A pine worktable in the evening with hand-dipped cream taper candles drying, a macrame snowflake, an embroidered hoop and a small paper village

Christmas Crafts for Adults: 8 Projects for Quiet December Evenings

ByThe Artisan

Most Christmas craft lists are written for children or for people with an afternoon and a glue gun. Christmas crafts for adults are different. They take a bit more patience, they use real techniques, and the result is something you’d keep out on the shelf or give as a gift without apologizing for it.

These eight are good evening projects. Most need a few specific supplies, and each has a time estimate and the part that takes practice.

Christmas Crafts for Adults Are About Technique, Not Glitter

The common thread here is a skill you can get better at: dipping, knotting, stitching, cutting, painting. The first one is rarely perfect. By the third, it usually is. That’s part of the appeal on a long December evening.

1. Hand-dipped taper candles

Pairs of cream beeswax taper candles hanging by their wicks from a wooden dowel to cool
Dip, cool, dip again. Thirty times or so.

Time: about 1 to 2 hours for a few pairs. Needs: beeswax or taper wax, square braid wick, a tall melting container in a pot of hot water.

Cut a length of wick, double it, and dip both ends into melted wax for a few seconds, then let them cool for about a minute. Repeat 25 to 35 times until the tapers reach the thickness you want. Hang them from a dowel to cool.

Keep the wax at a steady temperature, roughly in the 155°F to 165°F range for beeswax; too hot and each dip melts the previous layer. Never heat wax directly on a burner.

2. Macrame snowflakes

Two cream cotton macrame snowflakes lying on a dark wooden table beside a coil of cord and scissors
Square knots and a ring. That’s the whole technique.

Time: 30 to 45 minutes each. Needs: 3 to 4 mm cotton cord, a small wooden ring, scissors.

Cut six to eight lengths of cord, attach them to a wooden ring with lark’s head knots, and tie square knots outward to form arms. Trim the ends into points and brush them out. Stiffen with a light spray of fabric stiffener if they droop.

3. Embroidered hoop ornaments

Small wooden embroidery hoops with simple stitched pine branches in green thread on linen
Stem stitch for branches, French knots for berries.

Time: 1 to 2 hours each. Needs: 3 to 4 inch hoops, linen fabric, embroidery floss, a needle.

Stretch linen in a small hoop, draw a simple pine branch lightly in pencil and stitch it with stem stitch and a few French knots. Trim the fabric at the back, glue a felt circle over it and tie a ribbon to the screw.

Small hoops make good gifts and can be personalized with an initial.

4. A paper house village

A row of small white paper houses of different heights with cut-out windows on a shelf, a tea light behind them
Card stock, a craft knife and a cutting mat.

Time: 2 to 3 hours for five or six houses. Needs: white card stock, a craft knife, a cutting mat, a ruler, glue.

Print or draw simple house templates, cut out the windows with a craft knife and fold along scored lines. Group houses of different heights on a mantel or shelf with battery tea lights behind them. The light through the windows is the whole effect.

Use only battery lights behind paper.

5. Clay ring dishes as gifts

Small white and speckled air dry clay ring dishes with gold-painted rims, stacked on linen
Pressed into a small bowl to set the curve.

Time: 30 minutes plus 2 days drying. Needs: air dry clay, a small bowl as a mold, gold paint, varnish.

Roll clay about a quarter inch thick, cut a circle, and press it into a small bowl lined with plastic wrap to give it a curve. Dry for two days, sand the edge, paint the rim gold and seal. See our air dry clay crafts for drying tips.

6. Painted ceramic ornaments

Plain white ceramic disc ornaments hand-painted with simple teal and brown patterns, brushes beside them
Porcelain paint, cured in the oven.

Time: 20 minutes each plus curing. Needs: blank bisque or glazed ceramic ornaments, porcelain paint pens or paint, fine brushes.

Paint simple patterns: stripes, dots, a single pine tree. Porcelain paints are cured in a home oven according to the manufacturer’s instructions, which makes them durable.

7. A dried flower wreath

A small wreath of dried flowers, wheat and eucalyptus on a grapevine base, lying on a pine table
Small bundles, overlapping, all in one direction.

Time: about an hour. Needs: a grapevine wreath base, dried flowers, wheat, eucalyptus, florist wire.

Make small bundles of mixed dried stems, wire each one, and attach them to the base all facing the same direction, each covering the stems of the one before. A wreath that covers only one third of the base looks more modern than a full one. Our DIY Christmas wreath guide covers the basic technique.

8. Wax-dipped pine cones

Pine cones dipped in white wax so the tips look frosted, drying on parchment
Leftover wax from the tapers.

Time: 15 minutes. Needs: pine cones, leftover white wax.

Dip the tips of dried pine cones into melted white wax for a second and let them dry upside down on parchment. They look frosted. A good use for the wax left over from the tapers.

Setting Up a Craft Evening With Friends

Several of these work well as a small group evening, and a craft night is a cheap way to see friends in a busy month. A few practical points:

  • Pick one project, not five. Embroidered hoops, macrame snowflakes or clay ring dishes all work for a group.
  • Prepare kits in advance: cut the cord, cut the fabric, divide the clay. Each person gets a bag with everything they need.
  • One example finished, so everyone sees what they’re aiming for.
  • Cover the table with kraft paper; it doubles as a place to sketch patterns.
  • Two hours is enough. Most people finish one piece and start a second.
  • Split costs by having each person bring a snack or chip in a few dollars for materials.

Dipping candles is better left to a home setup, since it needs a stove and a hot water bath. Everything else on the list works at a dining table.

What We Would Skip

Heating wax directly on a burner. Always use a water bath.

Cheap acrylic felt or cord for anything meant to last.

Real candles behind a paper village.

Where We Would Start

Hand-dipped tapers if you want a weekend project, embroidered hoops if you want something to do on the sofa. Many of these work as DIY Christmas gifts, and for more candle techniques see DIY candles.

Questions We Get Asked

What are good Christmas crafts for adults?

Hand-dipped candles, macrame, embroidery, paper villages and dried flower wreaths are all satisfying and produce something you’d keep.

What do you need to make taper candles?

Beeswax or taper wax, braided wick, a tall melting container in a pot of water, and a dowel for hanging.

How many dips does a taper candle need?

Usually 25 to 35 dips, depending on the wax temperature and how thick you want them.

Are macrame snowflakes hard to make?

No. They use only lark’s head knots and square knots, which most people learn in a few minutes.

What crafts can adults sell at Christmas?

Candles, embroidered ornaments, clay dishes and dried wreaths all sell well at markets. See our guide to crafts to sell.

What are good crafts for a holiday party?

Embroidery hoops, macrame snowflakes, clay ring dishes and paper star lanterns all work at a table in about two hours.

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