Are you looking for an inexpensive, mess-free, and super easy Christmas craft for kids? We’ve got you covered! This fun little Paper Cup Christmas Tree is simple enough for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and older kids like tweens. Minimal, inexpensive supplies make it the perfect handmade Christmas ornament for home, the classroom, or for community holiday programs.
So grab your paper cups, pompoms, and glue, then follow along with our helpful step-by-step directions and video tutorial so you can get your kiddos holiday crafting in no time!
Related: Pine Cone Christmas Tree Craft
Paper Cup Christmas Tree
I’m so over fussy crafts. I will confess that I still do have a couple “more challenging” popsicle stick ornaments planned for this holiday season, but those are for me. When it comes to the kids, I’m all about easy and mess-free. We’re just too darn busy this season with work, sports, and holiday travel to bring out the paints.
It doesn’t get any easier than this Paper Cup Christmas Tree craft! Not only does this little Christmas tree ornament look adorable on the actual Christmas tree, but it’s ridiculously easy to prep, making it perfect for school holiday parties, community programs, and lazy crafternoons at home.
Tip: Prep this craft for large groups of children by putting all of the supplies—the star, pompoms or buttons, bell, and string—right inside the cup. Show a sample, pass out the cups, pop on a Christmas movie, and you are good to go!
Paper Cup Christmas Tree Materials
- Green paper cups
- Gold glitter paper
- Star paper punch
- Buttons, pompoms, beads, or sequins
- Tacky craft glue, hot glue, or Glue Dots
- Ornament string
- Thumbtack and/or knitting needle
- Jingle bells (medium)
Paper Cup Christmas Tree Craft Directions
1. Use the star paper punch and gold glitter paper to make a star for the Christmas tree. Glue it to the top of the cup (we used Glue Dots).
Of course, you could just use yellow paper, but I highly recommend the glitter paper (find it in the scrapbook section of your local craft store). It sparkles under Christmas lights and looks lovely!
See Also: Paper Cup Elf Craft
2. Glue buttons, pompoms, beads, or sequins to the Christmas tree. You could also use paper circles, stickers, or simply invite your kids to decorate the tree with Sharpie markers.
3. Use a thumbtack or toothpick to punch a hole through the top of the cup. I used a #5 knitting needle to widen the hole because it’s what I had laying around, but a sharp pencil would work as well.
Tip: Want to make it even easier? Skip steps 3–6 and simply tape a loop of ornament string to the top of the cup. Use Christmas washi tape to make it pretty!
4. Push both ends of an 8-inch piece of ornament string through the hole. Tie a medium-sized jingle bell inside of the cup so the Christmas tree jingles!
Tip: Use a toothpick or a popsicle stick to prevent the ornament string from slipping through the hole while you tie the bell.
5. Pull the ornament string all the way to the top until the bell connects with the cup.
6. Your Paper Cup Christmas tree craft is complete and ready to hang on your Christmas tree. If desired, write your child’s name and the year on the paper cup with a gold Sharpie marker.
Related: Paper Cup Santa Craft
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Paper Cup Christmas Tree
This fun little Paper Cup Christmas Tree is simple enough for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and older kids like tweens. Minimal, inexpensive supplies make it the perfect handmade Christmas ornament for home, the classroom, or for community holiday programs.
Materials
- Green paper cups
- Gold glitter paper
- Star paper punch
- Buttons, pompoms, beads, or sequins
- Tacky craft glue, hot glue, or Glue Dots
- Ornament string
- Thumbtack and/or knitting needle
- Jingle bells (medium)
Instructions
- Use the star paper punch and gold glitter paper to make a star for the Christmas tree. Glue it to the top of the cup (we used Glue Dots).
- Glue buttons, pompoms, beads, or sequins to the Christmas tree. You could also use paper circles, stickers, or simply invite your kids to decorate the tree with Sharpie markers.
- Use a thumbtack to punch a hole through the top of the cup. I used a #5 knitting needle to widen the hole because it’s what I had laying around, but a sharp pencil would work as well.
- Push both ends of an 8-inch piece of ornament string through the hole. Tie a medium-sized jingle bell inside of the cup so the Christmas tree jingles!
- Pull the ornament string all the way to the top until the bell connects with the cup.
- Your Paper Cup Christmas tree craft is complete and ready to hang on your Christmas tree. If desired, write your child’s name and the year on the paper cup with a gold Sharpie marker.
Notes
Want to make it even easier? Skip steps 3–6 and simply tape a loop of ornament string to the top of the cup. Use Christmas washi tape to make it pretty!
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