Why I Still Love Making Christmas Ornaments by Hand
There are faster ways to make Christmas decorations. I know that. Machines can print, cut, and stitch faster than I can. Meanwhile, I’m at my worktable with ribbon, fabric, trim, and a box of sparkly little pieces. Somehow, those pieces always end up everywhere. And yet, I still love making Christmas ornaments by hand. I think part of the reason is that Christmas has never felt mass-produced to me. It’s personal.
It’s the ornaments we remember from childhood. The one your child made at school that may be hanging slightly crooked but still gets a place on the tree every year. The ornament from your first home. The one Grandma gave you. The one that brings back someone you miss. Those are the decorations that matter.
It Starts With a Simple Ornament Base
Most of my handmade ornaments begin looking very ordinary. Then comes the fun part. I choose the ribbon or fabric, decide on the colors, and start adding the details that give each ornament its own personality. Sometimes I know exactly what I want it to become. Other times the ornament has other ideas.
For example, I may start with red ribbon and plan a traditional design. Then I find some gold trim or a beautiful jewel. Suddenly, the ornament takes a different turn. That’s one of my favorite things about working by hand. There’s room to change my mind. And I do. Frequently. 😊
I Don’t Want Every Ornament to Look Exactly Alike
One of the things that makes Ornaments by Rebecca T different is that my handmade ornaments are one of a kind. I don’t make a dozen identical copies. Once an ornament is finished, that particular combination of ribbon, trim, jewels and little details belongs to that ornament. When it sells, it’s gone. I like imagining someone opening their Christmas box and finding that ornament again. That particular piece belongs to their tree. It feels a little more personal that way.
The Tiny Details Are Usually My Favorite Part
I love the point in the process when the basic ornament is finished and I get to decide what it still needs. Maybe a narrow line of rhinestones.Possibly a vintage-looking trim. Or maybe emerald-colored stones, pearls or something with just enough sparkle to catch the Christmas lights. There is definitely such a thing as too much sparkle. I just haven’t established the exact scientific measurement yet. Sometimes I’ll move one little embellishment several times before deciding where it belongs. No one buying the ornament will ever know that. But I will. And that’s part of handmade work.
Handmade Things Carry a Little Bit of Their Maker
I don’t mean that in some grand, poetic way. I mean there really was a person sitting there making it. A person chose the ribbon and fixed the jewel that wasn’t straight. After trying both trims, she decided the gold looked better than the silver. Then she turned the ornament around in her hands and thought, “Nope. It needs something else.” In my case, that someone is me. Every ornament passes through my hands from the beginning until I finally look at it and decide it’s finished. That’s a very different feeling from opening a carton of identical products.
Christmas Trees Should Tell Stories
The prettiest Christmas trees aren’t always the perfectly coordinated ones. I love trees that tell you something about the people who live in the house. There’s the baby’s first Christmas ornament. The wedding ornament. The ornament from a vacation. The handmade ornament someone fell in love with simply because the colors reminded her of Christmas at her grandmother’s house. And somewhere toward the back is probably something made out of construction paper that has somehow survived since 1987. That one stays too. Over time, a Christmas tree becomes a family scrapbook with branches. That’s why I think ornaments are such lovely things to make.
Making ornaments takes time. Some evenings, my table is covered with ribbon scraps, rhinestones, and supplies. It looks as though a very small Christmas store exploded. But then I finish one. I hold it up. I imagine it hanging on someone’s tree this Christmas and then coming out of the ornament box again next year. And the year after that. That’s the part I love. I’m not trying to make the most ornaments. I want to make ornaments that someone is happy to find in the Christmas box year after year. And as long as I still feel that little spark when I finish one, I’ll keep making them by hand.
Choosing and caring for a handmade ornament
Read what makes an ornament a keepsake for ways to connect a handmade piece with a person or memory.
Choosing a gift? My ornament gift guide covers colors, occasions, and the details to check before ordering. You can also read five reasons to give a quilted ornament.
My handmade ornaments contain pins and small parts. They’re decorations, not toys, and must stay out of reach of children and pets. Follow my quilted ornament care tips for gentle handling, display, and storage.