[For Seniors] January Craft Ideas: Boost Your Luck with New Year Decorations and Good-Luck Charms
January marks the beginning of a new year.
If you want to give your room a seasonal touch, why not try some hands-on crafts? Create and enjoy pieces unique to January—such as pine decorations symbolizing longevity, camellias that shine in winter scenery, or festive cranes for the New Year.
Using familiar materials like construction paper, tissue paper, and origami, there’s a special joy in watching seasonal works take shape.
Shape with your fingers, choose colors, and get creative with embellishments—these moments will ease your mind and bring a smile.
How about enjoying a relaxed crafting time while sharing your New Year’s resolutions?
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For Seniors: January Craft Ideas — Boost Your Luck with New Year Decorations and Good-Luck Charms (111–120)
temari (Japanese handball/embroidered decorative ball)
Temari balls made by winding yarn are also effective for rehabilitation that uses fine motor skills in older adults, and it’s an idea I’d love physical therapists and others to consider.
The method is simple: crumple scrap paper such as old newspapers or flyers into a ball, then use tape and rubber bands on the surface to create spots where the yarn can be anchored.
Finally, wind the yarn around the ball vertically, horizontally, and diagonally.
The soft feel of the yarn temari can be very soothing.
[For Seniors] January Craft Ideas: Boost Your Luck with New Year Decorations and Good-Luck Charms (121–130)
Sea bream made with origami
Why not try making a sea bream out of origami, with a wish for a joyous year? It’s an idea you can also use for a January craft activity at a day service, so feel free to take inspiration! The key to origami sea bream is to pre-fold several times to set firm creases.
Because there are many creases, if you find it hard to fold, it might be easier to draw guide lines as you go.
Finish by drawing the bream’s face and scale patterns however you like, and you’re done! You can also adapt it as a little accent for New Year’s decorations, so why not give it a try?
origami octopus
Let’s bring back fond memories with origami kites.
The joy of kite flying from back in the day comes rushing back, doesn’t it? With the colorful kites everyone makes, the facility will become bright and lively.
It’s also nice to share stories from the past while making the kites.
Moving your hands stimulates the brain too—two birds with one stone.
Origami is easy to do, so you can enjoy chatting while you work.
It also creates a space for communication among seniors.
How about everyone having fun making origami kites together?
Origami rake ornament
Among the lucky charms you see around New Year’s, the flamboyant kumade stands out.
Its rake shape symbolizes “raking in good fortune.” Let’s make a kumade out of origami! Once you create the base, you can decorate it by adding small pieces on top.
Try crafting auspicious motifs like Mount Fuji, shrimp, and an okame mask with origami as well.
Since there are many parts to make, it might be nice to turn it into a group project.
Create a lively kumade and ring in the New Year with joy!
Origami crane card stand
This is an origami crane card stand that can be used in various settings, such as interior decor or place cards.
How about making this festive origami as a January craft idea? Origami is also effective for seniors’ finger rehabilitation and dementia prevention.
The folds aren’t very difficult, so anyone can enjoy giving it a try.
The design lets you tuck a card into the crane’s back.
Changing the paper pattern will give it a different look, so be sure to experiment! It also makes a great small gift, return present, or New Year’s greeting.
maneki-neko (beckoning cat)
With hopes that the new year will be a good one, a beckoning cat (maneki-neko) makes for an auspicious motif.
Since it often holds a koban coin, it’s strongly associated with prosperity in business, but it’s also seen as something that invites happiness.
If you make a maneki-neko out of origami, you can enjoy it on its own, and it’s also easy to use as a larger decorative piece.
Fold the paper inward to halve its width, then use scissors to make slits at the top as you shape the ears and paws.
By keeping the folding angles gentle, you’ll end up with a round, cute maneki-neko.
Finally, deciding what kind of expression to draw is also a key point in making your beckoning cat adorable.
Pine wall display
Let’s make a lucky pine tree wall decoration, as pine trees symbolize longevity and good health.
Cut green construction paper into shapes with three rounded peaks.
Prepare several of these.
To make them look more like pine needles, draw white streaks on the cut pieces; chalk is recommended.
Since chalk lines can smudge when touched, spray them with hairspray to fix the color.
With that, the pine needles are complete! Create the trunk and other parts from brown construction paper and combine them, and a splendid pine tree will appear on your wall.
