Lucky Daruma: Craft ideas for decorating January wall displays for seniors
Daruma dolls are popular as lucky charms that bring good fortune throughout the year.
They are often displayed to ward off illness and misfortune and to pray for household safety.
In this article, we’ll introduce crafting ideas for daruma decorations that are perfect for January wall displays!
We’ve gathered a wide range of motifs, from items used in New Year’s decorations to classic themes for wall art.
Many of the ideas can be made slowly while seated, making them great for recreational activities for seniors.
Try creating a wall display of daruma that you’ll feel attached to by drawing your own original patterns or adding messages.
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Lucky Daruma: Craft Ideas for Seniors to Decorate January Walls (11–20)
Wobbling daruma
You probably often see stationary daruma dolls, but wobbling ones are quite rare, aren’t they? This time, we’re introducing a daruma you can make with a paper plate and construction paper.
It looks lovely as a New Year’s decoration for your room and is also recommended as a wall decoration for New Year’s parties.
The process is simple—just cut the construction paper and stick it onto the paper plate—so it’s perfect for craft activities with seniors.
Craft activities help improve concentration and can even aid in preventing dementia.
Let’s all have fun making uniquely charming daruma dolls together.
First calligraphy Daruma
How about making a “first-drawing Daruma” to bring good luck at the start of the year? It’s a simple activity where you paint a Daruma with a brush, so anyone can give it a try.
I also recommend it as a New Year–themed recreation you can really enjoy.
The key is to use the brush to give your Daruma a unique, personal touch.
Paste your Daruma onto any background you like, and decorate around it with origami to create a vibrant, festive piece! Enjoy creating a first-drawing Daruma that’s perfect for the beginning of a new year.
Daruma made of newspaper
Daruma dolls have long been cherished and displayed as symbols that bring good fortune.
Especially at the start of a new year, many people entrust their wishes to a Daruma.
This time, let’s make a large Daruma out of newspaper.
You’ll need a balloon, newspaper, calligraphy paper (hanshi), origami paper, glue, and so on.
The task of cutting the newspaper into small pieces is also great for dexterity rehabilitation for seniors.
Inflating the balloon requires some strength, so staff should assist with that step.
The process is very simple, making it an ideal craft activity for older adults.
Display your large Daruma and welcome in good luck!
ema (votive wooden plaque)
There are people who can’t easily make it to a shrine, right? That’s why I’d like to introduce ema (votive plaques) made with origami.
If you write your wish on one and hang it on the wall, you can enjoy a New Year’s atmosphere, and it’ll be nice to look back on later.
What’s more, this ema has a structure that lets you put things inside.
So it’s perfect for giving charms or message cards to family members or grandchildren.
By the way, if you change the size of the paper, you can even wrap postcards.
Choose the paper to suit your purpose.
Battledore and Daruma
Daruma are known as lucky charms for various wishes, such as prosperous business, victory, family safety, and good health.
When you pair one with a cute kagami mochi as a wall decoration, it really boosts the New Year’s celebratory mood! Some of the folds are a bit tricky to create the soft, rounded silhouette of the kagami mochi, but the joy when you finish is all the greater.
The tiny orange perched on top is also very charming.
Since the finished piece has a lot of white space, it seems handy for use as a message card, too!
3D Daruma
Daruma dolls have long been cherished as symbols of good fortune.
This time, let’s try making a three-dimensional daruma.
Simply create a base with construction paper and make the face with stickers, and you’ll have a lovely daruma.
It’s easy to do while seated, so it’s suitable for older adults as well.
Add decorations with materials you like to create a one-of-a-kind daruma.
The time spent making them together is enjoyable too.
Display your finished daruma, and it just might bring happiness for the New Year.
Good Luck Daruma: Craft Ideas for Seniors to Decorate January Wall Displays (21–30)
Daruma Fukuwarai
Let’s incorporate the daruma, which is also popular as a New Year decoration, as a motif for a fukuwarai game.
The base daruma is attached to a frame, and you place the eyebrows, mustache, and ribbon on it.
After playing, you can glue the pieces down to use it as a New Year’s decoration.
How about customizing it by changing the daruma’s expression to a smiling one or switching the body to a different color? When using it as a decoration, it might also be lovely to decorate the frame.
