16 DIY Christmas Ornaments Minimalists Will Love

Nov 15, 2023

Though the holidays are typically a maximalist‘s dream, we’re seeing a trend toward the streamlined. Perfect example? The capsule wardrobe and the rise in popularity of the #KonMari Method. Yes, everyone can appreciate an over-the-top light show or stocking-stuffed mantel, but the spirit of simplicity is definitely in season. Try it on for size by taking inspo from these DIY ornament ideas.

Glistening Silver Ornament

More of a silver than a gold person? This DIY is for you. Though glitter can be chaotic (it is, after all, the chicken pox of craft supplies), it keeps its minimal feel by acting as a single-hued ornament. (via Brit + Co)

Geometric Clay Ornaments

These eye-catching, 3D clay ornaments stand out all on their own. (via Brit + Co)

Dipped Glitter Ornament

Just because you’re going minimal doesn’t mean you can’t embrace glitter! You can also personalize these with names and beloved holiday sayings. (via The Beauty Dojo)

Eye Ornament

Don’t the eyes always have it? This DIY definitely thinks so. As #NYFW proved, graphic illustrations are really having a moment. It’s only right you allow your Christmas tree to make the same bold fashion statement. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Wooden Tassel Ornaments

For a more natural, subdued vibe, try fashioning these neutral wooden ornaments. We’re loving that the tassels add just the right amount of holiday flair. (via The Merry Thought)

Painted Ornaments

Minimal doesn’t necessarily mean neutral. Try making this tricolored ornament for a bold pop of color that doesn’t feel overpowering. (via Design Improvised)

Easy Stitched Leather Ornaments

Not only do these ornaments look great riding solo on a tree, but they also make excellent gifts for long-distance SOs, friends or family members. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Metallic Wooden Ball Ornament

This little ornament rocks the monochromatic look with ease. (via Lia Griffith)

DIY Moon Phase Clay Ornaments

We found them on scarves and calendars this past year, and now they’re on our tree. For a really modern look, try pairing these white ornaments with a white tree. (via Alice & Lois)

Pipe Cleaner Himmeli Ornament

Sometimes the simplest idea has the biggest impact. At least that’s what these little DIY diamonds prove. All you need is some leftover craft supplies and a few hours and you’ll have your tree lookin’ like a million bucks. (via Smile and Wave)

Repurposed Ornaments With Ribbon Tape

Instead of tossing old ornaments, grab some ribbon tape and update those little buggers. You’d be surprised how such a simple idea can completely transform your decor. (via Up to Date Interiors)

Geometric Clay Christmas Decorations

Bling out your Christmas tree with a few dazzling gems. (via Make and Fable)

Hand Painted Pastel Ornaments

These beautiful hand-painted ornaments are therapeutic to make and are the best pop of color for your tree. (via Alice & Lois)

Paper-Covered Ornaments

If you're a book girly, these ornaments are going to be right up your alley. (via The Turquoise Home)

Rudolph Ornaments

These Rudolph ornaments are seriously adorable and so easy to make! (via Studio DIY!)

Gradient Ornaments

These gradient ornaments are unique and add an awesome pop of color! (via A Kailo Chic Life)

After all this inspo, who’s ready to minimal-ize their Christmas tree? Show us your tree on Instagram using hashtag #iamcreative!

30 Ornaments That Will Have You Rockin’ Around The Xmas Tree

You’ve picked out the perfect tree topper and DIYed a few festive holiday garlands; now all that’s left to do is to decorate the tree. Whether you’re looking for quirky and colorful ornaments or you’re going for a more sleek decorating scheme, these ornaments will have your friends and family singing “Oh, Christmas Tree” in no time. They make great stocking stuffers too for the ornament collector; the foodie, animal lover, or artist in your life; or anyone who takes joy in the holidays. Oh what fun!

Framed Beetle Ornament

These framed beetle ornaments are a great addition to your Christmas tree if you still have Halloweenon the brain.

Forest In Glass Ball Ornament

For color lovers, these glittery trees create a colorful forest on your festive tree.

Wondershop 'merry Christmas' Record Player Christmas Tree Ornament

Let this cute retro record player ornament help you ring in the sweet tunes of Christmas.

Glitterville Ice Cream Cone Ornaments (Set of 3)

These cute pastel ornaments will bring a tasteful (pun intended!) touch to your Christmas tree. And of course, if you start to crave the real thing, we have amazing ice cream sundae recipes for you to make at home!

MoMA Craftspring New York City Felt Hat Ornament

If you live in or just love NYC, here's a little felty tribute.

Wondershop Sequined Felt Donut Christmas Ornament

We're into this whole food theme with a sequined felt donut ornament.

Wondershop Felt Dragon Fruit Christmas Ornament

What a sweet little dragon fruit.

Wondershop Taco Glass Ornament

Taco dreams? Start with this quirky ornament.

Anthropologie Tinsel Cocktail Ornament

Cocktail wishes? Toast the new year with this sparkly tinsel ornament.

Anthropologie Travel Poodle Ornament (New York)

Get ready for your first solo travel trip by placing this travel poodle on your tree.

World Market Wool Smiling S'mores Ornament

Channel summer campfires with this charming s'mores ornament.

Anthropologie Gleaming Primrose Mirror Ornament

Pop a photo into this gleaming primrose mirror ornament for an on-trend tree.

Bloomingdale's Hot Air Balloon Ornament

Take flight with this monochromatic hot air balloon ornament.

World Market Glass Oat Milk Carton Ornament

Dairy-free? This shimmering ornament is too! ($8)

Anthropologie Macaron Box Glass Ornament

Macarons are a favorite around here.

Bloomingdale's Gum Ball Machine Ornament

You won't find this classic gumball machine anywhere else except in this unique collection from Bloomingdales. ($7)

Altar'd State Sparkling Water Ornament

Sparkling water is a must if you're not drinking during the holidays.

Urban Outfitter's Croissant Ornament

Bakers will delight in this buttery treat.

Anthropologie Paint Palette Ornament

Your Christmas tree won't be complete until you add this paint palette ornament to it.

Craft Spring Hand Felted Pink Desert Ornament

We love the idea of a whole tree inspired by the desert.

H&M Dog Christmas Ornament

Got a beige dog? Now you do.;) ($7)

Hallmark Balloon Dog Ornament

How cute is this balloon dog in ornament form?

Kurt Adler Plastic Sushi Ornament

Keeping with the foodie theme, why not have 3 sushi rolls on your tree?

GAUMAANLEI Set of 2 Mac and Cheese Glass Ornaments

Yes please for mac and cheese!

Craft Spring Hand Felted Yellow NYC Taxi Cab Ornament

Here's your ticket to a nostalgic NYC-inspired tree.

Sudha Pennathur Empire State Building Ornament

Or if you prefer to focus on the Empire State building, here's a beaded version to help bring you holiday joy.

Harley Lilac Mushrooms Ornaments

This quartet of velvet beaded mushrooms is the sweetest for your forest-inspired tree.

Sur La Table Layer Cake Glass Ornament

A triple layer cake after an amazing Christmas dinner? We'll gladly take one!

Anthropologie Eiffel Tower Christmas Ornament

Bring a bit of Paris to your living room with this Eiffel Tower Christmas ornament.

H&M Lip Gloss in Ornament

H&M has a sweet surprise for you in the form of mini lip glosses encased in a clear ornament. It's the perfect gift that'll be hidden in plain sight!

Subscribe to our email newsletter for more holiday gifting ideas. Follow us on Pinterest too for tons of holiday decor and recipe inspiration!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Jasmine Williams.

Featured images via West Elm, Neiman Marcus, Anthropologie and World Market

24 Cozy 'Gilmore Girls' Gifts For Anyone Who'd Rather Be In Stars Hollow

If there's one thing about Gilmore Girls fans you can count on, it's their passion. They love the quirky one liners, memorable moments, and are usually either Team Jess or Team Logan (sorry Dean...). Give any Gilmore Girls lover in your life the chance to transport themselves to Stars Hollow this holiday season — without having to make the trek to Washington, Connecticut or the Warner Bros. stage in Hollywood. These Gilmore Girls gift ideas are fun, thoughtful, and very cozy, which are also three hallmarks of the series itself! From a coffee mug that Luke Danes would approve of to the perfect gifts for Taylor Swift fans, this Gilmore Girlsgift guide will make you say "Oy with the poodles already!"

Now that we're in knee-high boot season (which I FINALLY bought), I like to wear super fun, colorful, and chaotic socks. Grab a pack of Gilmore Girls socks to take some Stars Hollow magic with you no matter where you go.

Etsy

Gilmore Girls Themed Blind Date with a Book

For this bookish blind date, you'll receive a Rory-themed read, a tea bag, a bookmark, and stickers. You really can't go wrong.

Favorite Child

Stars Hollow Books Tote Bag

Carrying your favorite books in a tote bag with the Stars Hollow Books logo feels like it's meant to be.

Amazon

Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don't Want to Forget to Remember

Lauren Graham's collection of essays will give you a glimpse behind the curtain as she offers thoughtful stories about life, aging, and the industry.

Which gifts from this Gilmore Girls gift guide will you be buying for your friends (or yourself)? Let us know in the comments!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

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These Punny Ornaments Are Exactly What Your Tree Needs

We love a good pun. With theholiday season upon us, why not put the two together with these punny DIY Christmas ornaments for your tree?! They’re super easy to make, so you’ll be able to save some time for a big mug of hot cocoa. More importantly, you’ll definitely be “sleighing” it (wink) with the decorations this year! Here’s the how-to. If you believe in your “elf,” you’re sure to do a great job!

How To Make DIY Christmas Ornaments

Materials:

colorful ornaments
vinyl in gold, white and black OR letter stickers

Tools:

Cricut Explorer (or other vinyl-cutting machine)
ruler

Instructions:

Measure the approximate size of the front of your ornament with a ruler.
Once you have the size, determine how large or small the vinyl letters need to be.
If you are using a Cricut Explorer (or other vinyl-cutting machine) and a blank vinyl sheet, create a file with your puns and cut out the letters as per the instructions on your machine.
Locate the center of your ornament and estimate where the first letter needs to be placed.
Place all of the vinyl letters, making sure to space them evenly apart.

*If you don’t have a Cricut Explorer or other vinyl cutter, you can use store-bought vinyl letters to apply the puns.

Don’t worry if you misplace the letters. They’re just stickers, so they’re easy to take off and re-apply! And don’t fret if you don’t have a vinyl-cutting machine and don’t want to spend time hand cutting all of the letters! Your local craft store should have letter stickers in black and white that will do the trick.

Real Housewives of New York cast member Heather would definitely love the “Happy HOLLA Days” ornament, am I right?

Your tree will win the award for funniest this year!

Have any more Holiday puns? Or just a funny Holiday joke? Let us know in the comments below and follow our TikTok for more holiday DIYs like these DIY Christmas ornaments!

This post has been updated.

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Angelina Jolie Finally Opened Up About Her "Extremely Private" Kids & Motherhood

Angelina Jolie has always been mother — but she's also a literal mother to six kids whom she clearly cares about fiercely. Since she first adopted Zahara, Maddox, and Pax to giving birth to Vivienne and Knox, it's always been evident that her children are her entire world. While she rarely talks about her children (especially given her highly contested divorce at the moment), Angelina shared a little slice of her feelings on motherhood, insights on her children, and more with Good Morning America.

Here's what Angelina Jolie had to say about her kids — including which one of them is the most private!

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- YouTube

Angelina opened up about her feelings for her family while chatting about her new movie Maria with Good Morning Americaon November 21, 2024. Host Michael Strahan asked Angie about if there's anything she loves as much as her character loves singing, and she replied that it's her "motherhood."

"It’s my happiness. You can take everything else away from me," she said. "I could — nothing else matters."

When asked about her sons' involvement in Maria, Angelina explained that despite their involvement behind the scenes, they're very uninterested in a life in the spotlight. She said, "None of my children want to be in front of the camera. They're quite private."

Angelina elaborated, "Shiloh's extremely private. They weren't born with privacy, so I hope they can have that."

This interview comes after Angelina and Knox attended the Governor's Awards with her on November 18, 2024. His rare appearance shocked so many — including Brad. Daily Mail reported that Pitt found the timing "suspicious."

The source said, "'She is trying to get under his skin after his recent win and using Knox to do so is odd. Knox wants nothing to do with Hollywood and has no communication with Brad."

Despite the weirdness, the source also said, "He [Brad] believes that, in time, his children will come back into his life."

How many kids does Angelina Jolie have?

Angelina Jolie has six children. She adopted Zahara, Maddox, and Pax, and later gave birth to Vivienne and Shiloh. She shares her children with Brad Pitt, most of whom aren't on good terms with him at the moment.

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New Mom Shares Exactly How Much It Cost To Have A Baby In 2024 – Spoiler Alert, It’s A LOT

Just how expensive is it to have a baby in 2024? One woman sharing her experience on social media has sparked a much-needed conversation about financial transparency when it comes to starting (or growing) a family.

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A post shared by Josephine Anderson (@fosterthevalley)

Josephine Anderson, who posted a video on her Instagram @fosterthevalley, outlined the costs of her uncomplicated vaginal birth, and TBH, it was shocking.

The financial breakdown of her experience (with Cigna for insurance):

Routine office visits (including 2 ultrasounds): $1,266
Labs: $3,440.81
NIPT genetic testing: $15,319.36
Anatomy scan: $1,270
RhoGam: $360
Hospital for mom: $23,722.10
Hospital for baby: $7,402.80
OBGYN for delivery: $5,000
Epidural: $5,720
Breastfeeding support: $2,589.78
Pediatrician: $209

That all racks up to a whopping total of $66,299.85. After insurance was factored in (her deductible was $3,000 while her max out-of-pocket for in-network expenses was $11,000), the total cost for her uncomplicated vaginal birth was $4,788.98. Forbes Advisor reports the average cost of having a baby in 2024 is $2,854.

Instagram

Josephine’s video warranted thousands of comments, most of which were appalled by the costs of her experience:

“This needs to be shared in SexEd classes,” one commenter wrote.

“The US medical system is BROKEN,” another said.

“And people are still confused why more women are choosing to remain child free… we literally can’t afford it,” another user commented.

Mart Production / PEXELS

Brit + Co spoke with Wendy Colson RN, IBCLC and CEO/Founder of BOOBIE Superfoods to gauge if Josephine’s costs were typical for the care she received. Colson has significant insight into how insurance works not only from an employer’s perspective, but from personal experience as a patient with breast cancer.

“The $4,788.98 net amount she mentions is realistic given that her deductible was $3,000. If she had chosen a plan with a $1,000 deductible – which is a common ceiling for good coverage – the same scenario would have cost her around $2,789,” Colson said. “The video highlights the importance of understanding what you're getting with an insurance plan, especially when you anticipate major life events like childbirth.”

Sarah Chai / PEXELS

Colson primarily attributes unanticipated costs for medical care (like in Josephine’s case) to patients that choose their insurance plans with, well, no real plan.

“Many [people] opt for the [plan] with the lowest paycheck deductions without fully evaluating the benefits,” Colson said.

There’s often a tradeoff between paying less per paycheck and receiving your desired benefits: for example, if you elect to contribute less money towards your insurance per paycheck, you may end up paying more out of pocket for things like doctor’s office visits and prescriptions.

“Making an informed choice is key to saving money in the long run,” Colson continued. “In short, it's crucial to consider both the immediate costs (like paycheck deductions) and the potential future costs (like deductibles and copays) when choosing an insurance plan.”

Anna Shvets / PEXELS

Another major cost Josephine mentions in her video was 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, which cost her a total of $18,000 (in lost income).

Per the passing of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in 1993, moms have a legal right to up to 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that the act was designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities, accommodate the legitimate interests of employers, and promote equal employment opportunity for men and women.

Matilda Wormwood / PEXELS

It all sounds great until you realize the time off is indeed unpaid, which doesn't really aid in the amount of money parents end up owing after all is said and done in the pregnancy and childbirth processes.

Only 13 states plus the District of Columbia offer paid maternity leave. When you compare the United States’ laws to that of other industrialized nations, they don’t exactly measure up.

Colson says Sweden’s maternity leave policy is “one of the most generous,” offering 390 days of paid parental leave (shared between parents) and 80% of wages covered for a significant portion of the leave. In Germany, mothers are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave plus a tax-free, income-based allowance straight from their insurance provider.

Jonathan Borba / PEXELS

Though it’s likely that US laws will never be that generous in terms of paid maternity leave, there are a few things you can do to make the blow of medical costs hurt a little less, says Colson.

“My advice is to be your own advocate,” she says. “If you’re planning to have a baby, start by understanding what your state provides in terms of paid leave to avoid surprises after delivery.”

To keep the cost of having your baby (if you’re planning to have one) transparent and free of surprises, Colson recommends:

Asking your physician’s office for a detailed breakdown of insurance billing codes, including:
- Office visits
- Lab work
- Epidural (and the anesthesiologist’s separate fee)
- Hospital admissions
- Specialist consultations during admission
- Optional procedures like circumcision, if desired
Email the insurance billing codes to your insurance provider, who can help calculate your out-of-pocket costs and deductible

“Having a baby is priceless,” Colson says. “By planning ahead – understanding your insurance options, healthcare costs, and available benefits – you can ensure peace of mind and focus on what truly matters: your growing family.”

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