A Beautiful Homemade Christmas Gift
Another year, another Christmas tree ornament DIY project.
But I can’t help it. I just think they are one of the best hand-made Christmas gifts you can give.
Out of the piles and piles of STUFF that people amass over the Christmas season, a Christmas tree ornament is a gift that is simple, thoughtful and practical.
It can be used immediately (just pop it on the tree!), plus it will be brought out year after year to hang on the tree bringing to mind the person who gifted it.
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This year’s version is a little different from my usual essential oil diffuser ornament offering and is based around the Christmas classic, ‘Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh’.
Here’s a pic…
Inside each bauble are pieces of gold leaf, frankincense resin and myrrh resin.
It’s a unique gift isn’t it?
Why make your own Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Tree Ornament?
Many of us have grown up with the traditional Christmas story of the three wise men bringing gifts to the baby Jesus.
What gold looks like is well-known to us, but how many of us have ever clapped eyes on real frankincense and myrrh resin?
I find many people curious and thrilled to learn about what it actually looks like and I have often given the gift of gold, frankincense and myrrh to friends and family at Christmas time.
Usually I put it in a little container.
But then, what to do with it?
It usually ends up in a bits-and-pieces drawer or collecting dust among the trinkets on the shelf.
So I set out to find a more practical way to gift gold, frankincense and myrrh and the idea of a Christmas tree bauble popped into my head.
Perfect.
So here it is, a gold, frankincense and myrrh Christmas tree ornament containing real pieces of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
I even created a little tag with images to show what frankincense and myrrh resin looks like so you can identify them in the bauble.
It looks like this…
A perfect gift for so many people!
There are a whole host of people this Christmas ornament would make the perfect gift for:
- friends and family
- teachers and teacher aides
- church groups
- classmates
It’s also a great Christmas project for craft groups, play groups, kindergarteners, and school students.
Supplies needed to make a Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Bauble
Gold Leaf
For this project I’ve used gold leaf flakes, which is readily available from craft stores.
Frankincense Resin
Frankincense resin is commonly sold as an incense in aromatherapy stores.
Myrrh Resin
Myrrh Resin is commonly sold as an incense in aromatherapy stores. You can also often source frankincense and myrrh packaged together.
Clear Plastic Baubles
I’ve used quite a small clear plastic bauble for this project (3cm or 1 3/16”).
While you might want to be more generous with a bigger bauble with a lot more gold, frankincense and myrrh inside, I find that a smaller bauble with only a few pieces in it makes the frankincense and myrrh easier to distinguish from each other.
It’s also more elegant than a big gold, frankincense and myrrh mess (just my opinion).
Mini Red Velvet Christmas Bows
I think these red velvet bows dress up the bauble beautifully. Again I’ve used small ones (approx. 2.5”), but you can use whatever design you like.
These Christmas bows have flexible twist ties on them that allow you to easily attach them to the bauble.
I’ve picked a small red ribbon, but there are often other colours and sizes available.
If you choose to go with a larger ribbon, you may want to also want to choose a larger sized bauble. A giant bow and a tiny bauble can look a little odd.
Ribbon, String or Twine
You’ll need some ribbon, string or twine to hang your ornament. I used a skein of red embroidery thread.
An Explanatory Gift Tag (Optional)
My tutorial includes a free printable PDF so you can print your own ornament tags to show the ornament recipient how to identify the different resin pieces.
You’ll need a colour printer, some white cardstock, and a hole punch to make the gift tags.
How to make Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Tree Ornaments
Below is a detailed description of the method for making Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas tree baubles.
Read on or jump to the printable tutorial >>>.Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Ornament Instructions
Place pieces of gold leaf flakes, frankincense resin and myrrh resin inside the clear plastic bauble. Try to include an even amount of each.
Ensure each half of the hanging hole lines up perfectly and push the two halves of the bauble together until they ‘click’.
Take a piece of ribbon, string or twine (5-10” long depending on your desired drop length) and tie a knot in the end. Trim the ends (but not too close to the knot). [See image A]
Pass your hanging thread through the hole of your bauble until it’s about half way through. [See image B and C]
Holding the knotted end, push the looped end between the two strands of the knotted end. [See image D]
Let go of the knotted end and then pull the looped end through the knotted end until taut. [See image E]
The looped end should be at the top of your hanging thread and the knotted end should be down near the hanging hole of the bauble ready to be hidden by the red velvet bow. [See image F]
Push the flexible twist tie of the red velvet bow through the hanging hole of the bauble. [See image G]
Wrap the twist tie around the hanging hole of the bauble to secure the bow. Trim the twist tie if necessary. [See image H]
Adjust your bow neatly around the bauble and your Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas tree ornament is complete. [See image I]
Gift Tag Instructions
Download and print the FREE gift tag PDF onto white cardstock and cut out each tag using a pair of scissors. Use a holepunch to punch a hole in each tag.
Attach the tag to the hanging thread of your ornament in the same way you attached the hanging thread to the bauble. (You will need to pass the whole label through the loop to do this. Bend it gently if necessary.)
Hints and Tips
If for whatever reason you need to reopen your plastic bauble, use a butter knife to pry apart the bauble at the hanging hole.
Attaching your hanging thread as instructed not only conceals the knot in the thread but also allows the ornament to hang straight-on when hung on a tree branch (this looks MUCH better).
Printable Tutorial for making Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Ornaments
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Ornaments
Equipment
- Colour Printer
- Hole Punch
- Pair of Scissors
Ingredients
- Gold Leaf Flakes
- Frankincense Resin
- Myrrh Resin
- Clear Plastic Baubles 3cm or 1 3/16"
- Red Velvet Christmas Bows 2.5"
- Ribbon String or Twine
- White Cardstock A4 or Letter
Instructions
Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas Ornament
- Place pieces of gold leaf flakes, frankincense resin and myrrh resin inside the clear plastic bauble. Try to include an even amount of each.
- Ensure each half of the hanging hole lines up perfectly and push the two halves of the bauble together until they ‘click’.
- Take a piece of ribbon, string or twine (5-10” long depending on your desired drop length) and tie a knot in the end. Trim the ends (but not too close to the knot).
- Pass your hanging thread through the hole of your bauble until it’s about half way through.
- Holding the knotted end, push the looped end between the two strands of the knotted end.
- Let go of the knotted end and then pull the looped end through the knotted end until taut.
- The looped end should be at the top of your hanging thread and the knotted end should be down near the hanging hole of the bauble ready to be hidden by the red velvet bow.
- Push the flexible twist tie of the red velvet bow through the hanging hole of the bauble.
- Wrap the twist tie around the hanging hole of the bauble to secure the bow. Trim the twist tie if necessary.
- Adjust your bow neatly around the bauble and your Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh Christmas tree ornament is complete.
Gift Tags
- Download and print the FREE gift tag PDF onto white cardstock and cut out each tag using a pair of scissors.
- Use a holepunch to punch a hole in each tag.
- Attach the tag to the hanging thread of your ornament in the same way you attached the hanging thread to the bauble. (You will need to pass the whole label through the loop to do this. Bend it gently if necessary.)
Notes
Directions for Use
Hang on a Christmas tree branch and admire 😉
Enjoy!
