Popsicle Stick Ornaments

Make these adorable DIY popsicle stick ornaments for Christmas! This easy and budget-friendly Christmas craft is perfect for kids and adults alike. With just popsicle sticks, ribbon, paint, and glue, you can create handmade holiday decorations that add a festive touch to your tree. A great activity for family bonding or holiday craft parties!

Jump to Instructions Print Instructions

Close up image of a green popsicle stick ornament with a red bow on a pink polka dot background.

Imaged of the three popsicle stick ornaments shaped as presents with red bows and red an white striped string to hang the ornaments up with on a pink polka dot background.

Why I love this craft

These popsicle stick present ornaments are the perfect DIY project to add a touch of handmade charm to your Christmas tree this year! I love this craft because it’s quick, affordable, and easy enough for kids, but still looks beautiful and festive.

Whether you’re decorating your tree, making gifts for family and friends, or looking for a fun holiday activity to do with your kids, these ornaments are a creative way to make lasting memories. Plus, you can customize them with your favorite colors and ribbons to match your holiday decor.

You’ll love this craft because:

Budget-Friendly and Accessible: With just a few inexpensive supplies like popsicle sticks, ribbon, and paint, you can create adorable ornaments without breaking the bank. Plus, you might already have most of the materials at home!
Perfect for All Ages: This craft is simple enough for kids to enjoy but still fun and customizable for adults. It’s a wonderful activity for family bonding, classroom projects, or even holiday craft parties.
Customizable and Unique: These ornaments can be personalized to match any holiday theme or color scheme. From bold and bright to rustic and neutral, you can let your creativity shine and make ornaments that are truly one-of-a-kind.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Completely Christmas is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Supplies

Green, white and pink paint bottles laying above a paper plate with painted green, pink and white popsicles.

Supplies Notes

Popsicle Sticks – Mini popsicle sticks are great for making small ornaments, but you can use regular-sized sticks for larger presents. You can also trim sticks to create custom sizes if needed. Pre-colored sticks can save time, but painting them allows for more customization.
Ribbon – Thin ribbon works best for this project to avoid overpowering the small ornament. Choose festive colors or patterns that match your holiday theme. Satin or grosgrain ribbon are both great options.
Twine or String – Red and white baker’s twine adds a classic holiday touch, but you can use plain string or thin yarn in any color that complements your design.
Paint – Acrylic paint provides bright, opaque coverage and dries quickly, making it ideal for this craft. Use festive colors like red, green, and white, or get creative with metallics for extra sparkle.Glue – Hot glue is best for a quick and secure hold, especially when attaching the ribbon and twine. If working with children, school glue can be used, but allow extra drying time.

Use pre-colored popsicle sticks to skip the painting step and save time—perfect for group crafting sessions or when working with younger kids who might not have the patience to wait for paint to dry.

Step-by-step instructions

This DIY project is very easy to make with a few simple supplies. The steps below with matching photos are meant to help you see the project being made at various stages so that you and your family can make this easy Christmas project perfectly every time.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

Image of assembled green, pink and white popsicle stick ornaments on a white tabletop. — **Glue the popsicle sticks together.**

Close up image of popsicle stick ornament, flipped over to paint the backside. — **Attach the thicker ribbon.**

Image of popsicle stick ornament before it get painted. — **Attach the twine to the back of the ornament.**

Expert Tips

Pre-plan your design: Before gluing or painting, lay out your popsicle sticks and ribbons to visualize your design. This ensures you’re happy with the placement and colors before committing.
Work in batches: If you’re making multiple ornaments, paint all your popsicle sticks first and allow them to dry while preparing your ribbons and bows. This makes the process more efficient.
Protect your workspace: Lay down newspaper or wax paper to catch excess paint or glue, especially when working with kids.

FAQs

How long does it take to make these ornaments?

Each ornament takes about 25-35 minutes, including drying time for the paint and glue. Pre-colored popsicle sticks can help speed up the process.

Can kids make this craft on their own?

Kids can handle most steps, like painting and assembling the popsicle sticks, but adult supervision is recommended when using hot glue.

What kind of paint works best?

Acrylic paint is ideal because it dries quickly and provides vibrant, opaque coverage. Avoid using watercolor or tempera paint, as they may not adhere well to the popsicle sticks.

Can I make these ornaments without ribbon?

Absolutely! You can use twine, string, or even decorative washi tape as a substitute for ribbon.

What other decorations can I add to the ornaments?

Feel free to embellish them with glitter, tiny jingle bells, buttons, or mini holiday stickers to make them even more festive.

More Christmas DIYs to try

All DIYs

Three glitter styrofoam christmas trees in red, gold and green on a light blue table.

Popsicle Stick Ornament

Print Pin Rate

Cook Time: 20

Drying Time: 15

Total Time: 35

Servings: ornament

Supplies

▢ 4 popsicle sticks, mini or regular size, painted or plain
▢ Ribbon, thin ribbon works best, about 2 pieces ½” longer than the popsicle sticks, plus a small bow
▢ Twine or string, 4-6” per ornament
▢ Acrylic paint, your choice of colors
▢ Glue, hot glue or school glue
▢ Paintbrush
▢ Scissors
▢ Paper towels

Instructions

Use acrylic paint and a paintbrush to paint the popsicle sticks in your chosen colors. Keep the coat of paint thin to speed up drying. Let them dry for about 10 minutes.
Arrange the popsicle sticks into a square shape. Apply glue to the corners to join the sticks. Allow the glue to dry for about 10-15 minutes if using school glue (hot glue dries faster).
Glue two strips of ribbon horizontally and vertically across the square to create the look of a wrapped present. Trim the excess ribbon for a clean finish. Add a small bow to the center using hot glue for the best hold.
Cut a piece of twine or string about 4-6” long. Tie the ends together in a knot to form a loop. Glue the knotted end to the back of the ornament, centered at the top.
Allow all the glue to dry completely before handling. Your ornament is now ready to hang on the tree or gift to someone special!

Notes

Prep materials like cutting ribbon and painting popsicle sticks in advance if crafting with a group.
Use hot glue for a faster, stronger bond, but supervise kids when using a hot glue gun.

Popsicle Stick Ornaments