DIY Christmas Gift Tags are a fun activity for kids. Join in and gather the supplies for a creative family time. Create festive tags that will make your gifts look extra special. So get creative and have some fun with this DIY project!

The plastic inserts that hold candy from Advent calendars and a box of Plaster of Paris
What A Great Idea To Use As A Mold

My youngest son first made these gift tags in German kindergarten while we were living overseas. It has become a family tradition. 

Gather these Items To Make The Christmas Gift Tags

  • plastic insert that holds chocolate in one of the flat thin Advent calendars (we found ours at Aldi’s) –chocolate candy molds can also be used.
  • Plaster of Paris
  • small disposable cup
  • plastic spoon
  • paint (any kind will work)
  • paint brushes
  • glue (hot glue works best)
  • copy paper
  • corrugated cardboard
  • yarn

Some of you may want to save this craft for next year after you have an empty chocolate advent calendar!  However, if you are like me this sounds like a great reason to eat an entire box of chocolate by myself— you know for sake of crafting!

Making the Gift Tags

Mix plaster according to directions. You don’t need much–about an 8 oz. cup half full. Fill each of the tiny molds in the Advent Calendar.  Tap the mold lightly to release any air bubbles. Let dry until hard in the molds, about 20 minutes.

Plastic trays from an Advent calendar with Plater of Paris in the molds

Pop each figure out of the plastic and allow it to dry for another 20 minutes or longer. We re-use our molds year after year.  IF YOU HAVE LEFTOVER PLASTER DO NOT POUR IT DOWN YOUR DRAIN, JUST THROW THE CUP AND LEFTOVERS IN THE TRASH.

Ornaments made of Plaster of Paris removed from molds to dry Christmas figures

Paint each of the plaster figures.  I have found this is one of those great projects you can leave out and the kids will work on it over time!

Dried ornaments ready to paint. Paint containers, corrugated cardboard pieces, and paint brushers.

We fold colored corrugated cardboard into a book shape, place a piece of copy paper cut slightly smaller than the cardboard inside, and then fasten it with a piece of yarn.

Red cardboard and copy paper folded like a book and attached with black  yarn

Glue your plaster shape to the front and you have a really cute gift tag!

Completed DIY Christmas Gift Cards. One is brown cardboard folded like a book and tied with black yarn and an unpainted shooting star ornament glued on front. The second one is red cardboard folded like a book and tied with black yarn with a yellow star ornament glued on front.

Printable Gift Cards if You need them Quick!

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About Cindy Hopper

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Comments

  1. This is so fun! If I wasn’t under a winter storm I would be running to hobby lobby to supplies!

  2. Every year I look at those inserts (we get our calendars at Trader Joe’s) and think “this should be good for SOMEthing!” But I never get farther than using it to mold melted chocolate (as if we needed more). But this looks fun! Thanks for the idea!

  3. I have these same molds! We’ve been using them for chocoaltes–I never thought of using them for plaster molds! Genius–and a lot less fattening!!

  4. This is such a great idea. I just wanted to add that the plaster shapes would also make great ornaments for a child’s Christmas tree. They could also be presents to others as ornaments…this is such a great and versatile idea. Thank you so much for sharing!!

  5. May have to do this with my little girl this afternoon…I think I have some plaster of paris in my craft box! Thanks for the great idea!

  6. So stinking cute – I am hosting a holiday craft day for the neighborhood next week! Thanks!

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