[For Seniors] Recommended for Christmas Crafts! Simple Handmade Project Ideas
Christmas is one of the major events held in December, isn’t it?
Care facilities and day service centers often decorate their interiors to create a festive Christmas atmosphere, don’t they?
Among older adults, some may feel excited and cheerful when spending time in rooms adorned with Christmas decorations.
With that in mind, this time we’re introducing decoration ideas that can help older adults feel happy and uplifted.
We’ve gathered many ideas that have simple steps and are easy to prepare.
You can also enjoy making them together with older adults and start the fun from the preparations for the Christmas party.
Please use this article as a reference.
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For Seniors: Recommended Christmas Crafts! Simple Handmade Project Ideas (101–110)
Candle house made from a milk carton
It’s a house-like decoration made from a milk carton.
You place a candle-style light inside, and the glow visible through the windows is the charm.
The steps are simple: open the milk carton, cut it to match the light’s height, punch out window openings, then close it to form a roof with the white side facing outward.
A key point is attaching cellophane over the window areas; the choice of color changes the impression of the light that shines through.
Besides the simple pattern of a white house that highlights the light, decorating the white house with illustrations or ornaments is also recommended.
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.
A Christmas wreath made with a paper plate and yarn
When we think of a wreath, it’s a ring-shaped base with various decorations attached, leaving an open space in the center.
Let’s make a Christmas tree that also uses that central space, using familiar materials.
Here, we’ll use a paper plate as the base.
Cut out the middle to form a ring, and punch holes near the center.
Then paint the paper plate and thread yarn through the holes to complete the base.
You can add decorations to the ring portion, and it’s also recommended to attach ornaments to the yarn to create a floating effect.
Santa and Reindeer made from paper plates
These decorations use the curves of paper plates to create Santa Claus and a reindeer.
First, cut a paper plate in half and place it with the curved edge at the bottom.
Attach it to a construction-paper base shaped like a triangle with a circle at the tip to make Santa Claus.
Next, take a paper plate cut into quarters and add eyes, a nose, and antler parts to make the reindeer.
The key is the expressions you draw on the paper plates—focus on the design and craft your own unique characters.
Because the finished pieces are flat, this craft is perfect for wall decorations.
Holly wreath made from a paper plate
This is an easy Christmas wreath made by using a ring cut from a paper plate as the base and decorating it with construction paper cut into holly leaves and other shapes.
If cutting the jagged edges of the holly is difficult, you can prepare all the parts—including the leaves—in advance and let everyone enjoy the decorating.
Arranging holly leaves in different colors and other pieces that evoke winter and Christmas helps develop creativity as you design your own wreath.
A key point for a more festive look is to carefully layer the pieces so that the base is fully covered.
[For Seniors] Recommended Christmas Crafts! Simple Handmade Project Ideas (111–120)
No-sew Santa stocking
These decorations are inspired by the must-have stockings for receiving Christmas presents.
Crafted in classic red and white Christmas colors, they also evoke the image of Santa Claus.
The best part is that you can make them without sewing: simply cut fabric into a stocking shape, layer the pieces, glue them together, then turn it inside out to neaten the shape—an easy, straightforward process.
After that, add your own embellishments to the stocking base to finish.
Incorporate winter- or Christmas-themed motifs for a festive, eye-catching look.
Snowflake ornament
This is a three-dimensional decoration featuring snowflakes arranged in a regular pattern.
You can enjoy it in various ways, such as attaching a string to hang it or linking pieces together to make a garland.
All you need is thinly cut paper; carefully assemble the slender strips while paying attention to where you attach them and to the curves, then adhere twisted, claw-like pieces into the gaps—a delicate process.
Because it involves creating small parts and combining them, it really tests your fingertip precision.
It’s also fun to experiment with different color combinations to see how the impression changes.