Use the step by step instructions to make rustic DIY Walnut Baby Jesus Christmas ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree!
Make a rustic baby Jesus ornament in a half walnut shell with this walnut shell Christmas ornaments tutorial. Kids, teens, and adults can make this easy Christmas craft. Crafting a baby Jesus ornament in a half walnut shell manger is a wonderful way to spend time connecting with the kids this holiday season.
These gorgeous DIY Baby Jesus Ornaments are perfect for the Christmas tree and make a unique gift idea for friends and family. Hang baby Jesus Walnut shell ornaments on the Christmas tree, or use the baby Jesus ornament as a part of a Holy Family nativity scene complete with baby Jesus in a walnut shell. You may also enjoy this Simple Stone Advent Calendar with Nativity Scene.
Related: Christmas Ornaments Kids Can Make
Homemade Baby Jesus Christmas Ornaments
This kid-made baby Jesus ornament in a walnut shell manger was inspired by the children’s book “Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale.” There is just enough room in a half walnut shell for a “little one.”
Related: 30 Fun Family Christmas Traditions for a Magical Holiday
How to Make a Baby Jesus Christmas Ornaments in a Half Walnut Shell Manger
You can make this Baby Jesus Ornament craft as a Christmas book activity with the kids, or as a stand-alone activity. Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners will need assistance from a caregiver to make walnut shell Christmas ornaments, while older children that know how to use a glue gun safely will be able to complete this walnut nature craft project from start to finish on their own.
Related: Craft Stick Nativity Stable
DIY Baby Jesus Christmas Ornament Supplies
- Whole walnuts in shell
- Wooden beads (sized 10mm, 12mm, or 14mm)
- Walnut cracker
or flat head screwdriver - A scrap of ivory burlap or burlap by the yard
- Natural jute twine
- Wooden stars (3/4 to 1 inch)
- Glue gun with glue sticks
or 
or 
(3/4 to 1 inch)
Related: Rustic Acorn Marble Ornaments
Baby Jesus Walnut Shell Christmas Ornaments Step by Step Directions
Step 1 – Crack walnuts for walnut shell Christmas ornaments
My daughter loves cracking walnuts and eating them. I set a bowl of walnuts in front of her with a walnut cracker that we found at a thrift store long ago and let her go for it. She ended up with a tummy full of walnuts, a pile of shells, and a handful of useable walnut shell halves. Not bad for a four-year-old.
If you have enough walnuts save a few aside just in case, and pass the walnut cracking off on the kids. It’s a fabulous hand strengthening activity! Or, learn how to crack walnuts for crafts with the step by step directions below.
How to Crack Walnuts for Walnut Crafts
A helpful reader named Janet shared how she cracks walnuts for walnut crafts, such as these Baby Jesus Christmas Ornaments, in the comments below. You can find her original tip at the end of this article. I have also shared Janet’s wonderful walnut cracking tip, and the step by step instructions below.
When you need English walnut shells whole, not cracked into bits, do NOT use a nutcracker of any kind! Instead, use a flat-head screwdriver. Insert the point of a flat-headed screwdriver into the top of the walnut and twist. You will get two half-shells, both perfect! This is easier than cracking the shells… Just a twist, and it’s open.
How to crack a walnut to make walnut crafts:
- Insert the tip of a flat-head screwdriver in between the two walnut shell halves at the top of the walnut.
- Once inserted, gently twist the screwdriver to pop the walnut shell open.
Step 2 – Cut a square of burlap for each Baby Jesus Christmas ornament
We cut our burlap squares from some scraps we had leftover from a beginning sewing project we did a while back. You will need one small square of burlap for each homemade Baby Jesus Christmas Ornament.
Step 3 – Cut twine into sections to make hangers for walnut shell Christmas ornaments
Cut a 10-12 inch section of twine for each of the walnut shell Christmas ornaments.
Step 4 – Glue twine, burlap, and bead into each walnut Baby Jesus Ornament
Glue guns are hot and dangerous tools. Children must be under direct supervision at all times when a glue gun is plugged in. Please make sure your children are mature enough to handle a glue gun before inviting them to help put this DIY walnut shell Christmas ornament together.
I helped to hold the walnut shell for my daughter, so it was easier for her to glue the twine, burlap, and bead to make each Baby Jesus Ornament. See directions and photos below.
- Place a loop of twine into half of a walnut shell knot down.
- Prepare burlap square by folding all edges into the middle until you have a little wad of burlap to tuck into the walnut shell messy side down.
- Keep hold of your burlap as you fill the 1/2 walnut shell with a big dollop of glue right on top of the twine.
- Quickly tuck the burlap into the shell before the glue begins to dry.
- Place another dollop of glue where you would like Baby Jesus’ head to rest and quickly place the wooden bead into the glue before it dries.
5. Glue a star onto each piece of twine above each walnut Baby Jesus Ornament
Place a dollop of glue on a 3/4 to 1-inch wooden star and attach it to the twine about 2 inches above the head of baby Jesus in the walnut shell.
Related: Snowman Ornaments Kids Can Make
Handmade Walnut Shell Baby Jesus Christmas Ornaments
Awww… aren’t our little walnut shell baby Jesus ornaments darling? My daughter and I are in love with them!
We decorated our Christmas tree by placing each homemade Baby Jesus Ornament next to our handmade wooden angel ornaments. When hung this way, the angel ornaments look as if they are watching over the baby Jesus ornaments.
Handmade ornaments like this kid-made baby Jesus in the manger nature crafts are perfect for the Christmas tree. You can also use this craft as a part of a nativity scene. They make beautiful decorations and are a great keepsake gift idea!
You may also like our gift guide with DIY and ready-made gift ideas for the whole family, and meaningful Christmas traditions for a magical holiday.
Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
If You Liked Rustic Walnut Shell Ornaments, You may also like:
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- Ultimate Gift Guide for Kids
- Christmas Coloring and Activity Books for Kids and Adults
This is so sweet, and is bound to be one of your daughter’s favorite ornaments for the rest of her life. She’ll always remember making it with you!
I have no doubt that you are right. You should have seen the look in her eyes and smile on her face after she hung them on the tree. She sat there proudly staring at them for a long time, and I sat there proudly staring at her. It was a lovely moment.
This is so sweet!! I’d love to make these with my children
Thanks, Rachael! My daughter and I had a lovely time making them together.
Oh my! The walnut shell is heart shaped. How much more meaningful can it get? It’s way beyond cute. It’s heart wrenchingly appropriate.
Awww… thanks, Dineen! You officially just make my day 🙂 These little cuties are my favorite. They look so sweet with our peg doll angels hanging nearby.
when you need English walnut shells whole not cracked into bits. do NOT use a nutcracker of any kind! Instead you a flat headed strewdriver. insert the point of a flat headed screwdriver into the top of walnut and twist! you will get two half-shells both perfect! This is easier then cracking the shells . just a twist and it’s open. If you just want to eat the nuts inside . This is still the easier way to open English Walnuts. if you just want the nut inside
Oh my goodness Janet!! Thank you for the wonderful tip! I have always wondered the best way to open walnut shels to get useable halves. A flat head screwdriver sounds like it works brilliantly–thank you!!
What size wooden bead did you use for baby Jesus’ head? Also, what size wooden stat?
Hi Emily, great question. Although I have added links to the craft supplies needed to make these walnut shell Christmas ornaments, it would help to write down the sizes. Thanks for asking.
The wooden bead for the head can be between 10mm, as pictured, and 14mm. The wooden star is about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter, but a little larger, or smaller, will work. Happy Christmas crafting!
Nell