DIY Tree Decorating

I love to decorate for Christmas! Unlike some, our home doesn’t have a colour scheme or a character theme of snowmen or reindeer. We have lots of odds and ends from many Boxing Day sales over the years and the seasonal artwork of our now teenage daughters.

I think this is why I love homemade ornaments. Years of memories that cover our Christmas tree and have no rhyme or reason other than they were made with love (and maybe an argument or two as my girls entered the teenage years). For that reason, I’ve gathered a list of my favourite homemade Christmas tree ornaments for you to try with your friends and family this season.

Brush Stroke Ornaments – you will need to purchase plain white ornaments (any shape you like) as well as a couple small paint brushes and a variety of colours of paint. You can find lots of these items, including paint brushes at various Dollar Store locations. Brush the paint on the decorations in a pattern or randomly – whatever suits your style. Hang a ribbon on the top and arrange on your tree.

Glittery Leaf – for this decoration you will need cardstock, glitter, white glue, and a ribbon. Cut two leaf shapes from the cardstock and cover them with glitter. Once the glitter is dry place a ribbon in between the 2 leaves and glue them together. We’ve also done this ornament using a real leaf! We have a Maple tree in our backyard and the beautiful shape of this tree’s leaf is perfect for this ornament. 

Cinnamon Ornaments – If you love the smell of cinnamon these ornaments are a must! I’ve tried a couple recipes and the one that works the best for me is from Pillsbury:

• 1 (4-oz.) can (approximately 1 cup) cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cloves
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons white glue
• 1 drinking straw
• Ribbon

In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue; stir to combine. Work mixture with hands for 2 to 3 minutes or until dough is smooth and ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Roll out each portion to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough with 2-inch cookie cutters of desired shapes.

Using a drinking straw or toothpick, make a small hole in the top of each ornament. Place cutouts on wire racks; allow to dry at room temperature for several days. Insert a ribbon through the hole in each ornament.

Popsicle Stick Ornaments – the possibilities are endless when you have popsicle sticks, glue, and paint! Add in googly eyes, beads, pipe cleaners and pom poms and you can take your decorations to the next level. Simply arrange the sticks into whatever shape you desire – tree, snowflake, star, reindeer, etc. and glue them together. Once dried you can paint the ornament and glue on the additions.

I hope that this blog inspires you to make your own Christmas tree ornaments. All the supplies listed can be found at most grocery and dollar stores in your neighborhood. Make sure to search on Mysask411 if you’re looking for a craft store that is new to you.

Happy Christmas ornament making!

-Sarah Elchuk is a Product Consultant on the Revenue Growth team at Directwest