Off the Urban Grid

Eco-friendly Christmas Ornament Ideas

The annual wear and tear on your traditional holiday ornaments can cause them to break to the point where they cannot be salvaged. Instead of buying more plastic and glass ornaments to replace your old ones, try making your own Christmas ornaments that can be reused or recycled.

The wintertime is a challenging time for birds and other wildlife, and it’s okay to throw them a bone every once in a while as long as you don’t make it a habit because then they will rely on you for food. An easy way to recycle your ornaments is to make them edible for birds. For example, pop some popcorn and string it onto some thread using a sewing needle. The string of popcorn can be used as garland, and if you want to add a touch of color sting on some dried cranberries. You can also make bird seed ornaments in any shape or size by mixing bird seed mix (4 cups), corn syrup (3-5 tablespoons), flour (3/4 cup) and water (1/2) cup into a bowl. Roll the mixture out onto wax paper and begin cutting out your holiday shapes with cookie cutters. Just make sure to put a hole at the top of each ornament so you can hang them. These will need to dry for 12 hours on each side.

With a little creativity, you can use common items around the house too. Eggs can make excellent ornaments, and they can give you the energy you need to finish the holiday decorations. To make an egg ornament, poke two small holes on the top and bottom of a fresh egg. Over a bowl, blow air through the hole on the top of the egg so that the inside of the egg comes out of the hole you put on the bottom of the egg. Save the egg’s insides so you can make an omelet or scrambled eggs later. Now that you have a hollow eggshell, rinse and dry it thoroughly so you can color it. Paint a snowman or Santa or use food color to dye the egg in festive colors. You can also add glitter or ribbon by hot gluing it on. Just make sure to be gentle so you don’t break the eggshell.

Homemade Christmas ornaments make the holiday more memorable and enjoyable, especially if you have children. Plus, you can reuse them or surprise your backyard wildlife with a treat.

Tags: bird feed, christmas ornaments, eco-friendly ornaments