Megan Graney is a crafting expert, art teacher, and writer who shares her knowledge of DIY painting, furniture refinishing, and sewing. She has almost a decade of hands-on experience and has been writing about crafts for five years.
Paint Your Own Christmas Bauble Ideas
Add a touch of joy and warmth to your holiday decorations with our Christmas bauble painting ideas. Decorating your own baubles is bound to help your Christmas tree stand out from the crowd and there’s nothing like a bit of Christmas crafting (preferably while singing Christmas tunes) to get you into the festive spirit.
You can do more than just hang your hand-painted baubles on the tree. They can be used as table settings, to style sideboards and fill vases, or use them as stocking-filler gifts. What’s more, they’ll become meaningful keepsakes that your family and friends can cherish for years to come.
12 Christmas bauble painting ideas
From drawing the cutest Christmas animals to sending a joyful message through your Christmas tree decorations, our range of paint-your-own bauble ideas is sure to spark your festive creativity.
Materials you need
Before you get started, make sure you have all the materials you’ll need:
- Baubles: Choose either clear or frosted baubles or white baubles that are plain, unadorned and shatterproof for the easiest painting experience. Another option is to paint on coloured baubles – using white paint on red baubles would look fantastic, for example.
- Glass or acrylic paint: Use high-quality acrylic or glass paints that adhere well to the surface of the baubles.
- Paintbrushes: Get a selection of paintbrushes in various sizes and shapes, such as flat brushes for larger areas and fine-tipped brushes for details. To make things easier for children, you can paint on large Christmas baubles, to take away some of the fiddly finer detail.
- Palette or mixing surface: Use a palette or any flat surface for mixing and blending your paints.
- Water and palette knife: Keep a container of water nearby to rinse your brushes and a palette knife for mixing paints or scraping off mistakes.
- Protective sealant (optional): Consider using a clear protective sealant or varnish specifically designed for painting on glass or acrylic surfaces. It can help protect the paint and give a glossy or matte finish to the baubles.
- Paper towels or cloth: Keep some paper towels or a cloth handy for cleaning brushes, wiping excess paint and correcting mistakes.
- Newspaper: Spread out newspapers on your work surface to protect it from any paint splatters or spills.
1. Traditional red and green
Nothing says Christmas like red and green. Create a classic design by painting the bauble in a vibrant red colour and adding intricate green holly leaves and berries. These will complement the colours in any Christmas wreaths you have around your home.
Alternatively, you can paint red and green stripes and add flecks of gold or silver so they’ll really shine.
2. Whimsical snowmen
Create a series of adorable, whimsical snowmen on the baubles, each with different expressions and accessories like scarves, top hats and carrot noses. Why not use bright colours to make them pop against a snowy white background?
3. Jolly Santa Claus
Imagine the scene; a jolly Santa Claus on the baubles, with his rosy cheeks, white beard and iconic red suit. Bring him to life by adding details such as presents, a sleigh or a Christmas tree.
4. Festive reindeer
Paint charming reindeer with golden antlers and red noses on the baubles. You can add decorative elements such as snowflakes, stars or Christmas lights around them to create a joyful ambience.
If you’re not confident with more intricate designs, you can always use stencils to create precise shapes. You can find all sorts of stencils in various holiday-themed designs that can be reused for multiple baubles, year on year.
5. Sparkling snowflakes
Design baubles with delicate snowflake patterns using silver or gold metallic paint. Add touches of glitter to make them shimmer when they catch the light or the LEDs from your Christmas tree, giving a magical and festive feel. These designs will look great alongside a snowy Christmas tree to create that real winter wonderland feel.
6. Gingerbread delights
Paint some yummy gingerbread cookies on the baubles, each with different icing decorations and cute expressions. Use warm colours like brown, red and white to give them a cosy and inviting look. These will look great alongside some amber Christmas lights!
Warning: you might crave some real gingerbread after painting these!
7. Candy cane stripes
Create a fun and vibrant design by painting the baubles with bold, diagonal candy cane stripes in red and white. Add a big red bow or a sprig of holly at the top for an extra festive touch.
8. Winter wonderland
Paint a serene winter landscape on the baubles, with snow-covered trees, a moonlit sky and a hint of sparkle to remind you of looking up at a real starry night sky.
Just like Van Gogh, you can use cool tones like blues and purples to capture the peacefulness of a winter night. You can complete this look with cool white Christmas tree lights and blue baubles.
9. Joyful messages
If you consider yourself somewhat of a calligrapher, why not paint uplifting messages like ‘Joy’, ‘Peace’, or ‘Merry Christmas’ on the baubles using beautiful,decorative fonts? Incorporate festive colours and patterns around the text to make it stand out.
Watch as these messages of merriment fill your home and heart with love.
10. Favourite animals
You don’t have to stop at painting reindeer when it comes to cute critters. Consider what you and your family’s favourite animals are and bring them to life this Christmas!
Whether it’s penguins, polar bears or owls, paint them in vibrant colours and incorporate holiday elements like Santa hats or stockings to enhance the festive vibe.
11. Nativity scenes
Paint a serene nativity scene on the baubles, featuring baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Try adding the three wise men if you have room! Or, if you’re feeling brave, Mary Magdalene.
Use soft, warm colours to create a calm and reverent atmosphere.
12. Vibrant Christmas lights
Depict colourful strings of Christmas lights on the baubles to remind you of those larger-than-life retro Christmas decorations. Paint each light bulb in a different vibrant hue. Add a subtle glow effect or glitter to make them appear illuminated. Why not pair these baubles with some real multicolour Christmas tree lights to bring the look to life?
Have festive fun with Christmas Tree World
With all of these paint-your-own Christmas bauble ideas, you’ll be able to showcase your artistic abilities and make your Christmas decor truly one-of-a-kind. Make sure to get the kids involved!
At Christmas Tree World, we offer a wide range of Christmas decorations at affordable prices. From trees and Christmas tree lights to wreaths and garlands, our high-quality products are made to last, so you can enjoy using them for many years.
Decorate your living space with our collection of Xmas decorations today, and you can receive a 10-year guarantee plus FREE UK mainland delivery when you spend over £30!
Read our delivery & returns specifications for more information.
Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree
Not only is this an incredibly simple afternoon craft, but it also allows you to put those leftover wrapping paper scraps to use. Fill the center of popsicle stick triangles with patterned wrapping paper, then kids can paint and decorate the wooden craft sticks with stick-on gems and glitter. This project is a great introduction to simple shapes, as well as simple design, for little ones. Popsicle Stick Christmas Tree from Make and Takes
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Jeweled Paper Christmas Tree
In this clever kids’ craft, a clothespin does double duty as the Christmas tree’s stump and a handy stand. Pre-cut green triangles for little kids, then let them decorate with gems, sequins, or glitter. These look especially cute grouped together in a forest of sparkly pine trees as a DIY-ed centerpiece for your holiday spread. Jeweled Paper Christmas Tree from Housing a Forest
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Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Tree
Trim a stack of empty toilet paper rolls to roughly form a triangle, then glue together with regular white glue. The recycled cardboard takes paint well, so you can easily use a washable, kid-friendly formula and still achieve a colorful result. Add a loop of string to turn this decoration into a homemade ornament. Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Tree from The Resourceful Mama
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