[For Seniors] Handmade calendar for December: motifs that make you feel excited and joyful
When it comes to making December calendars, Christmas motifs are by far the most popular! Decorating with origami Santa Clauses, reindeer, poinsettias, and more gives your creation a wonderfully seasonal feel.
Did you know that Christmas decorations actually have lovely origins and stories behind them? One of the charms of making calendars is being able to share these fun tales with older adults as you work together.
This time, we’re introducing simple handmade calendar ideas that anyone can enjoy.
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[For Seniors] Handmade December Calendar: Motifs That Make You Feel Excited and Happy (11–20)
Santa Claus tear-off calendar
@omotyabox_origami I’m going to make a countdown calendar to Christmas with origami! #origamiToy box#omotyabako#origami #Christmas
♬ Original Song – Origami • Toy Box – Origami • Toy Box
Have you ever made a countdown calendar like “25 days until graduation” back in your school days? Since they’re often made by the whole class, each page tends to carry a certain passionate feeling that really captures the essence of youth.
So, why not make a page-a-day countdown calendar to Christmas to get into the holiday spirit? It would be fun to divide up the work with your family or make it together with friends.
Each page will show its own personality—you might even feel like making one for the entire year!
Long-tailed tit (Shima-enaga)
A bird that gets a lot of attention in winter is the long-tailed tit, the Shima-enaga.
Its fluffy look is simply irresistible, isn’t it? Lately it’s been appearing more often as the mascot character of the morning show “THE TIME,” so you might be seeing it a lot.
The Shima-enaga is a type of long-tailed tit that mainly lives in Hokkaido.
The ones in Shikoku and Kyushu are called Kyushu long-tailed tits, and the ones on Tsushima are called Korean long-tailed tits.
Believe it or not, you can make a Shima-enaga with origami.
It’d be perfect as the centerpiece for a December calendar!
poinsettia
When you think of plants in December, what comes to mind first? If you’re into gardening, you might say pansies or cyclamen.
Kale for New Year’s is also quite charming, isn’t it? But after all, December really means poinsettias.
These days there are white and even green poinsettias, so you can choose a color to match your mood.
A poinsettia-themed calendar would surely boost the Christmas spirit.
You can make poinsettias by cutting colored paper, but it seems you can also make them with origami—so if you like origami, give it a try!
A snowman and a snow hut (kamakura)
A snow-made kamakura, and eating oden inside it—there’s really no describing that bliss.
But when you hear “kamakura,” you probably think of the city of Kamakura, right? There are many theories about the origin of the name for the snow hut, but a leading one says it comes from its resemblance to a hearth (kamado), with “kamado” having slurred into “kamakura.” There’s also a theory that it comes from enshrining Lord Kamakura Gongorō.
Try making a snowman and a kamakura out of origami and making them the stars of your calendar.
A snowman inside a kamakura—kind of surreal, isn’t it?
gloves
Perfect for the winter season! This is an origami mitten that will warm everyone’s heart.
With a single sheet of origami paper, you can make a pair of mitten-shaped gloves.
It’s a great accent for a handmade calendar or a small gift! The key point is that by cutting one sheet of origami paper in half, you can make both mittens.
As the outline of the gloves starts to appear, you can’t help but smile.
Also, if you use a larger sheet of paper, you can add a fun twist where a character peeks out from inside, making it even more enjoyable.
Working with origami gently trains your fingers and stimulates the brain, so be sure to enjoy the season while you create!
Snowflakes
You can easily make snowflakes with white origami paper.
Since they’re crystals, aim for a hexagon: fold the paper into a triangle, then fold it into thirds like a paper napkin, and fold it in half once more.
Carefully cut out any shapes you like, making sure it doesn’t tear.
When you unfold it, you’ll see unexpectedly beautiful patterns that are sure to delight.
If you mount them on construction paper in Christmas colors like red or green, you can make a very stylish calendar.
[For Seniors] Handmade Calendar for December: Motifs That Spark Joy and Excitement (21–30)
Christmas tree
When you think of the biggest event in December… yes, it’s Christmas.
These days, it feels like fewer people shy away from Christmas by saying their religion is different—how is it around you? It’s said that Christmas began to take root in Japan around 1900.
A calendar featuring a Christmas tree as the main motif feels perfectly December-like and lovely.
Folding stars out of origami for the tree and using beads for ornaments makes creating it even more fun.
Cotton is perfect for adding a three-dimensional snowy effect!