How to Make Christmas Ornaments Out of Magazine Pages

Bond with your family over homemade ornaments.

If you subscribe to or buy magazines, you know how quickly they start to stack up in your home. Instead of throwing those old magazines away, put the pages to use by turning them into homemade Christmas ornaments. Homemade ornaments cost very little to make, and the project helps restless children pass the time on cold winter evenings. You and your family will enjoy hanging these magazine ornaments on the Christmas tree every year.

Things You'll Need

• Magazines
• Scissors
• Glue
• Clear tape
• Pencil
• Photos (or holiday images)
• Yarn or string
• Hole punch
• Needle
• Glitter

Instructions

1. Tear out a few magazine pages and cut the pages into strips. Make the strips about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.

2. Line up two strips vertically so the ends are touching. Glue or tape the strips together. Roll the long strip around a pencil tightly to create a thin paper tube.

3. Slide the paper tube off the pencil. Glue one end of the tube shut. Press down on the tube to flatten it. Roll the tube into a small circle, or another shape, such as a diamond or triangle. Repeat this process to make several more shapes of various sizes.

4. Glue four or five paper strips together at the ends to make a very long strip. Roll the tube up with the pencil and glue the ends shut. This tube will form the ornament's shape. Bend the tube into the desired shape, like a square, circle, triangle or star. Glue the two ends of the shape together.

5. Dab a bit of glue on the smaller shapes. Glue each small shape to the inner edge of the larger shape.

6. Cut a family photo to fit the shape of the ornament. Apply glue to the edges of the photo. Glue the photo to the back of the ornament. Make an ornament with each family member's photo on it. If you don't want to use photos, you can use holiday images, such as Santa Claus, Christmas trees or a holiday wreath. If the images are on thin paper, paste them to thicker card stock before you glue them to the ornament.

7. Punch a hole in the tip of the larger shape and thread a short piece of yarn or string through it. Alternatively, thread a needle and use the needle to poke a hole in the paper. Tie the string or thread together to make a loop for hanging the ornament.

8. Spread clear glue across the front of ornament if you want to make it sparkle. Lay the ornament on a sheet of paper. Sprinkle colorful glitter across the ornament. Lift up the ornament and shake it to remove excess glitter.

Tips & Warnings

• Always supervise children when making this project. Sharp scissors can injure children.