These ornaments aren’t just decorations, they’re snapshots in time.
You can see a handprint Santa captures your child’s tiny fingers as a beard, while candy canes and trees let them go wild with paint.
The best part is that you only need a few pantry ingredients to create something that will last for years of Christmas mornings.
Materials Needed
- All-purpose flour – 2 cups (250 g)
- Salt – 1 cup (120 g)
- Water – 1 cup (240 ml)
- Cookie cutters – tree, candy cane, star (3-4″ size)
- Acrylic paint – red, green, white, black, gold
- Paintbrushes – 2-3 different sizes
- Ribbon or twine – 8″ length per ornament
- Straw or skewer – for making holes
- Clear acrylic sealer (optional, for lasting shine)
Step-by-step Guide
Step 1: Mix the flour, salt, and water until a dough forms. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth.
Step 2: Roll the dough to about 1/4″ thickness. Then use cookie cutters to cut out candy canes and trees, or press a child’s hand into the dough for a Santa base.
Step 3: Use a straw to poke a hole near the top of each ornament for hanging.
Step 4: Bake at 200°F (90°C) for 2–3 hours, flipping once halfway. Or air-dry for 24-48 hours until completely hard.
Step 5: Once cooled, paint your designs: green for trees, red and white stripes for candy canes, and add details to the handprint to turn it into Santa’s face.
Step 6: Seal with a clear acrylic spray (optional), then thread ribbon or twine through the hole.