DIY Clay Pot Santa Hat Ornaments for Christmas

This is how you turn a mini clay pot into an adorable little Santa hat. This easy DIY Christmas ornament is made with just a handful of craft supplies, including a small terracotta pot, paint, white pipe cleaners, and a fluffy pom-pom to finish it off. It’s a simple holiday craft that looks surprisingly impressive once it’s hanging on the tree!

This is such a fun Christmas craft for kids and adults to make together! Younger kids can help with the painting and decorating, while older kids and adults can tackle the hot gluing and finishing touches. Set up a little crafting station, turn on some Christmas music, and enjoy an afternoon of holiday fun with the whole family. You can make several of them to give away as handmade gifts or to fill up your Christmas tree.

Supplies Needed

2.5 inch mini clay pot
red & white acrylic paint
2 white pipe cleaners
1 large white pom pom
yellow craft foam
thin black ribbon
hot glue gun
scissors & paint brush
jute twine (for hanging)

Step 1Start by painting the main part of your mini clay pot red and the thick rim around the opening white to create Santa’s fluffy hat trim. You may need to apply two coats to get nice, even coverage, especially if the terracotta color is showing through.

Step 2While the paint dries, let’s make Santa’s little belt buckle! Cut a small square from yellow craft foam, then carefully make two slits in the center using scissors or a craft knife, as shown below. Make sure the slits are about as wide as your black ribbon so you can easily thread it through to create the buckle.

Step 3Time to break out the hot glue gun! Glue two white pipe cleaners around the white rim of your clay pot to give Santa’s hat that cute, fluffy trim. Cut the pipe cleaners to size if needed to give the white trim the fullness you want.

Step 4Fold a 12-inch piece of jute twine in half and tie both loose ends together to create a knot. From inside the pot, push the folded loop up through the small hole at the top, leaving the knot hidden inside. Next, glue the pom-pom on top and attach your buckle, trimming the ribbon if needed. That’s it! Your cute little Santa hat is ready to hang on the Christmas tree!

Hot gluing a white Pom Pom on top of a DIY clay pot Santa hat. — You can also use leftover ribbon or anything similar instead of twine to make a hanging loop.

These little Santa hats are inexpensive to make but look like something you’d find in a cute Christmas boutique! Plus, homemade ornaments are always extra special, especially when you pull them out year after year and remember the fun you had making them together.

These cute little Santa hat ornaments also make wonderful homemade Christmas gifts! Kids will have so much fun making them for grandparents, teachers, friends, and anyone else who needs a little holiday cheer.

And why stop at just one? Mini clay pots often come in packs of three or more, so you might as well turn the whole bunch into Santa hats. Make a few to decorate your own Christmas tree, or have a fun afternoon crafting with the kids and make enough to give away.