[For Seniors] Let’s Make New Year Decorations by Hand! A Collection of Easy Ideas Using Everyday Materials
How about a craft activity where you hand-make decorations to brighten up the New Year? We’ll share ideas for easy-to-try ornaments using familiar materials—auspicious motifs like senryō (coralberry), the pine-bamboo-plum trio, Mount Fuji, and sea bream.
You can crumple lots of tissue paper, accordion-fold origami, or press clay onto cardboard—great fine-motor exercises, too.
If everyone divides up the tasks and works together, the conversation will flow and smiles will abound.
Once the decorations are finished and hung on the wall, they’ll fill the space with a festive New Year’s atmosphere.
Enjoy a fun crafting time while sending your wishes into the coming year!
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[For Seniors] Let’s Make New Year’s Decorations by Hand! A Collection of Easy Ideas Using Everyday Materials (31–40)
A Japanese-style ema (votive plaque) New Year illustration
@user346911418193 Hello everyone! ✨ This is Day Service Sukoyaka. This time, we made ema (votive plaques) to prepare for the New Year!#Production videoWelfare facilityKodomoen (combined childcare and kindergarten)#Kindergarten#Nursery schoolnursery schooldrawing paperI tried making it with construction paperKirie (paper-cut art)Work submission#Day Service SukoyakaTranslationElderly care facility#ChristmasEma (wooden votive plaque)Ema makingUsa Jingu ShrineJingu (Shinto shrine)Shinto ShrineInvite good fortunePrayerWishRecreationDay-service recreation#SimpleRecSmall groupLarge groupEma Artwork#Ema ProductionMust-see imitationEvent IntroductionEvent
♬ New Year song “New Year” (koto) – Shinonome
These are unique ema plaques decorated with New Year’s illustrations.
Use free images from the internet to gather illustrations like kites, kagami mochi, and the zodiac animal.
Paste them onto an ema-shaped backing covered with washi-patterned origami paper, then add messages such as wishing for an energetic year or good health to finish.
They’re easy to make and simple to prepare, so they’re perfect for a craft activity during the busy New Year period.
It’s also lovely to display ema made by seniors on the room’s wall.
The process of creating the pieces and seeing the finished works may help seniors recognize and feel that the New Year has arrived.
Hanging ema (votive plaques)
@chooobo2 Hanging ema (votive plaque) crafting 🎍#Childcare Crafting#Nursery School Craft# January productionNew Year’s craft#Ema Production
♬ WOW – IVE
This is a fun ema (votive plaque) craft using aluminum foil.
Draw lines on the foil with water-based markers and mist it with a spray bottle.
The key is to draw lines in various colors with the markers.
Then place a piece of drawing paper cut into an ema shape onto the foil with the drawn lines.
The colors from the foil will transfer to the paper, creating a gradient-like effect.
Finish by attaching zodiac animals made from paper or New Year-themed illustrations.
This slightly unusual way of making an ema is likely to interest older adults as well.
How about hanging them on strings with origami fans and plum blossom decorations, and displaying them indoors?
Origami; first sunrise of the year; ema (wooden votive plaque)
In that first sunrise of the year, you can really feel its energy and power, can’t you? Some people may also imbue it with wishes like “I’ll do my best this year” or “May it be a good year.” A New Year’s ema plaque featuring such a divine first sunrise is perfect as a lucky charm.
If you attach an origami Mount Fuji alongside the origami first sunrise, it will look even more like a New Year’s ema.
Since Mount Fuji looks light blue or blue from a distance, choosing those colors of origami paper might be a good idea.
If you fold it using the white back side of the paper, you can also create the effect of snow piled on Mount Fuji.
Simple Origami Ema (votive plaque)
@user2612084757239 [Origami] Easy ⭐︎ How to Fold an Ema (votive plaque)OrigamiTranslationEma (wooden votive plaque)origamiDarumaMt. Fuji
♪ Original Song – Moomin – Moomin
Many older adults enjoy or are skilled at origami, don’t they? If you make ema (votive plaques) out of folded paper, those seniors are likely to be satisfied as well.
Once you fold the ema shape, fold your preferred parts—such as the zodiac animal, Mount Fuji, or the first sunrise of the year—and attach them.
There are many New Year–themed projects with simple steps that are easy to make, so it could be fun to look for them together with seniors.
While making the ema, some people may also find themselves reminiscing about New Year’s episodes and memories they once shared with their families.
Just stick-on felt ema (votive plaque)
@user6612017398694 JanuaryEma (wooden votive plaque)HandmadeDarumaMt. FujiFeltDay service#Danran no Ie Kasugai Chuo#2025
♬ Enjoy Kids – Dianernia92
Felt creations have a warm, gentle atmosphere, don’t they? If you glue felt pieces onto an ema plaque with wood glue, you can make a lovely piece.
Try making parts like a daruma, Mount Fuji, or the zodiac animals.
It’s such a cute craft that older adults are likely to enjoy it, too.
An ema decorated by placing the pieces wherever you like will be a one-of-a-kind work in the world.
As you make it, you might even get excited reminiscing about New Year’s celebrations from the past.
[For Seniors] Let’s Make New Year Decorations by Hand! A Collection of Easy Ideas Using Everyday Materials (41–50)
New Year’s day care: Ema (votive plaque) making
You can also feel a sense of cuteness from ema plaques decorated with the zodiac animals.
Let’s attach zodiac animals, pine needles, bamboo leaves, plum blossoms, and other pieces to the ema backing.
Place the zodiac animal wherever you like, and it’s done.
If you bundle the backing and the parts to be attached—such as the zodiac pieces—together in a bag and hand them to seniors, it might make the craft easier for them.
Making this set together during a year-end craft activity with seniors also sounds fun.
Add a New Year-style message, such as your resolutions or wishes for the year, and it’s complete.
How to make an easy origami ema (votive plaque)
Origami involves extensive use of the fingertips and helps stimulate the brain, so I imagine many senior care facilities incorporate it.
It also trains fine motor skills and concentration.
Ema (votive plaques) made with origami are perfect for January, making them a great recommendation for origami activities with older adults.
Let’s fold while creasing carefully to create the piece.
If the steps are simple, many seniors will likely be able to participate.
Enjoy adding your own touches, such as writing messages or decorating with New Year-themed stickers.