20 Hopelessly Adorable DIY Christmas Ornaments Made from Paper

The art of paper folding – Origami – is a fascinating part of Japanese tradition that has been traced back as far as 1680. Making an incredibly intricate and delicate sculpture out of nothing but a square sheet of paper truly is breathtaking, especially when you consider the fact that customarily, the techniques don’t allow any cutting or gluing.

We’ve put together an impressive collection of Christmas tree ornaments that you can make yourself from paper, but thankfully, unlike origami, most of them include a few other tools or techniques to make life a bit easier for you. We love recycling and upcycling, so this is a great way to make use of what you may already have laying around as scrap.

Paper Stars

These paper stars would look absolutely stunning hanging from the tree – perhaps you could make one for each member of the family and put the first letter of their names in the middle. Again, this one means ripping up a book, but hopefully you have an already damaged book to give new life.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - That’sMyLetter

Christmas Trees

Hanging a tree from a tree? Why not? These little darlings are so quick to make there’s really no excuse. And we love the quirky notion of making a paper replica of the thing on which these will be hanging.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit -  TheSweetestOccasion

Twisted Snowflake

We simply adore these delicate paper snowflakes; they really pay homage to the real thing. These do turn out massive, so it could look stunning sitting atop the tree, while the smaller diamond shapes can dangle freely.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Remodelaholic

Striped Spaceships

We love these cute spaceships because they look like squashed little balls; very funky. And on the plus side, they’re a lot easier to make than they look.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - HowAboutOrange

Striped Balls

Here is the un-squashed version of the above; we love the oriental theme and the fact that you can use all different types of paper (patterned or just plain colors) for an array of differing effects. You could even hang some beads or crystals from the bottom for some extra glam.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - TheCraftySisters

Origami Flower Ball

Okay, so here is where a bit of the origami comes in. We’ll give it to you straight: this project is time consuming, but it’s not difficult to make, and the tutorial makes the instructions very clear and easy to follow. So put a movie on, and get folding!

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - FindInspirations

Paper Ball

Here’s a sort of variation of the sphere fro before, but it looks a bit more flowery and fun. There are three different sized templates that you can download, so go paper ball crazy!

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - HowAboutOrange

Modern Bulbs

The shape may remind you of an onion, but we promise the process won’t make you cry! These modern minimalist beauties are super easy to make, and as long as you store them carefully, you’ll be hanging them on your tree again next year.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Curlby

Easy Hearts

If you’re making the bulbs above, you may as well use a few more of those paper strips to make these delightful little hearts. They’re so simple, yet so effective.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - ReeseDixon

Photo Ball

Using the same paper strip concept, you can also make a regular ball shape. What’s really blown us away here is the idea of using family photos. Christmas is all about family, so adding a personal touch to the tree is always a welcomed affair.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - ScrapperGirl

Ornate Cut-Out

With the help of a template this paper ornament will be a cinch to make. We love the chic and elegant design that will bring some class and sophistication to your beautiful tree.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - DCWVDiary

Scalloped Ball

There are many variations of these paper ball ornaments; some are easier than others, so we’re giving you all the options so that you don’t feel restricted. This is one of the simpler ones. We love the white because it’ll look like little snowballs dangling from your tree; a light dust of glitter could also really make them pop.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - BluebirdChic

Curled Strips

As hoarders, we love to hold on to all types of wedding or birthday invitations so that we have a physical reminder of all the special memories that were made. So we were delighted to find this clever little idea to store those invitations in a glass ornament so that instead of piling up in a drawer somewhere, they’re actually integrated into an ornament that can be reused year after year.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - FromGlitterToGumdrops

Recycling Pages

These ornaments are so easy to make and they allow you to write or draw pretty much whatever you want. If you’re a bibliophile and shudder at the thought of ripping up a book (we do!) then find some printed out pages to recycle (maybe old school/university notes) or even try newspaper. These are perfect if you’re a bit low on cash.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - VoyagesOfTheCreativeVariety

Dancing Ladies

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me, nine ladies dancing… These paper ballerinas are simply adorable, and you can make a whole collection of different positions and matching skirts.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - Remodelaholic

Little Birdies

The only effort that this one requires is tracing and cutting. That’s it. With a design this simple you can make as many as you want with a whole bunch of different paper variations.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - MyManyColoredDays

Winged Birdies

If you’re loving the bird theme then maybe you’ll like having a combination of the above and this winged little creature as much as we do.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - BetterHomesAndGardens

3D Stars

Here’s another real origami project for you to wow your friends and family. Simply follow the steps in the images and you’ll be good to go! Starts have been associated with Christmas trees for a long time now, so we really love the elegant yet simplistic approach of these 3D paper versions.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - SongkeetAffairs

Ice Cream Cones

These playful little ice cream cones inject some color and whimsical fun into the holiday; if you’ve got little kiddies, they may enjoy making these with you since they’re a cinch to make and require very few materials. Ice cream may not be synonymous with Christmas, but sometimes it’s fun to take a walk on the unconventional side.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - HowAboutOrange

Paper Sphere

This one looks rather complicated, and to be honest, it is, but just look at that incredible finished product! That should be motivation enough to stick it out! To customize this for your tree, find some delightfully themed paper; otherwise you can keep it neutral so that you can hang this ornament elsewhere in the house when Christmas fever finally passes.

DIY Instructions and Project Credit - TheCraftyBlogStalker

Ready for more? Check out our other Christmassy collections and tutorials.

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