.
Up next: Paper candles
Paper candles
We love these paper candle ornaments for our Christmas tree that use simple supplies — including small gold or copper baking cups, painted paper, glitter and glue — to mimic the look of traditional tree candles. The result is a cozy, glowing candle-look ornament that adds sparkle to your tree but without the fire hazard of real flames. The hands-on process and handmade result give this project extra sentimental value — perfect for family decorating rituals and keeping a cozy, homey holiday tradition alive. The House That Lars Built has all the details.
Up next: Tea light snowman
Tea light snowman
This project is simple, kid-friendly and quick: Kids decorate an electric tea light with felt or ribbon for a hat and scarf, draw on a face, and voilà — a glowing snowman ornament perfect for a tree or as a homemade gift. Because the tealight’s flame becomes the snowman’s “nose,” the decoration stays festive even when lit. Head to Red Ted Art for all the details.
Up next: Reindeer Christmas ornament
Reindeer Christmas ornaments
Sonia of Decoideas features these adorable homemade mini reindeer — what a great holiday project that can be used throughout your home! Easily made using upcycled toilet paper tubes (that most versatile of crafting staples), these reindeer are as simple as: 1) trace; 2) cut; 3) color. For the full scoop on how Sonia created these antlered cuties, read her post.
Up next: Christmas tree craft stick ornament
Craft stick Christmas ornament
These simple ornaments from This Grandma Is Fun are sure to be a hit with the kids. Bonus: The necessary supplies are things you probably already have on hand.
Check out Grandma’s helpful tutorial on how to make these cute trees, plus there you’ll find lots of different ideas for decorating your miniature Christmas tree.
Up next: Colorful sprinkles ornament
Colorful sprinkles
Seattle-area crafter Tsuki of Little Gray Fox presents these gorgeous DIY Christmas ornaments — check out those bright and beautiful colors! Made by adding a little bit of varnish to the inside of a clear plastic ornament and then pouring sprinkles in to coat, this bold bauble is sure to lend some colorful personality to your holiday tree.
Up next: Dried-orange-slice ornament
Dried-orange-slice ornament
Cook Quilt Make and Bake includes these dried-orange-slice ornaments as a beautiful au naturel option that packs a pleasing citrus scent throughout the holidays! And the best part: Crafty couple Sam and Phil note that for about 20 ornaments, this project cost them just $5. (Gotta love that!)
To make your own, simply slice up one to two large oranges, sprinkle on some powdered sugar for a candied stained-glass look, and cook them on low in the oven for about two to three hours to dehydrate them. Enjoy this fun and fragrant holiday project everyone can help make!
Up next: Rosemary wreath
Rosemary wreath
Another fun idea for using natural ingredients found around your home, try making mini rosemary wreaths with instructions on the blog The Cheese Thief. These cuties are perfect for quick and easy Christmas tree ornaments, wrapping paper decorations and beyond, and we know they’ll smell pretty darn fantastic, too.
Check out the full post for the complete tutorial — the options are nearly endless when it comes to all of the ways that you can decorate with these gorgeous mini wreaths!
Up next: Mini chandeliers
Mini chandeliers
Recycled art lover Diane of the blog Home Sweet Homemade shares these adorable mini chandeliers — a unique idea for jazzing up this year’s holiday tree!
To get started, you’ll want to have some wire, string and beads or buttons on hand. Check out the rest of Diane’s process in the full post for more info — and to see her ingenious workaround for manipulating the wire without using any tools.
Up next: Sewed paper ornament
Sew much fun
Looking to reuse those leftover materials piling up on the craft table? Consider making these quick and easy paper ornaments featured on the blog Elsie Marley.
Though Elsie made hers with some free Martha Stewart paint samples from the hardware store, she also recommends using leftover holiday cards from years past or colorful cardstock (even scraps of felt will do, if that’s what you have on hand). Your kids will love reconstructing classic holiday icons such as Frosty and Christmas trees from simple shapes, and all that’s needed is a zip through the sewing machine to finish them off before hanging.
Up next: Polka-dot glass ornament
Polka-dot glass
Creative in Chicago shows off these gorgeous polka-dot Christmas ornaments. You will not believe how incredibly easy they are to create! To make your own, pick up a pack of glass ornaments from your local craft store and get to work applying plenty of colorful spots.
Perfect for your family’s Christmas tree or even as inexpensive holiday gifts, these neat DIY orbs are a fantastic craft project for young kids to help create.
Up next: Christmas tree topper
Tree topper
In need of a quick and easy Christmas tree topper? Don’t miss out on All Things Paper’s sweet and shiny gold TP roll star! This festive star is constructed using four cardboard tubes cut into segments, with an overall shimmering coat of gold paint.
To see the exact dimensions needed to create a similar star, check out the complete tutorial.
Up next: Bird-feeder ornament
Bird-feeder ornament
Looking to treat your favorite neighborhood birdies to some Christmas treats this year? These lovely bird-feeder ornaments featured on One Little Project are perfect for just that, and they’re darn cute to boot! Mom Katie admits that though this project may be a bit messy, it’s also one of the most fun, as well as “incredibly simple, gratifyingly mushy and very forgiving.”
Up next: Paper flowers
Paper flowers
Jessica of How About Orange always has the best ideas when it comes to creating paper ornaments, and these quick homemade paper flowers definitely don’t disappoint! Made using colorful and cheap computer paper, the flowers only require a bit of folding, a staple, tape and invisible thread for hanging.
Check out the rest of her pictorial for the full rundown on getting started.
Up next: Snowflake pipe cleaner ornament
Snowflake sparkle
Got pipe cleaners, beads and scissors on hand? Round up your favorite young crafters and get to work creating these easy homemade snowflakes featured on Alpha Mom. Perfect for small hands (though you’ll want to be careful with the beads), these fun ornaments are inexpensive to create and offer a great introduction to making ornaments with tots. Plus, they’ll look fabulous on your tree throughout the holidays — a winner of a project by all measures!
