Arts & Crafts Family Life

Christmas Craft: Upcycled Wrapping Paper Christmas Ornaments

How on earth did it get to be December already and only barely two weeks until Christmas? I just realized that I haven’t made any Christmas crafts with my girls yet this year. Last year we made lots of holiday crafts, but this year Kay is (very!) mobile and we just doesn’t seem to have the same kind of time we used to.

That’s why I wanted to create an easy project that Tee and I could do from start to clean up during Kay’s nap time. If you’re anything like me, you probably have a box or a bag filled with scraps of leftover wrapping paper from years past. In my box, some of them are pieces I kept just because I thought they were pretty. Some of them are remnants that I didn’t want to just throw out. This craft project upcycles those little, leftover pieces of wrapping paper and gives them new life as ornaments on your tree.

Make #upcycled #Christmas ornaments from left over wrapping paper - easy craft idea!

Here are the supplies you’ll need. You probably already have all this lying around the house, so no trip to the craft store is needed. And that’s a good thing because as far as I’m concerned there’s no such thing as a quick trip to the craft store! Gather your scrap wrapping paper, crumpled or torn tissue paper, some ribbon, a pair of scissors, a stapler, a pencil, and a jar/container to draw your circle around. I used an old plastic container.

Make #upcycled #Christmas ornaments from left over wrapping paper - easy craft idea!

Tee picked the papers she wanted and used the container to trace circles on the back. (A great opportunity for her to practice her pencil grip and fine motor skills!) I cut out the circles, and Tee decided which ones to put together. We used the stapler to staple the papers together right side out about two thirds of the way around, leaving a gap at the top of the ornament. Then she stuffed the little “pockets” with loosely crumpled up tissue paper.

Make #upcycled #Christmas ornaments from left over wrapping paper - easy craft idea!

I cut a 6″ length of ribbon (you could use recycled ribbon here too) and tied the ends together to form a loop. Then we finished stapling the rest of the way around. Stapling over the ribbon with the knot on the inside of the ornament keeps the ribbon from slipping out.

This project is very quick and simple enough to make with young children. Kids can decorate these with upcycled Christmas ornaments with old bows, tags, and other wrapping materials. Not only is this an environmentally-friendly craft project, it’s also a nice way to commemorate certain occasions too. On a couple of the ornaments I was able to use scraps of the same wrapping paper I used for Tees first Christmas.

What Christmas crafts have you done this year?

Make #upcycled #Christmas ornaments from left over wrapping paper - easy craft idea!

This post is linked up to some fantastic arts and crafts link parties. Check out my Link Parties page to see where I’m linking up and to find some wonderful blogs and more fun activities for kids!

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14 Comments

  • I do have leftover wrapping paper but also old Christmas cards, which also could be used. Not as easy to sew, though.

    • Great idea! Try stapling them. Card stock is probably too stiff to give you the puffy quilted look I was going for, but run some ribbon through the top of your circles and you’ll get a second life from old Xmas cards as spinning ornaments.

      • I thought of stapling but my staples are silver and they would show. Maybe punch holes around the perimeter and thread ribbon through, with a loop for hanging. I save corks from wine bottles. I could insert one to pouf it a bit, maybe with some newspaper to fill it out. I mentioned this to my brother. He thought it was a great idea and shared one of his own. One year when he was cracking walnuts, he realized the potential of the ones that cracked exactly in half. He saved those ones – after eating the meat! He put a ribbon loop at the top, glued the halves together, varnished them and still has them decades later. If you skip the varnish, your little one could help.

  • Finally something to do with my wrapping paper scraps! I would have loved doing this with my daughter when she was younger. Thank you for linking to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you next time.

  • I think this would be a fun activity with my youngest granddaughter. I like the idea of using old Christmas Cards ad well, as I can’t bear to throw them out.

  • really cute and a good idea. One can always use more ornaments on the Christmas tree or around the room for that matter 🙂

  • My grandchildren really enjoy taking the time to cut. Making these Christmas crafts and sewing is the cat’s meow for them.