Decorating the tree is one of the most special traditions of the holiday season, and creating personalized Christmas ornaments to commemorate milestones or the exceptional people in your life adds to the experience. From engagements and new additions to the family to little triumphs over personal obstacles, it all deserves celebration — and what better place than your Christmas ornaments? Check out our best ornament ideas, complete guide, and additional resources below to get started!
How To Make Personalized Christmas Ornaments
With our range of shapes, sizes, and materials — you can create unique Christmas ornaments that decorate your tree in style. Whether you want to add a touch of glamour to your tree with glitter or glass ornaments or create a rustic look with wooden ornaments, you can customize the perfect holiday decorations that suit your style and personality. Find out how to make personalized Christmas ornaments with our tips below.
1. Select Your Ornament Material & Style
Start by selecting the type of ornament you want to create. We offer a range of materials and styles — from sleek and modern metal Christmas ornaments to glamorous glitter ornaments too classic options like snowflake and snow globe ornaments, glass cloche ornaments, and more. You’ll also find a range of one-of-a-kind templates to make your new piece of holiday decor suit your style.
2. Upload Your Favorite Photos
Anything that sums up joy and memories you’ve built over the past year will make a heartfelt personalized ornament. Whether you choose to highlight one family photo or piece together a collage of many photos, we provide design templates for each.
3. Customize Your Greeting
Choose between assorted holiday, Christmas, New Year, or religious greetings. Popular holiday greetings include, “Merry Christmas,” “Joy”, “Happy Holidays”, “Peace on Earth”, and “Cheer”, or use your own holiday sayings! Edit the font size and styling to ensure your entire message fits on the ornament. You can also include custom text like your family name or the year the photos you’re featuring are from.
4. Add Embellishments & Premade Designs
Once you choose your ornament and photos, have fun with the design! Our builder tool makes it easy to customize your photo ornament with text, premade designs, embellishments, and themed backgrounds.
5. Order Your Personalized Ornament
Enjoy your holidays with a brand new Christmas ornament to help celebrate what matters this Christmas season.
Popular Personalized Ornament Styles
At Shutterfly, you can find a wide variety of Christmas ornament styles to add a personalized touch to your holiday decor. From traditional designs to modern and whimsical options, there is something for everyone. Shutterfly offers custom Christmas ornaments that allow you to add your own photos, names, and special messages, making them truly unique. Whether you prefer classic round ornaments, snowflakes, or even shaped ornaments like stockings or snow globes, Shutterfly has a range of styles to suit your taste. With their high-quality materials, you can trust that your ornaments will be durable and beautifully crafted, adding a festive and sentimental touch to your Christmas tree year after year.
Metal Ornaments
Metal ornaments are a popular choice for those looking for a sleek and elegant addition to their holiday decor. Our selection of personalized metal Christmas ornaments are made from durable metal materials and feature a space to insert a cherished photo, creating a personalized and sentimental keepsake for your Christmas tree.
Snow Globe Ornaments
Snow globe ornaments are a delightful way to showcase your favorite memories, as they feature a clear globe filled with liquid and snowflake glitter, so your favorite photos can dazzle from your Christmas tree.
Glass Cloche Ornaments
Glass cloche ornaments add a touch of vintage charm to your Christmas tree, with their elegant glass domes that encase special photos, creating a captivating and enchanting display.
Jeweled Snowflake Ornaments
Add glamour and sparkle to your holiday decor with jeweled Christmas ornaments. Their stunning snowflake-shaped designs adorned with shimmering gemstones, adding a luxurious and festive touch to your tree.
Glass Ornaments
A unique and sentimental way to display cherished memories is with glass Christmas ornaments, as they feature a transparent glass frame that beautifully showcases a beloved photo. These are great personalized gifts for loved ones or additions to your own tree.
Luxe Frame Ornaments
Ceramic Ornaments
Ceramic Christmas ornaments bring a charming and timeless appeal to your holiday decorations, with their delicate details that add a touch of warmth and nostalgia to your Christmas tree.
Wooden Ornaments
Personalized wooden Christmas ornaments offer a rustic and personalized touch to your holiday decor, as they can be intricately carved or engraved with names, dates, or special messages, creating a unique and heartfelt keepsake you can hang on your tree year after year.
Glitter Ornaments
Family Name Ornaments
Proudly display the love your family shares with family name ornaments. Whether you have an ornament printed with just your last name or list out each member of your family, these styles create a festive atmosphere that celebrates your family’s identity. They also make great last-minute Christmas gift ideas for friends and family members.
Unique Christmas Photo Ornament Ideas
Whether it’s a photo of your first home or of baby’s first Christmas, a wedding announcement or even a funny, heartwarming picture that sums up the past year, share all those special moments with custom photo ornaments. We’ve put together this list of creative photo ideas so that you can up your Christmas ornament game with a personal touch. Think about what a big kick you’ll get year after year when you decorate the tree with these unique photo ornaments.
Family Portraits
There’s never any harm in staying true to a classic family Christmas portrait! Honor the connection you share as partners, pals, or family by putting it front and center in this season’s personalized ornaments. Keep it simple by stepping out in front of the place you call home or go the extra mile by setting out in search of a winter wonderland. Check out our 50 Festive Christmas Photo Ideas for more inspiration!
Everyday Moments
Poses have their place, but it’s those authentic little moments of imperfection that showcase what the season is all about. Look back on your archives from the year and turn those in-between outtakes into a custom photo ornament. From daily life at home to picnics enjoyed in the park, celebrate the wonders of every day with not-so-perfect, weird, silly moments.
Commemorate Life’s Milestones
Designing your own photo ornament this holiday season is the perfect way to look back on the highlights and celebrate life’s milestones. Tell stories that are important to you – for those who said “I do” in the past year to those who welcomed new additions to the family, and any little triumphs in between – showcase those special moments one more time with personalized life milestone ornaments.
Pet Ornaments
Your precious pets are a part of the family, so why not honor them with unique pet ornaments that show off their personalities? Add your favorite furry, four-legged friends to your Christmas tree this year with personalized cat and dog ornaments that you can customize with pet photos, names, and more.
Celebrate Your Passions
Whether you love horses or baseball, create a memory-filled ornament that celebrates your hobbies. We consider these memories as moments to be grateful for and they deserve to be memorialized!
Embrace The Selfie
Holiday photo ideas aren’t dependent on a postcard-perfect snow day! Turn your favorite selfies with loved ones into heartwarming Christmas ornaments. Not only is it one the most accessible holiday photo ideas, it’s also the quickest way to get everyone in on the picture whenever inspiration strikes.
Show Off Your Silly Side
Skip to the top of the fridge-worthy pile by humoring your silly side. Because, let’s face it, funny Christmas photo ideas are always appreciated! From goofy faces to silly outtakes, your holiday ornaments are a chance to bring those bloopers to the forefront and laughter to your Christmas tree.
Give Little Ones The Spotlight
If most of your photos are of your little one, this tip was made for you. Kids grow up so fast, so why not commemorate them year after year with a personalized photo ornament? With so many snaps of the little one on hand, it’s one of the easiest photo ornament ideas that you can also gift to loved ones – grandparents will especially love!
Wrapping Up: Send Warm Holiday Wishes With An Ornament
A warm holiday wish in the form of a unique Christmas ornament could bring a little extra joy to the tree-trimming experience. Our one-of-a-kind ornaments make holiday greetings extra special, perfect for commemorating momentous occasions and significant milestones like graduations, weddings, new babies, and new homes. Personalize an ornament for every member of your family and start creating a collection of cherished holiday memories enjoyed each year.
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