Homemade Christmas Ornaments for Kids {Santa}

Hi, everyone.  Sorry I've been a little AWOL since Thanksgiving.  I've enjoyed spending time with family and taking a few vacation days from blogging.  Now I'm back with a great kids' Christmas craft idea.  These homemade Christmas ornaments for kids are simple and adorable.  It only takes a few supplies to create yarn Santa Claus ornaments.

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I was originally given one of these ornaments as a gift from a kindergartner when I was teaching (years ago).  I've saved it all these years, knowing I would make it with my own kids someday.  So, during the Thanksgiving festivities this year, my daughters (7 and 9) and my twin nieces (5) got to work!  (My 13-year-old was a little too old for this craft, but she had fun helping the twins.)

Ready to make your own?  You don't need much!  (I love crafts that only use a few supplies.)

Homemade Santa Claus Christmas Tree Ornaments

Materials:

• 1 macrame ring for each ornament (2" diameter or slightly smaller)
• red and white yarn (the inexpensive kind)
• narrow white pipe cleaners (also called chenille stems)
• blue and red beads (one red and two blue for each ornament)
• fabric scissors

That's it!  The hardest product to find will be the macrame rings.  I couldn't find them small enough at JoAnn's, but I found these at Ace Hardware (which also has a craft section).  I had much better success once I learned what they were called.

Instructions:

1. Cut red and white yarn into 10-12" segments (you'll need 14-18 of each color for each ornament)
2. Form one piece of yarn into a loop, and slide the loop under the ring
3. Lift up the loop and the two ends.  Thread the two ends of the yarn through the loop (over the ring)

Sound complicated?  Don't worry.  It's not.  My nieces (5) only had to be shown once, and they got it.

4. Continue looping strands of yarn until one half of the loop is covered in red and the other half is covered in white.  (We used two or three more white strands than red.) Leave a small space for the pipe cleaner to fit.
5. Thread a blue, red, and blue bead onto the pipe cleaner. Attach it across the middle of the ring (between the red and white yarn) by rolling the ends around the ring.
6. Unravel the white yarn by twisting it gently in your fingers until the threads separate.  (Twist it in the opposite direction that the strands are wound together.)  Once the threads have separated, carefully pull apart the individual strands.  Some kids may need more help with this part than others.  One twin wanted help, and the other did it by herself (slowly).
7. Gather the red yarn at the top, and tie it off with a loop of red or white yarn.  (This will also be the hanger for your ornament.)
8. Trim the red yarn if necessary.
9. Give Santa's beard a trim (if desired) by carefully rounding the outside edges.

(I just had to add this picture, because I love the tiny hands trying to get Santa's eyes just right.

You're all done.  Now, just hang it on the tree or give it away as a gift.

Thanks for stopping by today.  You might like these kids Christmas crafts, too! (Images below are linked.)