Decorating your Christmas tree for the holidays can be
pleasant and exciting rather than nerve wrecking and expensive. This is especially true if you start early investigating the
different types of homemade ornaments your family can make together. Many of these can be made with minimal expense for the
needed supplies to make your tree personalized and unique.
Never underestimate that there are many different ways to decorate
your tree, by using your imagination and garnering a little patience, you can decorate your tree with pride. A new tradition
can be created and joyfully experienced by deciding that each year you will add a new type of ornamental decoration to the
family tree.
One good place to begin adding to your
tree’s decorations is with the left over Christmas paper products from last year. Unused or partially used rolls of
wrapping paper make new decorations a snap, especially if you’re on a limited budget for this season. Paper can be measured
to any size you desire, and then folded into the designs of your choice.
Some popular shapes are stars and delicate fan shapes. Glue on a brightly colored ribbon and hang a hook
through the ribbon. Also, beautiful origami nature shapes such as birds from left over holiday paper are another option.
Old greeting cards can also be used to liven up a tree. Simply cut the
back off the card and add a hole-punch at top, then add a ribbon for hanging. Cards may be cut into different shapes and glued
onto colored backgrounds to set them off, too.
Other
crafty type projects can be created using old Christmas cards by saving Mason jar type lids which have a flat underside. Cut
and glue felt onto the underside along with a beautiful holiday scene cut from a card, and them add some yarn around the edge
with a loop at the top and hang on your tree.
Other
craft ideas which are especially fun for kids are mixing flour and water and using a cookie cutter to create holiday shapes.
Real ginger bread cookies can also be hung on the tree along with some stringed popcorn or construction paper chains in place
of the traditional metal garland or icicles.
Another
type of beautiful handmade Christmas tree ornament is made from tin. Supplies for making them can be found in a home supply
and repair store or a craft store. You will need snips for the tin, and a specialized hole-punch to make the decorative holes
for the design. Thin sheets of tin are not expensive and can be bought rolled or in single sheets. This type of Christmas
decoration would probably work best for older children due to the fact that a certain amount of hand strength is needed for
cutting and the use of sharp tin.
Ornaments
can also be made from plastic craft balls. The ball’s hollow clear design allow for painting on the outside and inside
of the ball. Painting the inside is as simple as filling it with paint and shaking. Allow twenty four hours for drying. Stencil
design patterns or free hand painting allow for any holiday scene to be added to the outside. Dating your ornament is always
a good idea, too.
There are many ways to make handmade
decorations for your tree. Other options are beaded jewelry designs. Most craft stores carry kits to make decorations, but
you can buy wire for jewelry and string your own beads. Kids can make cute ornaments for the tree by using pre-cut foam from
a craft store, too.
Whatever type of handmade
ornament you decide to make it is a sure bet that along the way you will make a lot of good memories while interacting with
family or friends and reminiscing about Christmas days of yester-year. Handmade ornaments mean that you care about adding
a little of yourself to the holidays.
Traditions
and keepsakes are treasured things that are passed down to those that come after you, so make sure to experiment and have
lots of fun creating an ornament that you will be proud to display on your tree this Christmas season and hand down to future
generations.
