Photo Christmas Ornament Craft

Simple Tree Decorations Kids Can Make Using Their Picture

Nov 28, 2007

Kids can make unique Christmas decorations by creating tree ornaments using photographs of themselves. These easy crafts also make great gifts for family and friends.

Decorating the Christmas tree can be a special event that focuses on the sharing of stories, the admiring of heirlooms and the recalling of memories of past Christmases. For some families homemade Christmas tree ornaments, particularly ones created by kids, become the most cherished show pieces on the tree. Photograph ornaments are wonderful ways of preserving memories and also make great gifts for grandparents. Here are some simple and unique photo ornaments kids can make on their own.

Popsicle Stick Snowflake

Glue four popsicle sticks on top of each other in the centre creating an eight pointed snowflake pattern. Glue a picture of the child cut out in a circle shape on the centre of the glued popsicle sticks. Decorate the points of the snowflake using buttons, glitter, or scrap booking embellishments. Glue a ribbon onto the back of the top point of the snowflake in a loop shape to make a hanger.

Angel Ornament

Cut a piece of boxboard into the shape of a key hole about four inches long. Glue a round picture of the child’s face onto the circular part of the keyhole shape. Decorate the elongated part of the keyhole with paint, ribbons or material to make the angel’s robe. Glue white feathers onto the back of the ornament for wings and make a small hole in the top to hang the ornament with fine thread. A similar angel can be made using the child’s foot and hand prints.

Foam Snowman, Gingerbread Man or Star Frame

Cut two pieces of the desired shape out of colourful craft foam using a template. In one of the shapes, cut a square to fit a photograph of the child using a craft knife. Glue the picture between the two matching shapes and put a hole in the top of the ornament using a hole punch. Decorate the foam shape and thread a colourful ribbon through the hole for a finishing touch.

Mini Picture Frame

Buy a plain, small wooden picture frame from a dollar store and decorate it using ribbons, small foam shapes or potpourri. Insert a picture of the child into the frame and tap eye hooks into the top of the frame for hanging.

Glass Ball Ornament

Insert a circular shaped photograph of the child into a clear glass ball ornament purchased from a craft store. Use thin paper for the photograph as it will slide into the ornament better and cut small slits around the outside of the picture so it molds to the inside of the ball without wrinkling. Fill the ball with potpourri, colourful ribbons or confetti, making sure the picture stays in place.

Easy ornaments can be made from recycled materials such as CDs or small tin foil tart plates. For a CD ornament, cut a circle out of colourful felt the size of the CD. Cut a ribbon for hanging the ornament and glue it on the label side of the CD. Glue the circular felt piece onto the label side of the CD as well, sandwiching the glued end of the hanging ribbon. On the smooth side of the CD glue a piece of felt a little bit bigger than the picture of the child. Centre the child’s picture on the felt and glue it on. For the tin foil tart plate ornament, use the same directions as the CD ornament, colouring the plate with magic marker first if desired.

Photo ornaments help to personalize a Christmas tree and give everyone a chance to walk down memory lane. They would also make wonderful keepsakes for children as they get older and start Christmas decoration collections of their own.

The copyright of the article Photo Christmas Ornament Craft in Holiday Kids Crafts is owned by Angela Krueger. Permission to republish Photo Christmas Ornament Craft in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.