[For Seniors] Fun Crafts Recommended for December
December brings fun events and major occasions like Christmas and New Year’s.
Let’s help older adults feel the season with crafts that capture the spirit of December! We’ve gathered many projects that are easy to prepare and simple to make, using recycled materials and items from 100-yen shops.
Moving the fingers during crafting can also have brain-training benefits.
You can display the finished pieces, or take them home to use if they’re practical items.
Enjoy a wonderful time with crafts that are perfect for wrapping up the year.
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[For Seniors] Fun Crafts Recommended in December (111–120)
Christmas tree made with construction paper
Let’s make an adorable palm-sized “Christmas tree” using construction paper and a paper cup! Represent the fir tree’s fluffy needles with small, strip-shaped pieces of green and white construction paper.
To make it easier for older adults to participate, consider preparing the strips in advance and making other small adjustments.
You can enjoy decorating it with craft “pom-poms,” ribbons, and other embellishments available at 100-yen shops and similar stores.
Since the project uses lots of fine finger movements and requires thinking through the steps, it can also help stimulate the brain during the creative process.
You’ll make a sturdy trunk from thick paperboard, but a toilet paper roll can be used as a substitute.
If you do substitute, make sure it fits into the paper cup “flowerpot” that serves as the tree’s base.
3D cute snowman garland
This garland of snowmen, made using milk cartons and toilet paper rolls, captures the soft feel of snow.
First, cut a milk carton into thin strips to form circular frames, then wrap them with tissue paper to create the snowman bases.
After combining the top and bottom bases, shape a thinly cut toilet paper roll into a triangle, wrap it with tissue paper to make a hat, and attach it to complete the snowman.
Choosing the colors of the tissue paper, as well as the facial expressions and decorative designs, is key—experiment with different combinations to add originality.
Three-dimensional Christmas tree
Introducing a Christmas tree you can make with five sheets of origami! It has a voluminous, three-dimensional finish.
We recommend combining dark and light green like fir needles, and using washi paper as well.
The key to the folding method is to make crisp, firm creases.
Once you’ve made all five pieces, align the corners and glue them securely for stability.
Combine the trunk pieces, and it’s complete! Finally, add beads or any decorations you like to make it more festive.
Display this tree and let’s boost the Christmas spirit!
Simple flower ornament
This is a flower ornament that looks glamorous but is very easy to make! Fold an origami sheet so that each side is divided into eighths, then cut along the creases to make eight strips.
Stack the eight strips, staple them in the center, and place them with the white side facing up.
Apply glue to both ends and stick them down toward the center.
For the second strip, apply glue in the same way and slide it under the center of the first strip before sticking it down.
Make a total of 16 loops, then shape them into a flower at the end, and your floral decoration is complete.
It’s an idea you can use not only for Christmas, so give it a try!
Simple Santa Claus
This is a cute Santa Claus you can make from a single sheet of origami.
First, with the white side facing up, fold diagonally both ways to form triangles, then unfold.
Fold the top corner toward the center; after folding the tip upward, fold the bottom corner up to meet the top crease, then fold it halfway back down.
Turn it over, fold back the top right and top left about 1 cm, then fold the top right and top left down toward the center.
Fold the right and left sides once more, adjusting as you go, and your Santa Claus will be complete.
The final adjustments are a bit detailed, but if you fold carefully together, it’s a nice exercise for the hands and fingers!
simple star
This is an easy-to-make hanging star decoration inspired by the star shining atop a Christmas tree.
Fold a piece of origami paper into a triangle twice, fold it further, then cut it diagonally to create a star shape.
Crease along the existing lines so they become mountain folds on the front, and shape it to finish a puffy star.
Make a small slit in part of the mountain-folded area, thread a string through it, and hang it in your room.
The star’s shape changes depending on the cutting angle, so try making a variety of stars and enjoy decorating for Christmas!
Paper poinsettia
When it comes to Christmas flowers, poinsettias come to mind.
Their bright red leaves are beautiful, and you see them everywhere during the Christmas season.
So why not try making a paper poinsettia as a Christmas decoration? It’s easy for anyone to make: fold a square sheet of colored construction paper or origami paper in half twice to make a smaller square, then use scissors to make cuts and trim along the pattern.
If you glue two red leaf layers in a crisscross, it will look even more like a poinsettia.
If you want to get more elaborate, make slightly larger green leaves using the same method and attach them at the very bottom.
