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The Perfect 2020 Ornament

And how to make it!

By Amanda SpradlinPublished 3 years ago 4 min read
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Title: The Perfect 2020 Ornament (and how to make it!)

This year was full of surprises, thanks to Covid 19. From travel bans and sanitized hands to school closures and wearing masks, the one thing that shocked me the most was the stores running out of toilet paper. I guess it goes to show that in the midst of a pandemic, people still prioritize a bathroom wipe. It didn't matter if it was quilted, cotton, soft and strong, or plain old 2-ply; eventually, like most people, I wound up just rolling with whatever I could find.

This year has also been challenging in many other ways. The economy has taken its toll on people's incomes, and social distancing has taken a toll on people's mental health. The struggle has been real, indeed. Most kids have not been able to interact much with their friends and many parents have had to manage working from home, miraculously. All these hardships had me brainstorming of some way I could try to help lighten the mood during a time that is weighing so heavily on so many. That is how I came up with this fun-filled way to spread some Christmas spirit, safely and affordably.

I designed these DIY toilet paper ornaments with materials that most households have on hand already. They started out as a gift for family and friends. Then, they became a way to do something nice for others and do some community outreach with my kids. Throughout the month of December leading up to Christmas, we are going to randomly "TP" the mailboxes of my neighbors and some strangers in our area of metro-Detroit as we enjoy driving around looking at Christmas lights.

By offering the directions below, I hope that others will join me in TP’ing their own neighbors and some strangers at random. Our goal is to give the gift of a simple Christmas smile to as many people as possible. If crafting just isn’t your thing, you can still help support our cause by purchasing an ornament for yourself or by making a donation towards our endeavor.

The toilet paper ornaments are easy to make and serve as a fun art project for kids too. The initial response I got from my neighborhood Facebook group was so astounding and unexpected that I was moved to make this grow. After all, this is an example of the magic of Christmas and what it is all about. Despite the mess 2020 has been, this is still the most wonderful time of the year! May this message goes out to everyone, everywhere: Will you please join us in spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer?

Toilet Paper Ornament Directions

Things you’ll need:

Toilet Paper

Drinking straws

Tape

Glue

Paper/Stickers

Marker

String

Scissors

Materials

10 Easy Steps:

1.) Unroll and tear off 10 squares of toilet paper, keeping them connected.

2.) Cut your toilet paper strand in half vertically to get 2 strips.

3.) Then, cut those 2 strips in 1/2 again. This will give you 4 strips to make 4 ornaments.

4.) Take 1 strip, and tape it to the end of a straw.

5.) Cut the straw at the edge of the toilet paper strip, like this...

Cut the straw at the edge of your taped TP strand.

6.) Next, roll the strip back up around the cut straw gently.

7.) Secure your roll in place with a dab of glue.

8.) Write the year on paper or stickers (I used mailing labels as seen in the photo) and cut them to fit your mini roll. Fasten in place with glue.

9.) Lastly, cut a piece of string and thread it through the middle of the roll, through the straw.

10.) Tie a knot for hanging.

Voila! Now, you have 1 ornament completed. Repeat steps 4-10 for the remaining strips of toilet paper you have already cut to create a set of 4. You can wrap them however you'd like. If you will be dropping them off at random to mailboxes around town, like us, I suggest using little craft bags for packaging.

A TP Ornament, packaged and ready for delivery.

We are also going to include little quirky sayings on cards, here are a few examples:

  • "May this ornament bring you a bit of cheer, Merry Christmas and good riddance to this year!"
  • "Although this year has brought on many trials, we hope this ornament brings you a Christmas smile."
  • "Never fear, your emergency TP is here!"
  • "Lost luggage of Elf on the Shelf. Return to any lit Christmas tree."
  • "Ohh crap! You've been TP'ed!"
  • "Ho ho ho, your elf has been on a roll!"
  • "2020 TP Shortage: When in doubt, now you'll know you're not out!"
  • "Always remember, it's the little things that make the world go 'round."
  • "Someone, somewhere, really gives a sh*t about you."
  • "2020, We've had enough of your sh*t. Time to wipe in a new year!"
  • "The Essential Ornament"

I highly encourage all creativity and urge everyone to put their own spin on things if you choose to make your own ornaments. Have fun, please share, and most of all, Merry Christmas!

crafts
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About the Creator

Amanda Spradlin

Amanda Spradlin is the founder of Coincidental Chaos. She writes with the passion of a questionable mind. Any donations are appreciated!

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