Make Your Own Ornaments

By Patricia Cravener
Published on November 1, 1981
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Materials readily at hand are all you need to make your own ornaments. These Christmas angels were created from plastic egg cartons.
Materials readily at hand are all you need to make your own ornaments. These Christmas angels were created from plastic egg cartons.
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This candlestick is shaped from wood slivers planed from clear pine.
This candlestick is shaped from wood slivers planed from clear pine.
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Jolly Santas can be constructed from paper egg cartons, cotton, seam binding, and a few dabs of paint.
Jolly Santas can be constructed from paper egg cartons, cotton, seam binding, and a few dabs of paint.
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Make mosaics by gluing colorful dried beans and seeds on pre-cut corrugated cardboard.
Make mosaics by gluing colorful dried beans and seeds on pre-cut corrugated cardboard.
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Who says eggs are only for Easter?
Who says eggs are only for Easter?
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Salt clay or baker's clay enable endless variations of yuletide decor. A coat of shellac will protect them for years.
Salt clay or baker's clay enable endless variations of yuletide decor. A coat of shellac will protect them for years.
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Fold of Mexican heritage traditionally set
Fold of Mexican heritage traditionally set "the eyes of God" on their festive trees.

‘Tis the season for festive gatherings, the reinforcement of family traditions, and joyous celebrations ushering in yet another year. And no matter what the cause for holiday rejoicing–be it a rededication to one’s faith or the winter solstice–there’s no better time for a party!

Of course, tree decorating is a popular reason for yuletide get-togethers. And my family has, these past few years, established a new tradition by hosting annual Down-Home Organic Christmas Tree Ornament-Making Parties!

Now that’s sure a mouthful to say, but the idea is simple: We invite friends and relations each year to join in creating a new season’s worth of homemade decorations, baubles that are a bit more permanent than cranberry, popcorn, and paper-chain garlands. And we’ve found that it’s a lot more fun to make the ornaments than merely to hang them! Best of all, every year as we unpack our best efforts from previous seasons, the handcrafted objects become nostalgic reminders of shared joys from past Christmases.

You can make your own ornaments too. Here are some of our most successful projects for you to try.

Ornamental Egg-cellence

Eggs are seldom in short supply on most farms and homesteads, and their shells make beautiful and natural substitutes for the slick, mass-produced balls of glass that adorn most American Christmas trees. (They don’t need to be white shells, by the way. Very nice effects can be produced with the beige and brown eggs laid by many homestead hens.)

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