Memory Christmas Ornaments

If you are in need of a few last minute Christmas ornaments for your tree – don’t run out to your local Hallmark or the mall. Instead take a stroll around your house, open up some junk drawers and see what treasures you can find to make a few memory Christmas ornaments.

Found objects, treasured trinkets, and souvenirs usually have a story to go with them, which makes them interesting visual links to fond memories and perfect to hang and decorate a Christmas tree.

There is no reason anymore for them to be hidden away – let them add some character to your tree this year.  Just hook each object on an ornament hook that you can buy at the Dollar Store or Walmart. Our use narrow ribbon to hang your found objects on the tree.

You can also make Christmas photo ornaments with any family photos you find.

No ornament hooks?  If you don’t have an ornament hook, use a paper clip. Just open up a paperclip and use the small end to hook onto your trinket and the larger end on the tree branch.  Embellish the wire with beads or jingle bells.

Random Items to Use to Make Christmas Tree Ornaments

Christmas Tree Ideas Memory Ornaments Skate Key

A skate key.

Christmas Tree Decorating Memory Ornaments

Advertising buttons.

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas DIY Memory Ornaments

Board game playing pieces.

Christmas Tree Decorating House Key Ornament

The key to the house you grew up in with the address printed out on card stock.

Christmas Tree Decorating Graduation Tassel Ornament

Your graduation tassel.

Christmas Tree Decorating DIY Doll Ornament

Your favorite little doll.

Decorating for Christmas Ideas Chandelier Crystals

A chandelier crystal.

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas Memory Ornaments

Sports team medals you or your kids have won.

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas to make

A key chain.

Other Items that Would Work to Make Free Christmas Tree Ornaments:

  • girl scout patches
  • a little toy car
  • key to your first car
  • paper cut outs
  • a love letter
  • school pin
  • diary key
  • family pictures
  • concert ticket stubs
  • vacation souvenirs
  • costume jewelry
  • kitchen gadgets

What keepsakes, treasured trinkets, or junk do you have laying around your house that you could hang on your Christmas tree this year?

Why spend money on Christmas tree ornaments when you have more meaningful ones right in your home that are free! Check out these ideas to use to decorate your Christmas tree this year. | In My Own Style

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18 Comments

  1. I especially LOVE the key idea! I wish I’d kept the keys from my former houses and cars! I have always put a few memory items on our tree but my favorite is my kids first baby shoes. My son’s are a teeny tiny pair of Nike shoes—now on the tree every year for the past 37 years. My daughter’s is a tiny pair of white satin Mary Jane’s—probably only 3” long and stuffed with cotton. Those have been going up for the past 35 years! I intended to put my son’s first pair of little wire rimmed glasses (he was 7 when he got them) but they literally busted apart. They would have looked cute!
    Thanks for all the ideas you inspire !

  2. Helen E Moss says:

    Diane,
    You’ve done it again! What could be more meaningful than these little things — too precious to throw out, and too easy to tuck here and there around the house. If I can’t talk my hubby into a Christmas tree, maybe I could hang them on a mantlepiece garland.
    Thank you, as always!

  3. This doll is kind a spooky

  4. Marissa Callahan says:

    Hi! I am completely in love with your home key ornament and am trying to make one of my own. I am curious what knot you tied at the end to keep everything in place? Also, did you glue your cardstock to your key to make it stick out? Mine seems to want to hang completely behind my key. Thank you for inspiring me and taking the time to read my questions!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Marissa – I used a wire ornament hook and looped the key on and squeezed the end of the hook closed. Then I added the cardstock with the address, button and bead. I did use a dot of hot glue on the back of the key to hold the cardstock on an angle. Merry Christmas

  5. This was a favorite pin of mine last year (the key as an ornament) and if it’s ok, I’d love to use it in a round up of the 12 best pins of Christmas. Happy December!

  6. ooooh how i love this idea of turning found treasures into christmas ornaments, can’t wait to see what i can come up with! every year i shop around for special ornaments for my sons and this year my oldest son will have his very own first christmas tree and while i told in i’m not ready to pass along all his ornaments i have for him just yet, i would like to get him started with a few and the sports medals are just the perfect place to begin! thank you so much for your creative spark!

  7. Gigi Ables says:

    Diane, When telling people about your site…I always say we are twin sisters from different mothers! I have my trinkets and keepsakes in a tray on the sideboard in the dining room. Everyone loves to browse through it and ask about the items and I LOVE to tell the stories ! Now I will put a few on the tree too! My tree is a collection of ornaments from my childhood to today….always add a few meaningful things each year. This will add a special touch.Thanks friend!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thanks Gigi for the nice note. Love hearing from others who love the same things I do. I, too have many ornaments from both my and my husband’s childhood on the tree. They are my favorite ones and bring a smile to my face every Christmas. My mom made a lot of them and now that she is no longer living – they are even more special to me. Thanks for taking the time to say, Hi! I hope you have a wonderful holiday.

  8. The key is a perfect idea for my daughter’s first Christmas is her first home. I’m stealing that one! Thanks for the great ideas.

  9. Downsize and Get Organized says:

    I love these ideas! So often, we stick the mementos from our important life events into a drawer or a cardboard box. And while I’m not a proponent of displaying this type of stuff all over the house, I do love the idea of displaying them at Christmastime – of pulling them out every year and reliving all those great memories. Thank you for sharing this!

  10. Brilliant!….And memorable is exactly what ornaments should be. I actually cleaned out part of my room in my parents’ house this weekend and discovered my summer abroad Italian apartment key and a graduation tassel. Now I know what to do with them. Thanks for the great ideas! Cheers!

  11. Lilianna Grace says:

    Greetings Diane! I do love the house key the best. Chloe made an ornament out of her Squishes pencil toppers. Too cute! As always I love your ideas. You’ve inspired me so much this year. I often will have little flashes of your ideas pop into my brain! Have a great holiday and thanks for sharing all of your uber fab style with us!

  12. I love the idea of using found items and family treasures as ornaments! For the last few years I have been trying to use decorations with meaning for our family…and not just sticking stuff out b/c we have it. Merry Christmas!

  13. Great ideas came here from Kim’s party…

  14. Hi Diane! I’m leaving this comment so you can try to reply to me… let’s see if it works!

    1. Hi Sharon –

      This is my reply