DIY Ornaments

I started a tradition when my daughter was two of getting a set of ornaments each year with a character or characters she was really interested in. I have happily continued this tradition; I enjoy decorating the tree each year with a walk down memory lane. Remember how much Garfield we read when you were four? I ask my daughter as I put up that ornament. I imagine I will appreciate it even more as my kids grow up, and away, from me. 

The thing is, it’s not always easy to find ornaments of some of the toys or characters my kids loved. It was when I ordered a set of Dis.ney princess ornaments that I realized people were solving this problem by making toys into ornaments themselves. The set I got on eBay was the exact set of figurines my daughter already had, just with eye pins drilled into the heads. 

This year I decided to make my own ornaments out of some toys that the kids don’t play with anymore by drilling a small hole in the top and screwing an eye pin into it. It worked better than I had hoped. 

The best part is now I have a way to keep some of these toys that I loved so much, but that the kids no longer play with. By making them into ornaments, I’m killing two birds with one stone: decorating the tree and saving sentimental pieces of their childhood in a meaningful way. 

As a comic book afficionado I always loved these DC super heroes Little People. They were favorites of mine when my kids were young.

I also got a couple of sets of figurines (very much on sale) and made them into ornaments without the kids ever playing with them. 

I watched Mickey’s a Christmas Carol a million times as a kid. When I saw these I just had to have them for our tree. 

My son is deeply obsessed with “Light Queen” so I got this set now, because I suspect he’ll still be playing with his set for many years to come (I’m also less confident I can make ornaments out of metal cars–this set is plastic).

Making ornaments out of toys also saves me a lot of money. Now I don’t have to buy a set the year the kids are playing with them, but can instead wait until the toys are no longer used, and then make them into ornaments. It also saves me from throwing away these smaller toys that are harder to sell or donate. 

Between these toy ornaments and the ones I personalize each year with a picture, my tree is becoming a walk down memory lane. Which makes me love it all the more.