Freebie time! If you’re looking for a fun project you can do with the kiddos and need a little extra Christmas cheer, I’ve got one that’s simple and fun. Make your own paper bird ornaments that can be colored with markers, colored pencils, or colored on a tablet. Hang them on your Christmas tree, or color a whole flock of birds and make a garland to decorate your mantle, a window, or a wall that needs a little extra color.
When I was a kid, one of my favorite things to do each Christmas was to make handmade ornaments. They were usually pretty simple: reindeer made out of clothespins, macaroni sheep, and paper gingerbread men (usually with minimal glitter, after that one incident…) They may have been simple, but they were a fun way to do something creative with my mom, and somehow even those paper ornaments survived for 35+ years and counting. My mom kept them all, even when Rudolph lost a googly eye, or when the snowman lost his sparkle. Our box of ornaments is like a time capsule now, and it’s pretty cool to unearth all of those handmade ornaments from what feels like eons ago. (If you want to get super fancy, you can laminate your bird ornaments to give them some extra life.)
This printable PDF includes simple instructions and an idea for making garland. Download your PDF here, and feel free to make as many birds as you like. They’re free for your personal use. To make ornaments, just print these from your computer (cardstock works best, but any paper will do), color as desired. Cut them out, use a hole punch to make a hole in the top, and thread through some twine or yard to make a loop for hanging.
No hole punch? No problem. You can use tape, glue, or a staple to secure the yarn loop to the back side of the ornament.
Happy holidays, everyone! From my flock to yours. 🙂
