Inside: A fun collection of DIY wood slice ornament ideas that would make lovely Christmas decorations.
I thought I was green and resourceful, but my friend puts me to shame! Every year she upcycles and repurposes her pine Christmas tree. That includes cutting up some branches into wood slices to make ornaments for the following year.
Her tree is full of adorable wood ornaments made from Christmas trees past. She also passes some of these ornaments onto me for my crafting.
Handmade Christmas decorations made from natural materials are always unique.
Buy or Make Wood Slices?
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You can buy wood slices if you don’t have a ready supply of branches to cut up. The advantage of purchasing wood slices is they come in regular sizes and even thicknesses, are pre-sanded and can be bought pre-drilled.
The main advantage of making wood slices is that they are free and more eco-friendly. Plus, if you use branches from your garden to make Christmas ornaments, that feels special.
Things To Consider When Cutting Your Wood Slices
- Avoid branches with knots as these will be harder to cut
- Don’t cut wet wood as the live bark edge is likely to separate
- You can use a hand saw, band saw and chain saw
- Sand the wood smooth, especially if cut with a chain saw
- Store the wood slices in a cool airy room to dry them.
- To speed up drying, use an oven or alcohol
Decorating Wood Slice Ideas
There is more than one way to decorate wood slices. Some of the many ways to jazz up a wood slice into an ornament include the following different crafts:
- Painting
- Colouring with sharpies
- Marbling
- Stamping
- Stencilling
- Decoupage napkins
- Photo transfer
- Wood burning
- Embroidery
- Adding felt pieces
- String Art
The Best Wood Slice Ornament Ideas
You'll be amazed by what you can make for your Christmas tree with all these adorable DIY wood slice ornament ideas. They are affordable, easy crafts for adults and kids with step-by-step tutorials.
Christmas Pudding Wood Slice Ornament
A simple cute Christmas decoration. No Christmas lunch is complete without Christmas (figgy) pudding.
DIY Painted Birch Slice Ornaments (Inspired by Maud Lewis)
These painted birch slices are stunning! Lots of lovely designs to choose from.
How to Make Gorgeous Nordic Christmas Decorations
There is another design on the back of these decoupaged wood slice ornaments. Both are classic Marimekko patterns.
DIY Vintage Bird Wood Slice Ornaments
This tutorial shows you how to transfer images onto wood mess-free quickly. The ornaments are gorgeous, and there are many free vintage bird prints.
Paper Napkin Wood Slice Ornaments
Decoupage paper napkins with Christmas designs onto wood slices to create these fabulous ornaments.
How To Make A Fun Frida Kahlo Christmas Ornament
A fun Christmas decoration for art fans, especially those who love Frida Kahlo,
Unicorn Christmas Ornament
An easy craft for those obsessed with unicorns, they will add colour and fun to any Christmas tree!
String Art Decorations
Combine the retro craft of string art with simple Christmas shapes to make some festive wood slice ornaments.
Peace Ornaments for Christmas
Another birch slice ornament, these have been stamped with the dove of peace.
DIY Vintage Christmas Ornaments
These have to be the most whimsical Christmas wood slices. The decoupaged vintage wrapping paper gives them a very kitsch look. You could also upcycle old Christmas cards this way.
DIY Wooden Snowflake Christmas Ornament
I've embroidered on paper before but never thought about doing it on wood. I'd love to try to make my own stitched wood slice ornament.
Wood Slice Snowman Ornaments
Use three wood slices to make these adorable snowmen. The kids will love them.
DIY Wood Photo Ornament
Learn how to print photos onto tissue paper before decoupaging them onto the wood. It would be fun to make a new one for the kids every year to see how they grow.
Hand Lettered Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments (with Video)
Decorate them with classic Christmas sayings such as “Merry and bright,” “Jingle Bells”, or “Let it snow.”
Adorable DIY Wood Slice Rudolph Ornaments
Looking for a cute DIY Christmas ornament or DIY gift idea that they will love this holiday season? You gotta make Rudolph ornaments with wood slices.
Cute Wood Slice Snowman Ornaments
A simpler snowman version using only one wood slice.
Lettered Wood Slice Ornaments
I like the contrast between the black and white with these ornaments. I think they would also work well with a red-painted background.
How to Make Botanical Wood Slices
Add flowers to your trees with these botanical ornaments. The vintage flower images are printed onto the wood using a wax paper.
Owl Ornaments
Glue button eyes and mark the wings with a wood-burning tool to make these adorable owls.
Wood Slice Nativity Ornaments {using temporary tattoo paper}
She used temporary tattoo paper to print the nativity images.
Photo Ornaments
Make a keepsake decoration by transferring photos onto the wood. A clever idea!
Marbled Wood Slice Ornaments
Marbling is a fun craft to try, that makes the wood look like baubles. The ornaments will brighten up any tree.
How To Make Map Ornaments
Map crafts are one of my favourites. The snow and a red ribbon help give this unique tree decoration a festive feel.
How to Draw, Burn and Paint a Gnome on a Wood Slice
Gnomes are mainly for Christmas and this is a gorgeous decoration.
Wood Slice Advent Christmas Tree Ornaments
Make the tree an advent calendar with numbered ornaments.
Gorgeous Glittering Wood Slice Ornaments
I'd use eco-friendly plastic-free glitter to make these sparkly ornaments.
Wood Slice Grinch Ornaments
One for the Grinch fans, you won't miss them on the tree.
DIY Rustic Wood Slice Reindeer Christmas Ornaments
The stick antlers are a creative addition. And with that red nose, it has to be Rudolph.
Wood Slice Fingerprint Snowmen Ornaments
Using fingerprints is a fun way to get the snowman shapes and adds a personal touch.
Sharpie Wood Slice Ornaments
These designs are very simple and just done with sharpies.
How to paint wood slice ornaments with nordic patterns
Acrylic paint pens make drawing the nordic patterns a lot easier.
Cute Woodland Animals
She made the woodland images with a Cricut machine, but I'm sure they wouldn't be too hard to recreate by hand.
Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments With Free Cut Files
Another Cricut craft, these designs have a lovely Scandinavian look to them.
Wood Slice Ornament Gift Tags
The festive images are stamped onto these decorations.
Deer Rustic Christmas Decorations
Every dear is different! My favourite is the buffalo check one.
DIY Wooden Fox Craft
I bet it was fun to make these felt fox faces. I'm sure there are other woodland animals that could be made in a similar way.
Wood Burning Design
Keep the rustic feel to the wood slice by burning a Christmas design onto the face using a pyrography pen.
Reversible Buffalo Plaid Christmas Ornaments
These check ornaments would look good on the tree with this Scotty dog garland.
Rustic Wood Snowflake Ornament DIY
Give your Christmas tree a snowy look with these stencilled snowflake wood slices.
Santa Ornaments
So simple but fun, paint the face of the wood slice to look like Santa.
Make Adorable DIY Penguin Ornaments
I don't know when Penguins became a Christmas theme, but these ornaments are cute and colourful.
Sliced Christmas Tree
Hang different-sized slices together to make a unique Christmas tree ornament.
DIY Zodiac Christmas Ornaments: Vintage Art Meets Festive Charm
These are fun, personalized ornaments; paint constellations on one side of the wood slice and then decoupage vintage zodiac art on the other.
DIY Map Wood Slices
Transform wood slices into personalized ornaments or coasters with map prints! Retain the wood grain for a unique rustic look.
Wood slices aren’t just for Christmas, try a painted Valentine’s decoration or use them to make plant shelves.
If you liked these Christmas wood slice ornament ideas, check out these wine cork Christmas crafts and these cardboard Christmas decorations.
Pauline Allen
Tuesday 8th of August 2023
Thank you for some beautiful Christmas decorations for a Christmas Tree. I started last Christmas with just a few ideas but you have given me more to work with now
Claire Armstrong
Tuesday 8th of August 2023
Thank you, it is fun making new Christmas decorations every year. Good luck with your new creations.