If you are looking to ditch the glitter and ideas that require a PhD in crafting, we’ve got you covered with these quick and easy, DIY holiday Christmas ornaments. And a big bonus, they just so happen to have mostly eco-friendly materials and are super affordable.
As a former toddler and preschool teacher and current mom to four, I have a tree filled with dozens of handmade ornaments, and the trip down memory lane unpacking the handmade ornaments is just such a calming parenting treat amid the holiday chaos. So let’s get busy!
Please tag us on social media, @marleyandmoose.co or send us your photos in our email to share your holiday creations, we love to see them!
Paper Straw Christmas Tree
I had made this one before but spotted this one on Pinterest and LOVED that spacing the straws meant fewer straws required, less cutting, and a much more toddler-friendly craft!
Materials: jumbo craft stick (you can paint a natural wood one or buy a pack of colored sticks), paper straws (holiday party leftovers from last year are ideal), glue and string.
Directions: This should be pretty self explanatory, but cut the straws into pieces so that you have 5 to 7 pieces of increasing lengths.
Pro-Tip: If you have preschoolers, you can let them help arrange in size order before you begin as a great, fun way to be developmentally beneficial and fun! Next, glue with a bit of space between each straw, leaving room at the top for a snowflake wooden topper. Use a toddler finger between each straw for even spacing.
Wood Round Rudolph
This one could easily also be a moose… just saying. A bit more complicated for the toddler crowd but easily doable.
Materials: 2-4 inch wood round, felt, pipe cleaners, googly eyes or marker, red pom pom, and glue.
Directions: Start by bending your pipe cleaner in half and twisting the ends together, this ensures you don’t have an antler springing lose on you. Then bend it into an antler shape and glue it to the back of your wood round.
Pro-tip: Prop the antlers up on a book or plate while they dry in place.
Next, glue all around the back and attach your felt round. This will keep your antlers in place over time! Once it has set to dry for 5-10 minutes, flip it around and attach the eyes and nose to the front and of he goes! If you want to draw your own eyes with a marker this is a great personalized alternative to plastic google eyes.
Applesauce and Cinnamon Cut Outs
This one is a bit bigger on the mess scale BUT has no glitter (I did promise that part) and they smell amazing for years to come so bonus points there.
Materials: 1 cup applesauce, 1 1/4 cup cinnamon, cookie cutters, baking sheet or parchment paper, mixing bowl and hand mixer or stand mixer, poking tool, and string.
Directions: For detailed instructions, check out Baked by Rachel‘s complete instructions but it’s easy and breezy.
In a large bowl, mix the applesauce with the cinnamon. The dough should not be sticky. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on a clean surface sprinkled with more cinnamon. Yah really. The amazing smell will come through for a few years on your tree. Next, cut with your cookie cutter, and bake at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. You can re-roll dough scraps.
Pro-tip: poke small holes before you bake. This makes getting them strung up for baking a bit easier. We use a reusable chopstick but a bamboo skewer or even a pencil could do the trick.
There’s more!
Be sure to check back as we’ll be sure to add more ideas as we research and test more ideas this holiday season on our own kiddos.
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Remember to tag us on Instagram or Facebook with your creations! Tag and mention us with your creation and we’ll send you a 15% coupon to our children’s store! Any other feedback? Let us know in the comments below!
