Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Christmas Christmas Decoration Ideas 12 Christmas Photo Ornaments You Can Make Yourself If your photos are piling up in boxes, use these crafts as an excuse to finally get organized and trim the tree. By Samantha Zabell Samantha Zabell Samantha is a writer, runner, and avid plan-canceler living in Manhattan. In between Netflix binges, she’s working her calligraphy side hustle at @samzawrites. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 12, 2023 Close Photo: Positively Splendid If you're looking for new ways to freshen up your holiday decor and personalize your space, look no further than those family photos piled up in cardboard boxes or languishing in digital storage. Our DIY ideas for making Christmas photo ornaments help focus your holiday celebration on family, friends, and treasured keepsakes. We compiled our favorite photo Christmas ornament crafts made with inexpensive supplies you probably already have around the house. Pick one or more of these genius ways to make your Christmas tree decorations really come to life. 01 of 12 Black and White Photo Ornament Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio If you're the type who decorates your tree just so, these classic ornaments conceived by The TomKat Studio are the perfect DIY. They look especially pretty on a tree decked out in all-white lights. The how-to is so simple that you can craft these ornaments in fewer than 15 minutes, guaranteed. Get the Tutorial 02 of 12 Wood Slice Photo Ornament Inspired by Charm No, we're not asking you to chop down a tree in the name of Christmas crafting: You can buy wood slices online. This woodsy craft from Inspired by Charm requires a little extra handiwork—you have to drill holes in the slices for the ribbon—but these rustic ornaments are worth the effort. They even double as cute, personalized tags for holiday gifts. Get the Tutorial 03 of 12 Christmas List Ornament Positively Splendid Kids' lists for Santa are the cutest! It's when they get older that those wishes become less adorable: you know, like asking Santa for a car. These photo ornaments by Positively Splendid are a sweet way to match early wish lists with candid childhood photos. Plus, it's a great opportunity to recycle because the lists are made from soda cans. Get the Tutorial 04 of 12 Glass Photo Ornament Fynes Designs All you need for this personalized DIY—a great stocking stuffer for grandparents!—is a clear glass ornament, family photo, and festive ribbon. Its originator, Fynes Designs, has a few handy tricks for getting your photo inside the globe without ripping or bending it. Get the Tutorial 05 of 12 Photo Block Ornament It Happens in a Blink Can't decide which photo is your favorite? This craft by It Happens in a Blink doesn't make you choose. Pick four of your cutest photos to Mod Podge onto a small wooden block and then decorate with metallic spray paint, ribbon, or scraps of red and green wrapping paper. Get the Tutorial 06 of 12 Ruler Frame Photo Ornament Simply Kierste A yardstick makes the perfect frame for "first day of school" photos. Old Salt Farm devised this easy DIY that also repurposes rulers, cereal boxes, and leftover ribbon. Since you need to use some serious tools—like a drill—this one's not necessarily a craft for kids, but you can enlist them to choose the photo! Get the Tutorial 07 of 12 Suitcase Travel Memories Ornament Stuffed Suitcase This adorable ornament showcases your family's vacation photos in a repurposed cardboard jewelry box. If you don't want to purchase real hinges for the suitcase—like its originator Stuffed Suitcase did—you can just tape or glue the sides together. To make the suitcase actually close, snip an old refrigerator magnet and glue it to the edges. Get the Tutorial 08 of 12 Family Tree Photo Ornament Country Chic Cottage If old family photos are cluttering up your home, these DIY ornaments by The Country Chic Cottage are the perfect solution. Bottle caps make great frames for vintage ornaments, and family members will love spotting their childhood memories scattered on the tree. Prepare for lots of trips down memory lane. Get the Tutorial 09 of 12 Transfer Photo Ornament 5 Minutes for Mom Instead of cutting a photo and gluing it onto an ornament, these from 5 Minutes for Mom are made by transferring a photo. Instructions call on a Rust-Oleum product that transfers photo ink to the other object and then removes the paper that the photo was printed on. The result is a mirror image that looks as if it were printed on the ornament, and it looks fantastic! Get the Tutorial 10 of 12 Popsicle Stick Sled Photo Ornament The Craft Patch The Craft Patch came up with this adorable little sled made out of popsicle sticks and washi paper that's customized with a photo. They’re a bit rustic, a bit modern, and a lot of fun. No snow required. Get the Tutorial 11 of 12 Felt Heart Photo Ornament Swoodson Says Swoodson Says provides templates to make your version of these heartfelt ornaments. It calls for a needle, thread, and a simple running stitch to fix the front and back felt pieces together. Make a few extras for your Valentine tree! Get the Tutorial 12 of 12 Mexican “Tin” Picture Frame Photo Ornaments Muy Bueno Blog My Bueno Blog created these beautiful mini frames for a Day of the Dead display, but they can bring old-timey bling to a Christmas tree, too. You make these tiny rustic-looking frames from crafting aluminum sheets or recycled soda or beer cans, and embossing them yourself is easier than you think. Get the Tutorial Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit