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Surprise Christmas ornament

December 11, 2015 by Kate 27 Comments

Here is a Christmas ornament like no other. It’s a Christmas ornament with a special hidden surprise inside. Your children will be kept guessing what special gifts are hiding inside and they will not be able to find out until Christmas Day when they can remove them from the tree and unravel them. 
Surprise Christmas ornament

This is sponsored by Australia Post

I come from a family of squeezers and shakers, my friends are the same. I’m sure you know the kind, the ones that receive a Christmas gift prior to the big day and have already squeezed and shaken it to the point they know exactly what is inside.  It’s a little frustrating because that surprise is lost long before the day of opening, which is a shame when you’ve thought long and hard about giving a thoughtful (and sometimes expensive) gift.

Australia Post collage

I recently discovered that Australia Post are on my side and can help keep packages ordered online a surprise right up until the moment that gift is to be opened. Australia Post will give you the option to send your special packages to one of their many store locations (away from those cheeky sticky beaks at home), or you have the option to use one of the Australia Post parcel lockers.
Screen Shot 2015-12-02 at 9.14.01 amAnd if it couldn’t get it any better, it does! Australia Post also have recently released a collection of awesome disguise packaging that will have your gift received guessing until the very last moment. Genius! Click here to learn more about how Australia Post is helping to keep Christmas a surprise.
Tiny toys for in Christmas ornament

Inspired by Australia Posts and their features, I created a special surprise Christmas ornament. These have a special gift hidden inside and can be opened on Christmas Day. The way they are made ensures the gift received can’t find out what they are, no matter how much squeezing or shaking they do. Now I warn you, these are actually quite addictive to make.

You will need – 

  • Small toys
  • Crape paper streamers
  • Ribbon
  • Wire or thread
  • Sticky tape
  • Scissors

Wrapping toy in surprise ball that can be hung on Christmas tree
These special surprise Christmas ornaments can hide one or many small toys. Begin with the largest toy you’d like to hide and begin wrapping one end of the streamer around it. 

Making surprise ball for kids

Continue wrapping the streamer around the toy, pulling and twisting it tightly around it’s shape. Wrap it in many different directions and continue to ensure it’s covered tightly. If there are some parts of the toy that are oddly shaped or stick out, wind the streamers in such a way that it builds up around those areas and creates a more rounded shape. 

Hiding small toys in Christmas surprise ball ornament.

As you continue to disguise the first toy, you might choose to add additional toys to the surprise Christmas ornament. Balloons are always great to add as they help to create the rounded shape. When adding more toys, simply wind them in with the streamer you have been using. 

Streamers for surprise ball that can be hung and given as a gift for kids

You’ll soon find you get better as winding the streamer and pulling it tight around the toys. With effort you will start to see a round shape appear.

Christmas surprise ornament ball

Once you are happy with the shape and toys inside your surprise Christmas ornament you can use the streamer to hold cotton thread or wire, which can be used to hang the ornament on the tree. Once you’re done you can hold the end of the streamer in place with sticky tape. 
Surprise ball for Christmas to hang on the tree for kids

Add some decorative ribbon to your rounded surprise Christmas ornament and you’re done! Your child will never know what is hidden inside, until Christmas Day when they can remove them from the tree and unravel the streamer to reveal the toys. How awesome is that! 

Christmas surprise ball ornament

These are such great fun to make and quite addictive too. You could easily make surprise Christmas ornaments for the whole tree! Older children would have a great time making them for their friends or family and give them as gifts for Christmas. You could send them through Australia Post too as they are quite light weight. They really are such a unique and fun gift idea that will keep the receiver guessing right until the very last minute. Merry Christmas everyone. 

Who would you give a surprise Christmas ornament to? 

Filed Under: 3 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years, Art & Craft, Celebrate, Christmas, Gift Idea Tagged With: Christmas, gift idea, sponsored

Comments

  1. Kelly says

    December 11, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    Such a great idea!! I think I will make some wool ones next year, thanks for the inspiration xx

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      Great idea using wool Kelly. I’d love to give that a go myself.

      Reply
  2. Christie-Childhood 101 says

    December 11, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    Such a cute idea!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      Thanks Christie. We had so much fun making them.

      Reply
  3. katepickle says

    December 11, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    What a cool idea!
    I think I’d put some money in these for my big kids, they’d love unwrapping and unwrapping and thinking there was nothing! LOL

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 10:40 pm

      Oh my goodness, can you imagine! That would be a bit of light entertainment on Christmas morning. LOL
      Thanks for your comment Kate.

      Reply
  4. Janice says

    December 11, 2015 at 3:06 pm

    The look on your daughters face is priceless….such an adorable idea!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 10:39 pm

      Thank you so kindly Janice. She’s such a character and pulls the best expressions. I get excited when I can capture them on camera. It doesn’t always happen though. Thank you kindly for your comment. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Chelsea says

        December 12, 2015 at 9:20 pm

        I was going to say the same. What a capture, Kate! Such a precious shot and I bet she’ll love seeing her happiness shine through when she looks back on photos later on. I LOVE your surprise ornament idea. First because it’s fun for the kids, and second because then you don’t have too many ornaments (because you have opened them) so it means you can make more next year hehe

        Reply
        • Kate says

          December 12, 2015 at 9:55 pm

          Exactly right Chelsea. Your tree could look different every year! ๐Ÿ™‚

          Thank you for your very kind comments. I adore my girl so very much. She really makes me laugh.

          Reply
  5. trixi symonds says

    December 11, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Wow what a great post! I love your ornaments and really like your idea about getting older kids to make them as gifts for family and friends

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 10:38 pm

      Thank you so kindly Trixi. Sometimes it can be hard to get older children involved in crafts, but this is a great one. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  6. Bek @ just for daisy says

    December 11, 2015 at 9:32 pm

    Oh my!! Possum’s face is adorable!! And love that Aust Post can hold onto parcels… handy living in the bush too!! Will check that out now… I want to work wtih Aust Post and have them give me lots of free stamps for all my snail mail!! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Hehe!!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 11, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      Absolutely Bek! ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
  7. Debs says

    December 12, 2015 at 10:45 am

    What a cute idea!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 12, 2015 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks Debs. They were so much fun to make. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  8. Kelly B says

    December 13, 2015 at 5:34 pm

    This is so cute!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:47 am

      So much fun to make Kelly. They look gorgeous on the tree too.

      Reply
  9. Danya says

    December 14, 2015 at 12:39 am

    Oh that is so awesome!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:47 am

      Thanks Danya. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Louise Thomsen says

    December 14, 2015 at 2:33 pm

    Great idea!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:45 am

      Thank you so kindly Louise. I want my hubby to make me one! LOL

      Reply
    • Kate says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:52 pm

      Thanks Louise! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  11. Kate - the craft train says

    December 17, 2015 at 9:12 am

    What a cute idea! My girls would love making and opening one of these

    Reply
    • Kate says

      December 17, 2015 at 12:51 pm

      Mine too Kate. They are so fun. Trouble would be resisting opening them early.

      Reply
  12. Ella says

    September 21, 2021 at 7:56 pm

    Surprise Christmas ornaments sounds good. These are very interesting for the kids. Kids are very excited to what is inside the ornaments. They wait until the Christmas come. When Christmas come then they open the ornaments and feel very happy.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Simple Christmas Activities and Gifts for Children and Educators says:
    December 4, 2018 at 4:27 pm

    […] Laughing Kids Learn shares how to make this Christmas ornament with a special hidden surprise (or two)ย  inside. […]

    Reply

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Hello and welcome!
My name is Kate and I am a mum to two little girls, Possum and Boo. We have lots of fun together learning with play at home and are pleased to share some of what we do with you.
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