Paper Christmas Ornaments From Printable Paper

Paper Christmas ornaments are cheap, light, safe for children to make and pretty on a tree, a garland or a gift. With printable paper you can make a whole set in one palette and print more whenever an ornament gets crushed in storage. Here are six paper ornaments you can make with printable Christmas paper, from five-minute folds to decoupaged keepsakes.

Before you start

• Paper weight: 24 to 32 lb text paper for folding (stars, fans, accordion balls); 65 to 80 lb cardstock for flat cut shapes and anything that hangs alone.
• Print both sides for ornaments that spin, such as hearts and stars on a thread. Print one side, flip the sheet and print a coordinating paper on the back, or glue two printed sheets back to back.
• Use the Letter or A4 PDF from your pack, and the 6 x 6 mini PDF when you want a smaller scale pattern on small pieces.

1. Folded paper stars

Cut five strips from a Letter sheet, fold each into a point and glue them together into a five-pointed star. Small prints with tiny dots, stars or snowflakes look best because the folds break up large motifs. Make a dozen in two colors and hang them at different heights.

2. Accordion fans and rosettes

Pleat a strip of paper every half inch, fold it in half and glue the edges to form a fan, or join three fans into a full rosette. Stripes and plaids give a striking sunburst effect. Rosettes also make good gift toppers, see DIY gift wrap with printable paper.

3. Paper ball ornaments

Cut eight to twelve circles of the same size from cardstock, fold each in half and glue the halves together side by side until the shape closes into a ball. Thread a ribbon through the center before the last pair. Mixing three papers from one pack gives a patchwork ball that still looks coordinated.

4. Flat shapes with a cutting machine

Trees, mittens, stockings and baubles cut from cardstock are the fastest way to fill a tree. Layer two shapes from different papers for depth and add a hole for twine. A cutting machine speeds this up a lot, see digital paper with Cricut Print Then Cut.

5. Decoupaged wooden ornaments

Plain wooden discs, stars and hearts from a craft store become keepsakes with a layer of printed paper. Use a laser print or seal inkjet prints first so the ink does not smear, then trim the paper to the shape and finish with two or three thin coats. Full steps are in our decoupage guide. Add the year on the back with a paint pen.

6. Paper chains and garlands

Cut 1-inch strips and loop them into a chain in alternating patterns. It is a classic children’s project and a good way to use offcuts. For a more grown-up look, cut circles or hearts and sew them onto a long thread with a sewing machine.

Packs we would use

• Classic tree: Vintage Holiday Bell, Holiday Bauble Joy or Emerald Bauble Noel.
• Cozy and rustic: Farmhouse Christmas, Caramel Fir Tapestry or Merry Cocoa Manor.
• Something different: Lavender Holly Dusk, Periwinkle Tidings or Aubergine Snowfall for a non-traditional palette.

Ornaments as gifts and for sale

Ornaments make lovely gifts, tied to a present or given in a set of three. If you plan to sell handmade ornaments at a craft fair, the Personal license covers up to 500 physical items per design; beyond that, or for print on demand, read can you sell crafts made with digital paper.

For more December ideas, see Christmas digital paper ideas and our DIY advent calendar guide. Every Christmas pack is in the Christmas Digital Paper Collection, and winter patterns that stay up into January are in winter digital paper.

Newest Christmas packs