Here’s a fun way to create Christmas card ornaments! Use old Christmas cards to create a geometric ornament! Keep reading to discover how to make them.
If you want a fun way to recycle old Christmas cards once the holidays are over, think about crafting them into a 3-D geometric Christmas card ornament! It’s fairly easy to do, doesn’t take long, and it’s a fun ornament to add to your collection. Plus, they’re pretty fun looking.
If you like visual instructions, you can watch my Youtube video for this DIY Christmas Card ornament.
You can download circle and triangle templates needed for this craft in my store for free HERE.
DIY 3-D Geometric Ornaments from Christmas Cards
Materials Needed to Make a Geometric Christmas Ornament
- Old Christmas Cards
- Ruler
- Pen
- Scissors
- Scoring Stylus (optional)
- Geometry Compass (optional if making own template)
- Tacky Glue or simple glue stick
- Button
- Ribbon or yarn
- Paper clips
- Self-Healing Cutting Mat
Instructions on How to Create a Geometric Christmas Card Ornament
Time needed: 30 minutes.
How to Make a 3-D Christmas Card Ornament with Christmas Cards
- Cut out 21 Circles
Trace something circular, like the bottom of a small cup (or template), on top of your holiday cards. You need 20 circles, plus an extra for a triangle template. Trace and cut them all out.
To make your ornament prettier, you can try to use Christmas cards that are mostly a certain color or style, or only two colors. - Create an Inscribed Equilateral Triangle Template
Now you need to create an equilateral triangle template that you can circumscribe within each circle (or download my templates here).
This means that each side of the triangle is the same length and every corner is touching a point on the outside of the circle like pictured below.
It will likely take some trial and error to get it to measure just right, so use a pencil. You can follow this video tutorial on Youtube on how to make it (you’ll need a compass and a ruler) or you can just download my template. - Cut out Triangle Template
Cut out an extra circle from a card to create the template to make it way easier on yourself.
- Score the triangle on your circles.
Trace the triangle shape on the back of each of the 20 circles you cut out, if using a pen for scoring, so the lines won’t be visible. Score the triangle lines you make.
Make sure to score on top of other unused cards or on a self-healing cutting mat so you don’t damage your table.
You can use a simple pen and press hard while using a ruler to make sure it is nice and straight, or use a scoring stylus like this Cricut one. - Fold along creased lines.
Fold over the edges of the circles along the lines, folding them forward, toward the colored pattern/design of the card.
- Glue together top section of ornament.
Now it’s time to start assembling the ornament! Start with the top and glue the edges of five circles together. Press firmly together for about 15 seconds to secure flaps together.
If your tacky glue isn’t holding well, use a paper clip to hold the edges in place until they dry. - Glue together bottom section of ornament.
Repeat step 6 and create the bottom by gluing 5 circles together in a similar manner.
- Glue together middle section of 3-D ornament.
For the middle section, you’ll glue together the remaining 10 circles, but in a straight line. Glue alternating flaps on the circles until all ten are glued together.
- Add a hanging mechanism.
Take a piece of ribbon or string and loop it through a button. Pull string through the bottom of the top section of your ornament so the bottom rests at the top. Secure the button there with some glue for extra strength.
- Glue together the three parts of the ornament.
Now it’s time to start assembling the ornament! Glue the bottom flaps of your top section to the five top flaps of your middle section, until completed all the way around.
Use paper clips to secure the flaps until dry.
Repeat this process with the bottom part of the ornament, gluing the remaining flaps together to form a round ball. - Add additional elements as desired.
If you want, you can add glue to the flap edges and dip it in glitter. You can also trim exposed edges on flaps, or otherwise personalize the ornament to your liking .
- Hang it on the tree or gift it!
This DIY geometric ornament makes a great gift or a fun decoration to your own tree! Enjoy!
Check out my post on 40 ideas on how to recycle old Christmas cards and wrapping paper!
For more Christmas craft ideas, check out the following posts!:
- How to Make a 3-D Christmas Card Ornament
- How to Make Christmas Gift Tags from Old Christmas Cards
- How to Make a DIY Gift Box from a Christmas Card
- How to Make a Wire Christmas Card Display Picture Frame for Under $15
- 27 FREE DIY Homemade Christmas Stockings Patterns and Tutorials
- 12 Free Printable Nativity Coloring Pages for Kids
- How to Assemble Blessing Bags for the Homeless
Karen J Dumont says
Hi Katelyn,
I’m loving all the info and these crafts, thanks. These ornaments are confusing me though…
1st, you have a pic (#6) of a round ornament ( the bottoms) and a pic (#7) of a LINE of 10 that you want us to glue together… didn’t we ALREADY glue the round together?? Am I now taking it apart? Then in # 8 it’s back to a circle
And now we’re putting the ribbon into 1/2 of it and in #9, the ribbon is in the whole thing… is it the SAME ribbon?
Help!
Katelyn Fagan says
Darn! Sorry, it’s confusing you! Maybe I should make a video for it… (someday). I think what’s confusing you is that there are three parts – the top, the bottom, and the center. That’s what the #7 picture shows. There is no dissambling going on at all. The top and bottom are 5 scored circles each, glued together in an open-bottom circle. One of them will have the hanging mechanism in it, before you glue the strip of 10 in a line to the top and bottom open-bottom circles you made. And to glue it all together, you just match up all those folded edges.
Karen Dumont says
This won’t let me reply
Karen Dumont says
Thanks Katelyn for responding!
I can’t wait to try this!
Kindly,
Karen
Cynthia Jones says
My family made these as part of our annual Family Christmas Crafts day & they turned out amazing! I knew what they would eventually look like, but my boys & husband were just following my directions. I loved seeing their reactions when it dawned on each of them what the finished products would look like. Members of my family who’ve seen ours are now asking when we’re going to make some for them!
Zola says
My grandchildren, ages 9 and 10, and I had a great time making this ornament. They were very proud of their finished product. Thank you! Instructions are clear and easy to follow.
Katelyn Fagan says
Oh yeah!! Thank you for letting me know!