DIY Holiday Decor: 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments

Christmas is right around the corner! The holidays always seem to fly by way too fast so, this year, I’ve resolved to be really intentional about celebrating the season. One of the ways I’ve planned to do that is by picking 12 activities that I want to do with my family to make this season extra special.

I have a two-year-old daughter, and I am seeing this holiday season anew through her eyes. I’m excited to pass on some of the traditions I have from my childhood, but I am also looking forward to making new traditions of our own. My hope is that doing some of these things together, like making DIY decorations, will help us form memories and traditions that will become a part of our future holidays.

• White felt
• Liquid glue
• Ribbon
• Gold glitter pen
• Jar lid (to trace circles)
• Scissors

Full disclosure:I started this project with the intention to string these onto a tree trimming or a branch and hanging that from the ceiling on either side, which is why you see that trimming and ceiling hook in the photo above. Ultimately, I decided to go with making them into ornaments for our Christmas tree because they looked like little snowballs and it seemed perfect for our tree. I say all this to suggest that you could use these to decorate your home in whatever way you see fit!

1. Use the jar lid to trace circles on to the white felt. Make 24 circles and cut them out.
2. Take 12 of those circles and prepare to cut slits in each of them. Fold each one in half, and then cut perpendicular to that fold line, but not all the way to the end. (See below)

4. Cut ribbon to desired length and put both ends inside the circle with the glue.

5. Apply a circle with the slit onto the glue and press together for a few minutes.

6. Number each one from 1 to 12 using the gold glitter pen. Let it dry.

7. Write each activity on a piece of paper and slip them into the circles through the slits.

8. Hang them up! Each day you are going to do an activity, pick up an ornament and take out the piece of paper to read what activity you’ll be doing. Your kids will love it!

Here are the 12 things I picked for our holiday activities:

1. Make and decorate gingerbread cookies
2. Pick out a gift with my daughter to donate a child who might not otherwise get a gift this year
3. Sing Christmas carols and hymns together
4. Go look at Christmas lights in our city
5. Make an ornament to add to the Christmas tree
6. Read stories that relay the meaning of Christmas
7. Listen and dance around the house to the Nutcracker
8. Help my daughter pick out a small gift from her for her dad
9. Make a gingerbread house
10. Dress up and take a family photo
11. Make a wreath
12. Drink hot cocoa and make paper snowflakes to string up

What are some of the ways that you will celebrate the holidays this month?