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A Christmas book ornament | Source: Instagram/thebookishkorner
DIY Book Ornaments for Christmas: 3 Variations for the Avid Reader
By
Akhona Zungu
Dec 16, 202305:00 A.M.
The DIY book ornaments trend has blown up social media for some time, with avid readers finding a fun way to celebrate their love of reading during the festive season.
Miniature books date back hundreds of years to the 15th century. Among the first few ever created was titled "Diurnal Mogantium," which measured 3 x 4 inches. Set and bound by Gutenberg assistant Peter Schoffer, it was published in 1468.
The initial purpose of creating miniature books, which were tiny but readable, was personal convenience so that they could fit into waistcoat pockets and women's handbags. They gained more popularity in the 18th century as miniature instruction manuals, children's books, and more began being mass-produced.
Miniature books have since evolved, and one of their latest evolutions is the DIY book ornaments, which have been trending for some time on social media. As of this writing, the hashtag #minibooks, which boasts millions of videos about tiny book ornaments, has over 85 million views on TikTok.
A pair of hands holding a miniature book | Source: Getty Images
So, What Are DIY Mini-Book Ornaments?
As the term suggests, mini book ornaments are miniature books, but not the readable kind. They are primarily used for representative purposes, usually to showcase what and/or how much one has read.
There are several fun ways to have fun with miniature book ornaments, especially during the year-end festive season. Below is a short list of three pretty cool examples.
The DIY Book Ornament Ball
The DIY book ornament ball is a fun way to celebrate your love for reading, allowing you to pool your yearly reading list into a small compact container. It comprises tiny foam rectangles pasted with singular book covers on either side.
These rectangles (miniature books) fill a transparent plastic ornament ball, which is then sealed shut and adorned with a ribbon for hanging.
Wood Slice Book Ornament
This way of creating DIY book ornaments doesn't necessarily look at your entire annual reading list but can zoom in on your favorite books of the year. It also requires a different set of materials from that of the book ornament ball.
As the term suggests, the wood slice book ornament is made by taking a slice of wood shaped like an ornament and painting it using the cover design of your favorite book. If painting is a little intimidating, then pasting a colored copy is also an option. These can then be hung on your Christmas tree.
Wood slice ornaments decorated with acrylic paintings | Source: YouTube/tuta art
A Harry Potter-Themed Book Ornament
In late 2019, a YouTuber detailed how she created Harry Potter-themed book ornaments for her Christmas tree, which featured non-readable miniature versions of the whole novel series!
This is another fun way for readers to celebrate their love for their favorite book series by any other author. You could even do smaller book ornament balls for each collection and hang them on a Christmas tree or make them a key chain.
Harry Potter-themed book ornaments hung on a Christmas tree. | Source: YouTube/Demi Siriusly
Whichever kind you choose, these DIY mini-book ornaments are sure to fill the bookworm in you with a satisfying sense of accomplishment! Go ahead and try making one!
Festive season also includes preparing the gifts for your loved ones. For more information, here is a guide on How to Wrap a Gift Basket without Using Cellophane.
