75 Easy DIY Christmas Ornaments That Make Great Gifts (2024)

Use sharp scissors to cut simple house silhouette's from leather scraps. Then, grab some white paint and a thin paint brush, and get to work decorating. It's a fun group project, since each one will turn out slightly different.

Get the tutorial at The Merry Thought.

SHOP LEATHER

If perfection is your goal, use a cutting machine and iron-on vinyl to make these graphic Christmas ornaments. But if speed is your goal, letter stickers work, too. In that case, simply stretch holiday-themed fabric over an embroidery hoop, secure, and stick those letters on.

Get the tutorial at Happy Go Lucky Blog.

SHOP CRICUT

This retro gumball machine ornament will look particularly good on a novelty tree, including white or pale pink. It's easy: Simply fill a clear ornament with colored marbles, then cut cardstock and glue onto the ornament.

Get the tutorial at Aww Sam.

SHOP CLEAR BALL ORNAMENT

This DIY Christmas ornament is a joint effort between you and the kids. Have them draw a seasonal picture that you can transfer onto wooden slices. Just cut out the drawing and then apply it to the wooden slice using a decoupage technique. Bonus: It makes a great Christmas gift for grandparents.

Get the tutorial at Crafting Cheerfully.

SHOP WOOD SLICE ORNAMENTS

Who says you have to go traditional? Invest in a little felt to create this slightly out there, but super fun food-themed DIY ornament that makes the perfect quirky gift. There's no perfection required—simply use sharp scissors to cut out the rough shapes, then glue everything together.

Get the tutorial at Aww Sam.

SHOP FELT

Yes, you can use the bits of broken crayon littering your craft bin into unique homemade ornaments that really shine. Simply melt the crayons down in a silicone bowl, then pour into a clear ornament and swirl around.

Get the tutorial at Happy Go Lucky Blog.

SHOP CRAYONS

Your heart will grow at least two sizes watching how much fun your kids have assembling this glittered movie-themed ornament. It's a relatively simple project—all you have to do is stuff the inside with tissue paper, apply glue to the ornament in a heart shape, and sprinkle the glitter on. Finish the whole thing with some red and white baker's twine.

Get the tutorial at Happiness Is Homemade.

SHOP GREEN TISSUE PAPER

A standard beauty supply like nail polish can help give DIY Christmas ornaments a Pinterest-worthy marbled look. The technique is unique—you pour the nail polish over water, then swirl and dunk the ornament to create a cool design.

Get the tutorial at Alice and Lois.

SHOP NAIL POLISH

You don't actually need any glass to make this cool and colorful ornament—just some plexiglass, lead strips, and paint.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.

SHOP PLEXIGLASS

If you have a host of cookie cutters you rarely use, repurpose few. Simply wrap them with some twine or fabric and secure with a little craft glue.

Get the tutorial at A Spoonful of Sugar Designs.

SHOP GINGHAM RIBBON

If your hand-lettering skills are up to snuff, these painted wood slices are easy to recreate. If not, use a stencil or a cutting machine to achieve the same look. Either way, apply a coat of white paint to the wood slice, then write (or stencil) your favorite holiday-themed phrase.

Get the tutorial at Dream a Little Bigger.

SHOP STENCILS

Not too crafty? This project's heavy lifting is in making photo selects, not gluing and pasting. Once you have the images you want, simply print them onto heavy-duty photo paper and stick them in between your tree's branches.

Get the tutorial at Delia Creates.

SHOP PHOTO PAPER

A single page of green construction paper yields a handful of evergreen wreaths for your tree. To make the task easier for little hands, cut out and assemble the wreath, then let them add the decorations—ribbons, sequins, and more.

Get the tutorial at Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom.

SHOP CONSTRUCTION PAPER

Who would ever expect the humble clothespin to serve as the perfect canvas for an adorable (and easy) Christmas ornament? To make the adorable antlers, just twist pipe cleaner around a pen.

Get the tutorial at One Little Project.

SHOP CLOTHESPINS

Incorporate some natural elements into your Christmas decor by painting a handful of fanciful (and clean) feathers.

Get the tutorial at The Paper Mama.

SHOP FEATHERS

Use chalkboard paint to create a DIY ornament that the kids can alter as frequently as they change their minds (very frequently, as any parent can attest).

Get the tutorial at A Night Owl Blog.

SHOP CHALKBOARD PAINT

Infuse your tree with a hefty dose of personality by crafting bright yellow emoji-themed ornaments. Once you spray paint the ornaments yellow, make quick work of assembling the faces with stick-on vinyl.

Get the tutorial at Aww Sam.

Here's a fun idea: Assemble DIY ornament kits as Christmas gifts for friends and family members. Tuck everything they need—a circular lip balm, metal studs, a tassel, and some craft glue—into a tiny bakery box with a holiday greeting that includes simple instructions.

Get the tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.

SHOP LIP BALM

An unexpected craft supply—an empty paper towel or toilet paper tube—serves as the base for this pretty poinsettia ornament.

Get the tutorial at One Little Project.

SHOP RED PAINT

Send the kids outside to collect pinecones, then beautify them with a layer of paint and a touch of gold leaf.

Get the tutorial at From China Village.

SHOP GOLD LEAF KIT