Craft Adorable DIY Seashell Santa Ornaments for Christmas
Are you looking for a fun, creative activity to turn those summer beach treasures into Christmas magic? These DIY seashell Santa ornaments are SO CUTE! I am completely charmed by these little guys — no special painting skills required, just a paintbrush, a couple of markers, and a seashell. They are super quick and easy to make, and they look absolutely precious hanging on the tree.
The best part? These homemade Christmas ornaments are super cheap and easy. If you collected seashells on summer vacation, your main supply is already free! And do not forget to write your name and the year on the back of the ornament — future you will be so glad you did.
What You’ll Need
- Seashells (beach finds washed and dried, or store-bought — check the dollar store first for the best price)
- Acrylic paint: white, red, and peach (dollar store paint works but needs more coats; multi-surface acrylic paint has better coverage)
- Red permanent marker
- Black permanent marker (or paint pens, if you prefer)
- White pom poms
- Twine (about 6 inches per ornament)
- Hot glue gun
- Paper plate or paint palette
- Scissors
Step 1: Find What You Need
Gather your supplies and materials. If you are using beach treasures you collected in the summer or on vacation, simply wash and dry the shells before crafting. If your seashell is already white, you can skip the white base coat later.
Step 2: Paint the Seashell White
Add white paint to a paper plate or paint palette — I like to paint directly on the plate, it is an easy way to protect your working surface. Paint the seashell white, allow the paint to dry, and then add a 2nd coat of white paint. Again, allow to dry, and add a 3rd coat as well if the shell is not completely white.
Step 3: Paint Santa’s Hat and Face
Add red paint to the palette and paint the top third of the shell red for Santa’s hat. Paint down a little further in the center, angling up on the sides, creating a curved line at the bottom of this area. Then paint a line of red (about 1/4 inch thick) down along the left side of the shell, following the lines of the shell. Now paint a small section of the shell with the peach coloured paint — a curved oval, or an elongated kidney bean shape, in the center of the shell for Santa’s face. Make sure there is a strip of white paint between the peach and the red. Allow to dry, and add a second coat of red and peach, as required.
Step 4: Draw Santa’s Nose, Eyes, and Mouth
Use a red permanent marker to draw a small circle (about 1/8 inch diameter) at the bottom center of the peach paint — this is Santa’s nose. Draw 2 circles with black marker, above and on either side of the nose. Santa’s eyes should be just a bit smaller than his nose. Finally, draw a curved line for Santa’s smile, in the white paint below his nose.
Step 5: Add a Pom Pom and an Ornament Hanger
Add a dot of hot glue to the bottom of Santa’s red hat and press a white pom pom into the glue. Cut a piece of twine about 6 inches long and fold it in half. Place the twine on the back of the seashell, loop side up, add a generous amount of hot glue on the edges of the twine, and hold the loop in place until it stays by itself. Your seashell Santa is complete!
Tips from My Kitchen Table
- Add some sparkle: Brush a thin layer of glue overtop of the dried paint and sprinkle with glitter for Santa’s beard or hat. Allow to dry and shake off the excess glitter — so festive!
- Not into the rustic look? If twine is not your thing, use a Christmas coloured ribbon or metallic baker’s twine on the back instead.
- Make them last: You do not have to seal your Santa Claus ornament, but it helps preserve it for years — once the paint is totally dry, brush on mod podge or spray on acrylic sealer so the paint will not flake off.
- Paint the face by hand: If you have a fine point paintbrush and the skills, feel free to paint Santa’s face on — but a marker gives you so much more control for those tiny features.
Hang them on your beach themed Christmas tree, gift a few to friends, or make them to celebrate Christmas in July! Each seashell Santa is unique, and they look so cute hanging on the Christmas tree.
