Making Your Own DIY Candle Clip Ornaments for Christmas

Are you interested in learning how to make your own DIY Candle Clip Ornaments for your Christmas Tree this holiday season? We will show you how to easily and affordably create these charming vintage inspired ornaments using very simple supplies.

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Four candle clip ornaments with gold ribbon tied to the bases.

Back Story

Have you seen the candle clip ornaments that have become popular in recent years? You can purchase a set of these candle lights from various online sources such as Magnolia, Amazon, and King of Christmas. With the use of LED lights and some batteries, these “candles” are in the traditional candle clip base and can add an old fashioned feeling to any holiday tree. While, I love the idea of using these candle clip ornaments, I am less thrilled with the idea of using a battery for each candle and with paying the price tag that accompanies a full set of the ornaments. However, I do love Christmas DIY projects such as making your own ornaments. I feel creating any type of homemade Christmas decoration brings more meaning to the holiday season.

After a little thought and experimentation, I came up with a way to make your own DIY candle clip ornaments using some very simple supplies. These ornaments do NOT require the use of any batteries and can be used in your holiday decor in a variety of ways. So, without delay, let’s jump into this Christmas candle holder idea.

DIY Candle Clip Ornaments

As with any project, the first thing we need to do is gather our supplies.

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Supplies

With the exception of the candle clip bases, the majority of supplies can be found at your local craft store such as Hobby Lobby, or Michaels. Where possible, I have provided links to online sources.

Candle clip bases (these are detachable bases)
Wooden dowels cut into 3 inch lengths. These will act as the candle stick. Tip – it may be useful to take one of your candle clip holders to a hardware store to determine which dowel size will work best.
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Acrylic craft paints in soft white and in bright yellow
Craft paint brushes
Wire spool
Needle nose pliers
Drill and drill bit
Elmers glue
Gold glitter
3×5 index cards or other stiff cardstock
Clothes pins

Supplies needed to make DIY Candle Clip Ornaments

Step 1: Prepare Candle Sticks

Using one of your candle clip bases, determine the diameter of the candle stick cup holder. Then purchase two wooden dowels. You will want the dowel to fit snuggly into the candle bases. Cut your wooden dowels into 3 inch lengths. These 3 inch wooden dowel pieces will act as your candle sticks. You may have some leftover sticks, from each dowel which is okay.

Heat up your hot glue gun and using the melted glue, add candle wax “drips” to the top of one end of each 3 inch wooden stick.

When the hot glue has completely dried, paint each candle stick a soft white color using acrylic craft paint. Set your candle sticks aside to dry.

Step 2: Make Candle Flames

Fold your 3×5 index card in half. Draw a flame shape on the index card with the top of the flame on the fold of the index card. Cut out the flame being careful to not cut the fold at the top of the flame. Apply Elmers glue to both sides of the flame and sprinkle with glitter. Repeat these steps, so you have a flame for each candle stick. When the glitter has dried, use a small craft brush to add a bit of yellow paint to the center of each flame.

Using a 3 inch length of wire, wrap it twice around the handle of a craft paint brush. With needle nose pliers, twist the loose ends of the wire together and then slide the wire loop off of the paint brush handle. Trim the twisted wire portion to 1/2 inch in length.

Wire wrapped around the handle of a craft paint brush to create a loop.

With a drill and small drill bit make a hole in the center of each wooden candle stick. Dip the twisted end of the wire loop into Elmer’s glue and then insert it into the hole of each dowel. You should have a small wire loop still remaining on the candle stick.

Wooden dowels but into 3 inch lengths with a small hole in the center

Apply Elmer’s glue to the non-glitter side of the candle flames. Sandwich each flame over the wire loop and secure with a clothes pin. Let the candle flame dry completely.

Step 3: Assemble Candle Clip Ornaments

Once the glue for each candle flame has dried, insert the candle stick with flame into the metal candle clip holder. If desired, you can use hot glue to secure the wooden candle stick into place in the candle cup holder. I chose not to glue my dowels in place because I like to adjust the candles when I clip them onto the tree branches.