7 DIY Christmas Ornaments to Make for Your Tree

There’s something special about decorating the Christmas tree with handmade ornaments. They add personality, bring back memories, and make your holiday decorations feel a little more personal.
If you enjoy crafting and adding a handmade touch to your Christmas decor, I’ve gathered seven DIY Christmas ornament ideas from projects here at Domestically Designed. From sentimental photo ornaments to rustic wood slice creations, chalkboard designs, and even an ornament filled with a festive surprise, there’s a little something for different decorating styles.

7 handmade DIY Christmas ornament ideas for decorating your tree

Whether you’re making ornaments for your own tree, creating a thoughtful handmade gift, or looking for a fun Christmas craft, these ideas are worth adding to your holiday project list!

1. Tissue Paper Printed Christmas Ornaments

Want to make an ornament that’s a little more personal? These Tissue Paper Printed Christmas Ornaments are a sweet way to display favorite photos of family members, pets, or someone special.

Tissue Paper Printed Christmas Ornaments make a great, sentimental gift - an easy Christmas craft that's budget friendly too.

I used pictures of our fur babies, Ona and Mittens, for my ornaments, but you could easily use family photos, children’s pictures, or even a favorite memory from the year.

The process uses tissue paper, a printer, wooden ornaments, and Mod Podge to transfer your photo onto the ornament. I also added a little holly and berries for a festive finishing touch.

These personalized Christmas ornaments would make thoughtful keepsakes and handmade gifts for family and friends.

Get the Tissue Paper Printed Christmas Ornament Tutorial

2. Burlap and Plaid Christmas Ornaments

If you love a rustic farmhouse Christmas look, these Burlap and Plaid Christmas Ornaments are a simple way to add some cozy texture to your tree.

Rustic Christmas ornaments wrapped in burlap and finished with plaid bows

This project starts with a basic ornament bulb. A square of burlap is gathered around the ornament and secured near the top with twine. Then a pretty Christmas plaid bow is added to finish it off.

That’s it! You don’t need a lot of supplies or complicated steps to create this charming ornament.

I love the combination of natural burlap and classic Christmas plaid. These handmade ornaments would also make sweet little gifts for neighbors, teachers, friends, and family.

Get the Burlap and Plaid Christmas Ornament Tutorial

3. Peppermint Bath Salt Ornament Gift Idea

Here’s an ornament idea that’s a little different from the rest! These Peppermint Bath Salt Ornaments are filled with homemade bath salts instead of traditional Christmas decorations.

Clear Christmas ornaments filled with layered red and white peppermint bath salts

The bath salts are made with Epsom salt, baking soda, and peppermint essential oil. A little red food coloring creates a festive red-and-white candy cane look, and the mixture is layered inside clear plastic ornament bulbs.

Add a sprig of greenery and a pretty baker’s twine bow, and you’ve got a fun little holiday gift.

These are especially cute for teachers, friends, or anyone who enjoys a relaxing bath. You can even attach a small tag with instructions for using the bath salts.

Get the Peppermint Bath Salt Ornament Tutorial

4. Mini Chalkboard Wreath Ornaments

These Mini Chalkboard Wreaths are another fun project that can do double duty during the holidays. They make adorable gift tags, but they’re also small enough to use as Christmas ornaments.

Mini chalkboard wreath ornaments made with wooden tags and faux greenery

The project uses wooden tags, faux boxwood garland, chalkboard paint, and baker’s twine. Once the center of the wooden tag is painted and dry, simply attach the greenery around the edge to create a tiny wreath.

The best part is adding your own message! Use a chalk pen to write a name, a short Christmas greeting, or a little holiday drawing.

You can personalize each one to match the recipient or your Christmas decorating style. I think these would look especially cute hanging on a tree or tied onto a wrapped gift.

Get the Mini Chalkboard Wreath Tutorial

5. Rustic Wood Painted Christmas Ornaments

If you love the natural look of wood slice ornaments, these Rustic Wood Painted Christmas Ornaments are a fun way to add a little handmade charm to your Christmas tree.

Rustic wood slice Christmas ornaments decorated with hand-painted trees, snowflakes, and snowmen

I made these with my oldest daughter, and one of the things I love about this project is that the ornaments don’t have to be perfect. The natural knots and bark around the wood slices add to their rustic charm.

We used birch wood slices, acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and paint pens to create several different Christmas designs. We made a little Christmas tree with twinkling white lights, a simple white snowflake, a cheerful snowman, and a festive “Let It Snow” design.

After drilling a small hole near the top of each wood slice, add baker’s twine or ribbon for hanging. Then have fun painting your own Christmas designs!

These would make sweet handmade gifts, and they’re a fun Christmas craft to enjoy with older kids, too.

Get the Rustic Wood Painted Christmas Ornament Tutorial

6. Rustic Twine Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments

Here’s another creative way to use wood slices! These Rustic Twine Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments use small nails and twine to create charming string-art designs.

Rustic wood slice Christmas ornaments featuring twine string-art designs

The ornaments start with wood slices that are approximately 3 inches round. A printed design is placed over each slice to use as a guide for positioning the nails. Once the nails are in place, twine is wrapped around them to create the finished design.

I made a Christmas tree, a candy cane, and a gingerbread man. You could also experiment with other simple holiday shapes and designs.

I love the rustic look of the natural wood combined with the twine. These ornaments would look especially cute on a farmhouse-style Christmas tree, and they would make fun handmade gift tags, too!

Get the Rustic Twine Wood Slice Christmas Ornament Tutorial

7. DIY Chalkboard Christmas Ornaments

If you’re looking for an easy Christmas craft that you can personalize, these DIY Chalkboard Christmas Ornaments are a fun option.

Handmade chalkboard Christmas ornaments made from painted paper mâché shapes

I found some cute paper mâché ornaments at my local craft store and decided to give them a chalkboard makeover. Using chalkboard paint and a small foam brush, I painted two coats on each side of the ornaments.

After letting them dry for a full day, they’re ready for decorating with chalk!

You can write names, little Christmas messages, or fun holiday designs on them. They’re adorable hanging on the tree, but they also make cute gift toppers for wrapped presents.

I love that you can change the message whenever you want, making these ornaments a little different every year.

Get the DIY Chalkboard Christmas Ornament Tutorial

Add a Handmade Touch to Your Christmas Tree

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make your Christmas tree feel special. Sometimes the most memorable decorations are the ones you make yourself.

Whether you prefer sentimental photo ornaments, rustic burlap and plaid, painted wood slices, twine designs, or personalized chalkboard decorations, these seven DIY Christmas ornaments are a great way to add something handmade to your holiday season.

And don’t forget to make a few extras! Handmade ornaments also make thoughtful gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers, and family members. Some of these even double as adorable gift toppers!

Happy crafting, and Merry Christmas!