Christmas Tree Topper Ideas: 12 Showstopping Toppers You Can Make for a Few Dollars

Christmas tree topper ideas are the secret to a tree that makes people stop in the doorway and smile. The topper is the very first thing guests notice, yet the ones in stores can cost as much as a whole box of ornaments. This year, homemade toppers are everywhere online, from huge velvet bows to sparkly paper stars, and people are loving how personal they feel. The best part is that most of them start with things you already have: cardboard, ribbon, pine cones, wood beads, even an old doily from Grandma’s drawer. Each idea below is simple enough for a weekend afternoon, and many are fun to make with kids. Pick the one that fits your style, grab a mug of cocoa, and give your tree the crown it deserves..

Christmas Tree Topper Ideas Start With a Giant Velvet Bow

If one topper owns this season, it is the big bow. A tree wearing a giant red velvet bow with long streamers running down the branches drew nearly a million reactions in one viral reel, and it is easy to see why. It looks rich, it fills the empty space at the top, and it costs only a few yards of ribbon. Wired ribbon is the trick, because you can shape the loops and make the tails curl down the tree. Use a sturdy step stool and a helper when you reach the top. Ready to tie the biggest bow of your life..

You will need: About 5 yards of wide wired velvet ribbon, floral wire or a chenille stem, scissors, a step stool and a helper.

How to make it: 1. Make four large loops of ribbon, pinching them in the middle, and wrap the center tightly with floral wire. 2. Wrap a short piece of ribbon over the wire to hide it. 3. Wire the bow to the top branch and let two long tails flow down the tree, tucking them into the branches.

A Floral Pick Burst

This topper looks like it came from a designer showroom, but it is just a bunch of floral picks pushed into the top of the tree. Glitter sprays, berries, pine sprigs, gold leaves and faux flowers fan out in every direction like fireworks. Mix tall and short picks so the burst feels full, and repeat one color through the tree so it all ties together. Craft stores put picks on sale all season, and you can reuse them every year. Of all the Christmas tree topper ideas here, this one is the quickest. How wild will you let your burst get?

You will need: 10 to 15 floral picks in a mix of sprays, berries and greenery, floral wire, wire cutters (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Gather the picks in a loose bunch with the tallest in the middle. 2. Wrap the stems together with floral wire. 3. Push the bundle into the top of the tree and fan each pick outward.

A Cardboard Star Wrapped in Glitter

A shipping box can become a glittering star in one evening. Draw a big five point star on cardboard, cut it out, then cover it with glue and gold or silver glitter. A homemade sparkly star like this pulled about 30,000 reactions online, proof that simple can still feel magical. Make two stars and glue them back to back around a paper towel tube so it slides onto the top branch. It is light, so it will not bend the tip of the tree. Which color glitter will your star wear?

You will need: Sturdy cardboard, a pencil, scissors, white craft glue, a paintbrush, fine glitter, a cardboard tube, a tray to catch glitter.

How to make it: 1. Draw and cut out two matching stars. 2. Brush glue over one side of each and shake glitter over it, then let it dry. 3. Glue the stars back to back with a short tube between them and slide it onto the tree top.

Christmas Tree Topper Ideas That Glow: A Wire Star With LED Lights

For a soft glow at the top of the tree, bend a simple star from craft wire and wrap it with a strand of battery LED fairy lights. The lights shine through the branches and look lovely when the room lights are off. Because the lights run on batteries, there is no extra cord to hide. Choose warm white for a classic look or multicolor for a playful one. Kids think it is pure magic. Do you like your tree to sparkle or glow?

You will need: Thick craft wire, pliers (adult help), a strand of battery LED fairy lights, clear tape.

How to make it: 1. Bend the wire into a five point star and twist the ends together. 2. Wind the fairy lights around the wire, taping the battery box to the back. 3. Attach a short wire stem to the bottom and wrap it around the top branch.

A Cascading Layered Ribbon Topper

This one is all about movement. Instead of one bow, you gather several ribbons in different widths and patterns at the top and let them tumble down the tree like a waterfall. Velvet, plaid, gold mesh and satin all look beautiful together when they share a color family. Tuck the ribbons into the branches every so often so they swirl around the tree. Among Christmas tree topper ideas, it is one of the best for hiding gaps, and it looks fancy for very little money. Which colors will you mix?

You will need: Three or four rolls of wired ribbon in matching colors, floral wire, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Cut each ribbon into long strips, about 2 to 3 yards each. 2. Bunch the ends together and wire them to the top of the tree. 3. Let the ribbons fall down the sides and tuck them into the branches in loose waves.

Christmas Tree Topper Ideas From Grandma: A Doily Angel

Some of the sweetest Christmas tree topper ideas come straight from Grandma’s linen drawer. A round lace doily folded into a cone becomes an angel’s gown, and a smaller doily makes the wings. Add a wooden bead for the head and a ring of gold wire for a halo, and you have an heirloom style angel that looks like it has been in the family for years. Stiffen the doily with a little fabric stiffener or starch so it stands up on its own. This is a gentle, nostalgic craft that makes a lovely gift too. Do you have an old doily waiting for a new life?

You will need: Two lace doilies, fabric stiffener or spray starch, a wooden bead, gold craft wire, glue (hot glue with adult help), a paper cone for shaping.

How to make it: 1. Soak a large doily in stiffener and drape it over a paper cone to dry. 2. Fold a smaller doily in half for wings and glue it to the back. 3. Glue a bead on top for the head and add a small gold wire halo.

An Oversized Ornament on a Dowel

Here is a clever idea that has been shared thousands of times: put a giant ornament on a stick and use it as the topper. A large shatterproof ball in red, gold or silver looks bold and modern at the top of the tree. Push a wooden dowel or a thin piece of PVC pipe through the hanger hole, then tie the dowel to the main trunk so it stays upright. Add a few floral picks around the base to hide the stick. It is fast, sturdy and very eye catching. Would you choose one big ball or a cluster of three?

You will need: One large shatterproof ornament, a wooden dowel, floral wire or zip ties, a few floral picks.

How to make it: 1. Slide the dowel into the hanger opening of the ornament and secure it with a little glue. 2. Tie the dowel to the top of the trunk with wire or zip ties. 3. Tuck floral picks around the base to cover the stick.

A Wood Bead and Twine Star

Farmhouse lovers, this one is for you. Thread natural wood beads onto sturdy wire, bend the wire into a star, and wrap the joins with jute twine. It looks warm and simple, and it matches burlap ribbon, plaid and white lights perfectly. Kids can help thread the beads, which makes it a cozy family project. Add a small bow of twine at the bottom where it meets the tree. It is one of the most budget friendly Christmas tree topper ideas, since a bag of beads costs just a few dollars. Will you leave the beads natural or paint a few red?

You will need: Round wood beads, sturdy craft wire, pliers (adult help), jute twine, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Thread beads onto five pieces of wire of equal length. 2. Bend and join the pieces into a star, twisting the ends together. 3. Wrap each joint with twine and tie a twine loop at the bottom to attach it to the tree.

A Paper Moravian Star

The Moravian star, with its many pointed rays, has topped trees and porches for generations. You can fold a lovely paper version from white or kraft paper using a free template, and it looks stunning against green branches. Folding all the points takes some patience, so put on a holiday movie and make it an evening project. Slide a battery LED light inside and it glows from within. It is a classic that never goes out of style. Have you ever folded a paper star before?

You will need: Heavy paper or cardstock, a printed star template, scissors, a glue stick, a battery LED puck light (optional).

How to make it: 1. Cut out the star points from the template. 2. Fold and glue each point into a cone. 3. Glue the points onto a small paper ball base and add an LED light inside if you like.

Christmas Tree Topper Ideas From Nature: A Pine Cone Sunburst

Nature makes the best decorations, and a pine cone sunburst proves it. Glue pine cones around a cardboard circle so they point outward like rays of the sun. Leave them natural, frost the tips with white paint, or brush them with gold for a little shine. Gather the cones on a family walk and you have a topper with a story. Bake the cones on a foil tray at a low oven setting with adult help first to clean them. A topper like this costs almost nothing. How many pine cones can you find?

You will need: 12 to 16 pine cones, a cardboard circle about 5 inches wide, glue (hot glue with adult help), white or gold paint, a wire for hanging.

How to make it: 1. Clean and dry the pine cones. 2. Glue them around the edge of the cardboard circle, tips facing out, then add a second ring inside. 3. Paint the tips if you like and wire the sunburst to the top of the tree.

Christmas Tree Topper Ideas for Rustic Trees: A Burlap and Plaid Bow

If the velvet bow feels too fancy for your home, try a cozy burlap and plaid version. Layer a wide burlap ribbon, plain or printed with a holiday pattern, behind a red buffalo check ribbon and tie them into one big bow. Let the tails hang down and tuck them into the branches. If you love bows as much as we do, our Christmas bow decor ideas will give you plenty more to tie. It is the perfect match for wood bead garland, pine cones and white lights. Christmas tree topper ideas like this one make a farmhouse tree feel finished. Plaid or burlap, which is more your style?

You will need: Wide wired burlap ribbon, red plaid wired ribbon, floral wire, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Lay the plaid ribbon on top of the burlap ribbon. 2. Make four loops with both ribbons together and wire the center. 3. Attach the bow to the top of the tree and let the tails fall.

A Whimsical Hat Topper

For a tree full of personality, top it with a hat. A plush Santa hat, a striped elf hat or even a soft knit beanie slipped over the tip of the tree looks playful and cheerful. Add a pom pom, a jingle bell or a few sprigs of greenery for extra fun. Kids love it, and it works well on small trees in bedrooms or playrooms. It is a sweet way to end this list of Christmas tree topper ideas, because it proves a topper does not have to be serious to be special. Which hat would your tree wear?

You will need: A Santa hat, elf hat or knit beanie, a large pom pom or jingle bell, a few safety pins or floral wire.

How to make it: 1. Slide the hat over the top branch so it sits snugly. 2. Pin or wire it in place so it does not slip. 3. Add a pom pom or bell to the tip and tuck greenery around the brim.