Christmas Gift Popsicle Stick Craft

This Christmas gift popsicle stick craft is one of those crafts that look fancy but is secretly super simple. If you’re craving an easy holiday project that feels finished, festive, and display-worthy, these little craft stick presents totally deliver.

They’re perfect for December crafting days, classroom projects, or a cozy afternoon at the table when you want something more than paper-and-crayons but still very doable.

Christmas popsicle stick craft title image showing two square gift decorations on a blue background with the text “Christmas gift popsicle stick craft” and the website bethannaverill.com.

Materials for This Craft Stick Christmas Gift

This project sticks with basic supplies you can grab in one trip, and chances are you already have half of it in your craft bin.

Before we jump in, here’s everything you’ll need to make these popsicle stick Christmas gifts:

Craft sticks, regular
Mini bows
Tinsel pom poms, red and green
Glue gun and glue sticks
Acrylic craft paint, red and green
Cardstock, white, green, and red
Scissors
Paintbrush
Pencil
Patterns

Christmas gift popsicle stick craft advertisement showing two square present ornaments made from painted craft sticks, with text reading “Love this craft?” and a button that says “Get it now.”

Once everything is out and ready, you’re good to start building.

Step-by-Step Craft Stick Christmas Gift Instructions

These popsicle stick Christmas gifts come together in layers, which makes them easy to manage and surprisingly satisfying. Take it step by step and let pieces dry as needed.

Step 1: Gather your supplies

Lay out all of your materials so everything is within reach. This makes the building and gluing steps much smoother.

Craft supplies for a Christmas popsicle stick gift craft, including craft sticks, acrylic paint bottles, small gift bows, scissors, a glue gun, paintbrushes, marker, cardstock, and ribbon laid out on a white wood surface.

Step 2: Build the gift bases

Line up four regular craft sticks into a square on your work surface. Use a glue gun and glue sticks to attach the sticks at the corners to form the gift base.

Unpainted craft sticks arranged into square frames and cross shapes on a white wood surface, with a glue gun visible to the side.

Step 3: Make the ribbon pieces

Glue two regular craft sticks together so they cross in the center. These will become the ribbon on each gift.

Tip: Liquid craft glue can be used, but it will need extra drying time.

Step 4: Paint the gift bases

Basecoat one gift base red and the other gift base green using acrylic craft paint. Set aside to dry.

Painted craft stick frames in red and green arranged in square shapes, with red and green acrylic paint bottles and a paintbrush on a white wood background.

Step 5: Paint the ribbon pieces

Paint one ribbon red and the other ribbon green. Let everything dry completely, then add a second coat if needed.

Step 6: Trace the gift patterns

Download, print, and cut out the gift patterns. Trace the gift shape once onto red cardstock and once onto green cardstock with a pencil.

Red and green cardstock with rounded corners being traced using a pencil on a white wood surface.

Step 7: Cut out the gift shapes

Cut out the traced gift shapes, trimming just inside the pencil lines for a clean, finished look.

Red and green cardstock squares with rounded corners next to thin strips of cardstock and scissors on a white wood background.

Step 8: Trace and cut the details

Trace the polka dot circle pattern eight times onto white cardstock and cut them out. From the remaining white cardstock, cut five or six random-sized strips.

Two cardstock squares decorated with white circles and diagonal white stripes, placed side by side with scissors on a white wood background.

Step 9: Decorate the cardstock

Glue the white polka dots onto the red cardstock and the white strips diagonally onto the green cardstock using a glue gun.

Red polka-dot cardstock square and green striped cardstock square on a white wood surface with white paper strips placed on top and a black glue gun to the right.

Step 10: Trim and assemble the centers

Trim any excess white cardstock from the edges.

Two square cardstock pieces on a white wood surface, one red with white circles and one green with diagonal white stripes, with orange-handled scissors above them.

Glue the red polka dot cardstock onto the red gift base and the green striped cardstock onto the green gift base.

Painted craft stick frames in red and green surrounding patterned cardstock squares, with additional painted craft sticks forming cross shapes and a glue gun on a white wood surface.

Step 11: Attach ribbons and bows

Glue the green ribbon onto the red gift and the red ribbon onto the green gift. Attach a tinsel pom pom to the center of each mini bow, then glue the bows onto the ribbon.

Two completed craft stick gift squares with patterned cardstock centers and painted stick crosses, shown alongside a package of small gift bows and a glue gun on a white wood background.

Step 12: Display

Set your finished craft stick Christmas gifts on a shelf, mantel, or holiday table. Add a name to each one if you’d like to use them as place cards or personalized decor.

Two finished popsicle stick gift decorations displayed upright on a white wood surface with faux greenery, pinecones, and berries arranged around them.

Grab This Craftivity Packet

If you want everything prepped and ready to go, this craftivity packet includes the patterns you need to make these craft stick Christmas gifts without extra prep time.

It’s perfect for classrooms, small groups, or a quick holiday craft at home when you just want to get started.

Use code GIFT to get 25% off this packet.

Please Share

Know a teacher, parent, or crafty friend who would love this Christmas popsicle stick gift craft? Sharing helps more families and classrooms find simple, fun projects they can actually finish.

Every share keeps this little corner of the internet creative, festive, and full of hands-on holiday fun.