53 Christmas Crafts for a Break From the Holiday Rush in 2025

One of the easiest ways to enjoy the season is by making a few Christmas crafts. December gets busy quickly, but sitting down to make something simple, an ornament, a decoration, a small gift, slows the pace in a way that feels good.

Finding that creative outlet can help you process your emotions, plus it’s good for your brain to make use of that innate creativity, according to Psych Central. That’s why even small crafts like learning how to make playdough for the kids can be a fun and de-stressing task.

And you don’t need special skills or expensive supplies. Most Christmas crafts start with things you already have at home and a bit of inspiration. A short project, a little creativity and suddenly you’ve added something personal to the season without overthinking it.

Jump to Section

• Fun Christmas Craft Workshops
• Easy Christmas Crafts for Adults
• Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids
• Christmas Paper Crafts
• Christmas Ornament Crafts
• Christmas Handprint Crafts
• Christmas Crafts to Make and Sell

Fun Christmas Craft Workshops

Holiday workshops give you something you rarely get in December: a couple of hours where someone else sets things up and you just make. No prep, no cleanup, no decisions. Just hands, materials and a group of people doing something creative at the same pace. 

1. Handmade Ceramics

Pottery lands in that sweet spot of Christmas crafts — calming, hands-on and already set up for you so you don’t have to plan or clean anything. In a season that gets busy fast, sitting at a wheel or shaping a small piece of clay gives you a rare bit of quiet focus. You get the fun, tactile part of crafting without turning your kitchen table into a mess.

Once you’re in the studio, an instructor guides you through something simple and seasonal, whether you want to make a small ornament or a piece you’ll use long after December. Pottery classes in Portland, Austin or Chicago are easy to book, and there are plenty of pottery classes near you if you want a relaxing Christmas craft without the prep work. Not to mention, the pottery studio makes a fun venue for a holiday work party where everyone can de-stress and get creative.

2. Christmas Arts and Crafts Classes 

Art classes make Christmas crafts feel easy to start and even easier to enjoy. You walk in, everything’s set up for you and the instructor handles the steps, so you get a stretch of time where your mind isn’t jumping between holiday tasks. It’s exactly the kind of creative break that feels good in a busy season.

Each class takes you through one holiday scene at a comfortable pace, so you’re not guessing or worrying about technique. No need to feel intimidated. You’re sure to find a plethora of Christmas painting ideas that you’d like to recreate.

Whether you join an in-person art class in Houston, the Bay Area or NYC, or take an online painting class from home, you end up with a festive piece you can display, gift or save for next year.

3. Holiday-Themed Paint and Sip

Paint and sip turns arts and crafts for adults into a holiday-leaning happy hour. It’s an easy way to unwind a bit and make something festive without having to plan a full craft session yourself.

Create fun holiday-themed Christmas crafts like paintings of gingerbread houses or snowmen to show off in your space. No need to show up with a plan, sip and paint ideas usually come to you in the moment, or you can recreate some of the impressive designs they have on display. And for the festive season, they may even offer snow globe cocktails. 

You’ll find paint and sips in Chicago, Atlanta or Boston, along with plenty of studios near you hosting seasonal classes.

4. Candle Making

Making your own candles at home is doable, but a workshop usually makes it a lot easier. Everything’s laid out for you and you get to focus on picking scents, mixing pours and turning out a few candles that actually look polished.

It’s the kind of Christmas craft that pulls double duty — a calm hour to yourself and a stack of gifts by the time you’re done. Mini scented candles work well as hostess gifts or party favors, especially if you want something thoughtful without spending days making it.

You’ll easily find candle making classes in Atlanta, Houston, San Diego or a city near you if you want a guided session with all the materials ready to go.

5. Make a Fresh Wreath

This craft takes inspiration from Christmas in Germany, where wreath-making is part of the season. A fresh, fragrant wreath feels festive whether you hang it indoors or on the front door, and it’s the kind of Christmas craft that doesn’t require artistic skill.

If you're feeling out of your depth, some local garden centres run simple wreath-making classes where the setup is already done for you. You choose your branches, shape the base and learn how to make a bow if you want to dress it up. It’s also a great way to try your hand at a Christmas wreath without buying every supply individually.

Bring your mom along or surprise her with the one you make — either way, it doubles nicely as a thoughtful Christmas gift for Mom.

Easy Christmas Crafts for Adults

Adults don’t need complicated projects; they need something steady and satisfying. Simple crafts have a way of clearing mental clutter because you’re focused on one small task at a time — tying, wrapping, painting, trimming. It’s calm work with a clear endpoint, and that’s part of the appeal. 

6. Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder

Turn those boring or weird-colored candles into adorable holiday decorations with this easy Christmas craft. You’ll need a bunch of whole cinnamon sticks, some twine and a hot glue gun.

You can either glue the cinnamon sticks directly onto the candle (make sure they’re not too tall!) and add a twine knot for visual appeal, or you can glue the sticks together on the twine before tying it around the candle. 

7. Furoshiki Place Settings

If you’re hosting Christmas this holiday season, take a little inspiration from Christmas in Japan and bring the Furoshiki technique to your table. It’s a simple way to make place settings feel thoughtful without adding more work. Wrap a small box, ornament or treat in a square napkin or tea towel, tie it neatly on top and suddenly a basic cloth becomes a tiny “gift.”

Each guest is greeted at their seat with this adorable Christmas treasure to unwrap. It’s an easy Christmas craft with a lot of charm, and if you want more ideas like this, exploring Christmas traditions from around the world is a great place to start.

8. Candy Cane Place Holder

This Christmas craft is best done right before you host a holiday party, but the good news is that it couldn’t be simpler. You’ll need a bunch of miniature candy canes and some glue, preferably a hot glue gun.

Glue two stems together in a V-shape and let them dry. Slide each guest’s name card into the little cradle and you’re done.

9. Bundt Pan Wreath

This mess-free Christmas craft will tie together holiday decorations with a love of all things culinary. Take an old bundt pan and, using a hot glue gun, affix ornaments inside the cavity.

Once dry, thread a ribbon through the center and hang it up where you’ll actually see it during your holiday cooking.

10. Holiday Cloche Scenes

Even though this holiday art idea is a little more involved, the payoff is beautiful. And on a cold day, it’s the kind of indoor winter activity that feels just right.

Holiday cloche scenes work like tiny snapshots in time. They're a little hand-built world under a glass dome. All you need is a cloche or bell jar and a small mix of decorations you already have on hand. Build the scene however you like, from snowy trees to miniature houses, and you’ll end up with a decoration that feels personal.

11. DIY Drink Picks

When you’re hosting a holiday party, it’s nice to have something small that helps everyone keep track of their drinks. Pick up a pack of tiny Christmas trees from a craft store and glue them to the tops of toothpicks or stirrers. If they only have green ones, give them a quick spray-paint in a few colors so each drink looks different. These tiny decorations work for Christmas cocktails, mocktails and even finger food.

12. Homemade Sugar Scrub 

Cold weather does a number on your skin, so a homemade mint sugar scrub is a nice little Christmas craft that pays off twice. It’s relaxing to make and even nicer to use.

All you need is sugar, a few drops of essential oil and (if you want) a touch of green food coloring. Mix it up, spoon it into a jar and add a ribbon. It makes a sweet little gift to go along with your winter date ideas, or you can save it for an at-home spa night when you want something slow and soothing.

13. Santa Hat Drink Stirrers

Since we’ve tackled the tree drink picks, here’s another simple variation. Mini Santa hats (either handmade or store-bought) can be glued onto striped straws or stir sticks for an easy hit of holiday spirit. It’s quick and fits into any Christmas craft session without much prep.

14. Painted Pine Cone Wreath

Skip the usual green-and-red combo and add some color to your wreath with painted pine cones. Set aside an afternoon, slice the tops off your pine cones so the centers sit flat and give each one a coat of whatever color actually makes you smile. Once they dry, attach them to your greenery for a wreath that feels a little brighter and a lot more personal.

15. Pennant Tree Skirt

Add some colorful vintage flair to your tree this year with a homemade pennant tree skirt. Collect pennants that are meaningful to you in some way, then stitch them together for a quick Christmas craft that you can proudly display.

16. DIY Candle Centerpiece

You’ll need an old set of candles (or you can thrift some!) and your trusty hot glue gun for this Christmas craft. Take some old ornaments or get ambitious with faux greenery, and glue holiday decorations artfully around the bottom of the candle.

What was once plain is now a festive holiday decoration for your mantle or a coffee table. 

17. Reindeer Name Plates

With a handful of small plastic deer from a craft store or toy store, you can make an adorable nameplate for a dinner party. Glue on some gold or silver pipe cleaners for antlers and set a cute name card in the antlers. Each guest has a fun party favor to take home. 

18. Terracotta Place Cards

Hold onto that terracotta pot that cracked in the shed and give it a second life as a rustic place card holder. A quick sand, a coat of paint and a steady hand with a paint marker is all it takes. Chances are you’ve already got everything you need, which makes this Christmas craft easy to pull together at the last minute.

Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids

Kids settle quickly when their hands are busy. Give them glue, paper, pom poms or paint and instead of chaotic energy, you'll get focus. These crafts keep things light and structured without feeling like schoolwork, and they’re great for filling an afternoon when everyone’s home and a little restless. The bonus: most of them double as ornaments, decorations or gifts.

19. Ornament Tree

This colorful Christmas craft is a clever holiday party idea that anyone can do. Get a few foam cones from a craft store, along with Elmer’s glue and some ornaments (glass or plastic). Then, set up an area and let kids or adults take turns gluing ornaments or tinsel onto the cone until it resembles an ornament tree. The finished product looks beautiful on a mantle or tablescape. 

20. Snowman Hot Cocoa Bombs

Just like bath bombs, cocoa bombs are fun because kids get to build something and then watch it melt into magic. With a little help from an adult, they can make snowman versions that turn a mug of hot milk into hot chocolate. You’ll need sphere molds, melted white chocolate and a few mini marshmallows or chips for the filling. Once they’re sealed and decorated, the fun part is dropping one into a warm mug and watching it swirl apart.

21. Beaded Garland

The dark green color of Christmas trees makes them the perfect backdrop for a bright pop of color. You’ll need a beading kit for this, so run to the craft store or pull one out of storage and prepare for an easy, inexpensive Christmas craft for children.

Whether in a pattern or totally random, stringing brightly colored beads onto a long string makes for an adorable addition to your tree or mantle. 

22. Glittery Reindeer Treat Jar

Turn an old mason jar into a glittery and festive treat jar with these Christmas crafts for kids. You’ll need glitter, glue, pipe cleaners, googly eyes and a few pom poms for a nose.

Paint the outside of the jar in glue, then roll it in glitter. Brown glitter makes it look like a classic reindeer, while brighter colors make the whole thing a bit more whimsical. After the glitter is sealed with something like Mod Podge, add pipe cleaner antlers, googly eyes and a red or black pom pom for the nose. It’s simple and makes a great addition to your stash of DIY Christmas crafts.

23. Paint Rocks 

An easy Christmas craft for kids, painted rocks are a fun way to add color to your front door or tablescape this holiday season. From snowflakes to tiny Santa hats and little elf faces, there are tons of festive rock painting ideas you can bring to life. You could also use festive-themed rocks as part of a Christmas scavenger hunt. Hide these around your home or garden and the person who finds the most gets a prize.

24. Paper Roll Winter Village

Turn leftover paper rolls into a miniature DIY Christmas village kids can build from scratch. Cut each roll down to a small house size, paint on windows and doors, then add simple roofs from cardboard scraps. Set them over battery-powered tea lights for a warm glow. For a more traditional take on a winter village, take inspiration from Christmas in Italy and make an elaborate nativity scene instead.

25. Ladder Advent Calendar

If you’ve got a decorative elf ladder on display in your house, or even a small step ladder tucked away somewhere, it makes the perfect backdrop for an easy DIY Advent calendar kids can help make. Hang a row of little cloth bags or envelopes on the rungs, each numbered for the countdown.

Kids can decorate the bags, fill them with tiny treats or notes and tie them on with ribbon. It’s a simple, snowy-day craft that builds excitement for Christmas morning, one step at a time.

26. Button Wrapping Toppers

Let your kids get involved with wrapping and decorating the presents this year. Take your stash of old buttons and glue a few of them together on top of the presents for a DIY bow replacement. Using a mix of colors and sizes is ideal here. 

27. Pinecone Elves

Head out into your yard and collect a few pinecones to turn into cute elves with some glue and a creative eye. Use the pinecone as the body, add a wooden bead for the head and a tiny felt hat and scarf. Kids can draw faces, add mini accessories or make a whole line-up for the mantle. It’s quick and uses materials you either already have or can find easily.

28. Glittery Winter Birds

This Christmas craft feels like the definition of arts and crafts for kids, but with a holiday spin. You’ll need small foam balls, glitter paint, construction paper and a few other odd things.

Paint the foam balls with glitter paint, red like a cardinal or any color that you like. Then design and cut out other features like wings and a head for your bird creation. 

Christmas Paper Crafts

Paper is one of the easiest ways to ease into holiday making. It cuts, folds, layers and bends without much effort, which makes the process almost meditative. There’s no pressure here — if something rips or doesn’t look right, you start again. Paper crafts are cheap, forgiving and oddly calming, especially on days when your brain needs something simple to do.

29. Snowflakes 

Perhaps the most classic Christmas paper craft, and still one of the best. All you need is paper and scissors, plus some tape or string if you want to hang them up.

Kids can go wild with shapes, while adults can get detailed with folds and pattern ideas. Stick with white for a clean, wintry look or mix in red and green for something more playful.

30. Ombré Ribbons

Cut down on paper waste this year and opt for a simple, DIY wrapping for your gifts. After you’ve tucked your presents into neat white or brown boxes, you can wrap them up with these colorful DIY ombré ribbons.

You can get resourceful and use long fabric scraps or grab some plain white ribbon from a thrift store. With a set of clothing dyes and a little time, you can turn the ordinary into something colorful. 

31. DIY Wrapping Paper

Lean into eco-friendly Christmas crafting and make your own wrapping paper. Take that stash of paper bags and carefully cut them so they lie flat. Using paint, washi tape or even just markers, create fun designs on the bags.

This is a fun couple’s painting idea you can do together one night at home that is actually useful. When it comes time to wrap presents, you can use your handmade, custom wrapping paper. 

32. Gingerbread House Gift Tags

You can turn brown paper bags or little pieces of wood into adorable miniature gingerbread houses with this Christmas craft. Cut the paper bag into the shape of a tiny house, approximately three inches or smaller.

Repeat until you have as many houses as you would like, then, using paint or markers, turn that piece of paper into an adorable little home. Hang them individually as ornaments or use them as gift tags. This is a cheap and easy school holiday craft idea, too, especially if you're holding a gingerbread house competition.

33. DIY Holiday Cards

Washi tape comes in all sorts of fun colors and patterns and you can turn any plain card into a beautiful holiday card with a little creativity. The tape itself can be found at Target and Walgreens or your local craft store.

Make elegant lines, your own take on plaid or even a unique Christmas tree to take these envelopes or cards up a notch. This Christmas craft is perfect for adding some flair to your holiday cards or thank-you notes.

34. Christmas Sweater Garland

Looking for a cheap and easy activity for your holiday work party? This is it. Lean into the ugly Christmas sweater idea and create a truly unique garland. Using construction paper and maybe some markers, make a bunch of miniature Christmas sweaters to hang on a garland. 

35. Fabric Coasters

A small way to bring the season into the room without going overboard. Grab a few festive scraps from a fabric store, cut them into squares and stitch them together.

Iron-on letters or tiny decorative patches give them a personal touch, and they double as easy, handmade gifts.

36. Paper Doll Family Christmas Card

This one takes more time, but it's absolutely worth the effort. Create a folded bunting of tiny paper dolls and customize each one to match your family. It’s not meant for a long mailing list, but for grandparents or close friends, it’s one of those memorable little keepsakes they’ll hold onto.

Christmas Ornament Crafts

Making ornaments is slow, close-up work — painting, gluing, tying — and it has a way of settling kids and adults alike. They’re small projects with real staying power.

37. House Ornament

Whether you’re a family that moves a lot or a couple of new homeowners, this easy Christmas craft for adults will remind you of childhood while creating new, sentimental tokens.

You’ll need a small piece of wood from your local craft store, oval or circular works great, and a photo of the outside of your home. Using Mod Podge paste, glue the photo onto the round and if you like, affix a ribbon trim. Let your creation dry completely before attempting to hang it on your tree. 

38. Popsicle Window Ornament

Year after year, unboxing a handmade Christmas craft like a homemade ornament lets the memories flood in. These easy window frame ornaments come together easily with only paper and popsicle sticks.

Print out an image of your child’s face (or a pet!) and, using colorful popsicle sticks, create a grid over blue construction paper to make it look like your child is peering through the window. Add a small loop with ribbon and it’s ready to hang on your tree. 

39. Pom-Pom Pinecones

Massive pinecones are a fun seasonal decoration, but why not add a colorful twist? Kids and adults alike can easily glue tiny, colorful pom poms into the spaces on a pinecone.

The pinecones can be laid out as a table decoration, carefully stuffed into a Christmas tree or a number of other places to make your home feel cute and festive. 

40. Chalk Paint Ornaments

Take old ornaments with blotchy colors or grab some cheap ones from the thrift store and paint them with chalk paint. Then, with a paint marker, add some wintery designs or holiday words to create some DIY ornaments. There are so many chalk paint ideas to choose from for the holiday season.

41. Citrus Garland

This free Christmas craft for adults adds a colorful touch to fireplace decor or a tree. Thinly cut and dehydrate slices of citrus, like oranges or blood oranges, and once dry, feed a piece of string or nylon through the slices to create a beautiful garland.

You probably have all the supplies you need for this easy and colorful decoration. 

Christmas Handprint Crafts

Handprint crafts aren’t just cute; they freeze a moment in time. Kids grow fast, and a paint print on paper or clay becomes a little timestamp you’ll be glad you kept. They also happen to be some of the simplest, calmest crafts you can set up. A bit of paint, a wipe for cleanup and a keepsake that means something to grandparents, parents and kids.

42. Upside-Down Hand Penguin

Guide kids to make an upside-down handprint using black paint, then add a white belly and eyes for a cute winter penguin. It’s a little abstract but still fun, and penguins bring a nice shift from the usual Christmas characters.

43. Handprint Santa

Few things are more exciting for kids than dunking their hands in paint. For this one, help them stamp a handprint (minus the thumb), then turn it into Santa with a painted hat, face and little glued-on details. It’s simple, quick and very cute.

44. Thumbprint Christmas Light Cards

Take turns dipping your thumb into various colors of paint and creating a thumbprint Christmas light card. Connect each colorful print with a black marker to make it look like a string of lights. These easy Christmas craft cards are perfect as thank-you notes or invitations to a holiday party. 

45. Thumbprint Reindeer 

Using just your child’s thumb and some brown paint, let them press out a family of reindeer onto some plain white cards.

Draw in extra details like eyes, noses and mouths or glue on some tiny ribbons and you’ve got an adorable homemade name card, party invite or even just tiny wall art. 

46. Handprint Snowman Ornament

For a handprint Christmas craft idea that will last year after year, make a special memory by preserving your child's handprint on a Christmas tree ornament. Use a round ornament, then turn each finger into a little snowman with paint or markers. 

Christmas Crafts to Make and Sell

People buy crafts that feel personal, useful and easy to gift, not complicated pieces that look mass-produced. The most successful holiday sellers focus on materials that smell good, feel good or tap into classic seasonal styles. Small-batch, handmade and practical go far during the Christmas market season.

47. Paper Poinsettias

Take inspiration from Christmas in Mexico and create long-lasting poinsettias from crepe paper. A Cricut makes the cutting fast, but hand-cutting petals works too. These bright flowers look great individually or bundled into bouquets and make an easy sell at winter markets.

48. DIY Ice Skate Wreath

For the expert thrifter-turned-artist, turning an old pair of ice skates into a beautiful Christmas craft is a dream.

You can go any direction with the skates, from painting them, gluing on faux fur or embracing the vintage feel and making the whole thing super festive by adding in real or fake pine needles and red berries.

The result is a beautiful work of art that people can hang on their door or display in their home. 

49. Advent Calendar

Whether your gift is felt, calligraphy or something else entirely, advent calendars are a popular way for people to count the days until Christmas. And this fun art idea for teens or adults can easily turn into a small business opportunity.

With your own creative flair, you can take Christmas crafting a basic Christmas calendar into a festive DIY advent calendar. It’s up to you if you want to transform an already existing December calendar page or create your own from scratch. 

50. Retro Bulb Centerpiece

Combine retro art with modern flair as you make this retro bulb centerpiece. Using those giant and colorful old light bulbs, you have two options here.

The first option is to glue them to a foam sphere and call it a day. Or, you can put more time into things and attempt to leave your design hollow in the middle so the light of a candle might be able to shine through.

Either way, this fun Christmas craft for adults to make and sell ties together old and new in a unique way.

51. Painted Tote Bags

If you’re a gifted painter looking for a unique Christmas craft, consider making some beautiful painted tote bags. There are a number of fun tote bag painting ideas you could bring to life, like wintery animals or snowy cities from across the world.

Buy cheap canvas tote bags online and you can sell your beautiful creations at a winter market.

52. Stove Top Potpourri

Wondering what to make for the Christmas fair? Putting together a neat little gift item like stovetop potpourri is a great thing to sell at your local Christmas market.

Carefully curated combinations like orange and clove or cinnamon and pine are eye-catching in a mason jar. Add on a decorative ribbon and your company logo, and these make a one-stop shop for holiday hostess gifts and DIY spa kits.

These simple but beautiful kits take the work off someone else’s plate when they can buy them already made from a small business. 

53. Upcycled Candles

Head to your favorite antique or thrift store and collect some semi-large bowls to make big candles out of. There's something about an extra-large candle that just feels so cozy.

Melt and mix your own wax and essential oils for seasonal scents that are sure to fly off your shelves. It’s a simple, cozy craft with broad appeal and low production cost, which makes it ideal for selling.

Some projects turn into gifts, some turn into decorations and some simply become moments you remember because everyone was at the table doing the same quiet thing.

It doesn’t matter if you’re making something small with the kids or trying a new craft for the first time — the fun is in the time spent, not the outcome. And if you want more ways to get creative this season, a workshop or guided class can give you the space to make something without having to plan it.

For even more creative art ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!