A long time ago, Christmas trees were decorated on Christmas Eve. The magic of Christmas morning was seeing the tree glimmering with lights and décor. Most of the ornaments were handmade and passed down from generation to generation. Looking at my tree this holiday season, I see ornaments that have been in my family for many years.
Velvet balls hang low to the floor, each decorated with vintage trims and jewelry pieces that one cannot find in stores. They were created by my Grandmother. She was very ill when she made these and didn’t live much longer. These were strung across my playpen to entertain me as she and my mom crafted away. Every year when I place them on the tree I think of her and how beautiful these ornaments are. She loved to make things as much as I do.
Like many of you, I have ornaments made by my children -- reindeer made from toilet paper tubes and bells made from egg cartons. Each one hangs on the tree with a date and a name to identify the wee crafter. As I hang these little ornaments, they remind me how quickly my children have grown. It seems like only yesterday they came home from school bursting with pride to show the ornament they had made for our tree. Time goes so fast.
I have dozen of ornaments crafted by my mom and her friends. Hand-chalked Joan Walsh Anglund figurines that I can remember watching the ladies create at one of their craft gatherings. Little sewn mice that my mom decided to create because she loved the ones a friend brought her from England. There are nutshell babies and clothespin soldiers covered in felt, ice cream cones with tissue flavors, and wheat woven stars hanging on my tree. Each ornament holds treasured memories from my own childhood.
With all these memories flooding my head, it made me want to have my own ornaments to pass on to my children. Each holiday we create an ornament and make it together. When that box is unpacked and opened, I see my own children elbowing each other out of the way to unwrap and hang their creations. These ornaments are more valuable than any of the store-bought ones.
Enjoy a few ideas to create dazzling ornaments with your family.
You will be amazed at how little they cost and that most of the supplies you probably have already.
Sugarplums:
You will need glue, spice gum drops, and Styrofoam balls. Adhere all the spice candy around the ball and use a pipe cleaner for a hanger. This is a heavy ornament for your tree. Start with small Styrofoam balls. With any extra spice gum drops left over, string them with fishing line to create a sugary sweet garland. This décor is so cute on a little dollar store Christmas tree. Think about a kitchen tree created with sweets. I found the spice gum drops in the candy area of the dollar store. That was a bonus in my budget!
Button and Pasta Snowflakes:
Head to your kitchen cabinets for Popsicle sticks and pasta, gather buttons from the junk drawer, and you are ready to create unique snowflakes. Criss-cross your Popsicle sticks to create the base for your snowflakes and allow them to dry. Glue buttons or pasta to cover the Popsicle sticks. Use colorful buttons with children. The primary colors look amazing on a white Christmas tree. You can find buttons in containers or plastic bags in craft stores for under $5 usually. Bring in your 40% off coupon for additional savings. I am sure everyone will be delighted to lick all those Popsicles for this craft, but you can purchase Popsicle sticks at craft stores. They are generally found in the wood section of the craft store and are inexpensive. If you glue pasta to your Popsicle stick, then spray paint the craft once it is dry with metallic paint. Use colors of coral for a themed holiday ocean tree.
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Newspaper Snowflakes:
With the cardboard from a cereal box and the Sunday newspaper, you can create ornaments that look like they are from a very long time ago. If you love the vintage look, cover a cardboard with newspaper and cut out your snowflake shape. Add clear glitter to the newspaper and decorate the ornament by rolling additional newspaper or adding greenery. These will glimmer once the lights shine on them.
Cookie Cutter Animals:
Use your cookie cutters to trace shapes on cardboard (cereal boxes or shoe boxes). Add glitter and you have created a magical world of lovely creatures. Embellish each one if you would like or leave them plain. For the young or old, this is a craft that it simple yet dazzling. Think about using silhouette photos of each family member. Cut them from the cardboard and glitter the silhouettes. It will be an ornament treasure every year.
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Each of these homemade ornament ideas do not cost much to create, but the memories created by making these together are priceless.
Happy Holidays!
~Kara (Studio Pink)