DIY Christmas Climbing Decorations: How to Create Climbing-Inspired Ornaments and Decor

The holiday season is the perfect time to get creative with your decorations, and what better way to combine your love for climbing with the festive spirit than by crafting climbing-inspired Christmas decorations? Whether you’re decking out your climbing gym, decorating your home, or looking for unique gifts for your climbing friends, these DIY climbing ornaments and decor ideas are a fun and personal way to celebrate Christmas. Get ready to bring the outdoors indoors with these climbing-themed projects!


1. Rock Climbing Carabiner Ornaments

Materials Needed:

  • Small, colorful carabiners (you can use old ones or buy new, cheap ones)
  • Ribbon or twine
  • Hot glue gun
  • Small artificial pine needles or mini Christmas tree decor
  • Tiny ornaments or beads (optional)

How To Make It:

  1. Take a small carabiner and tie a piece of ribbon or twine to the top for hanging.
  2. Decorate the carabiner with tiny ornaments or beads, gluing them around the edge for a festive touch.
  3. Add a little greenery, such as a sprig of pine needles, to the carabiner to give it a more Christmasy feel.
  4. Hang it on your tree for a fun, climbing-inspired touch!

Tip: You can even give these as gifts to climbing friends, or attach them to gift wraps for a climber-themed present.


2. Mini Climbing Shoes Tree Ornaments

Materials Needed:

  • Old, small climbing shoes (or buy inexpensive keychain versions)
  • Glitter glue or paint
  • Mini pom-poms or felt for added details
  • Ribbon or string for hanging

How To Make It:

  1. Use small climbing shoes (keychains or retired shoes work great) as your base.
  2. Add a bit of holiday flair by painting the shoes with glitter or bright colors, turning them into little festive climbing shoes.
  3. Attach a small pom-pom or felt pieces to create little Santa hats or scarves for the shoes.
  4. Tie a ribbon through the shoe loops to create a hanger, and you’re ready to hang your climbing-inspired tree ornaments!

Tip: If you don’t have old shoes, you can even use mini climbing shoe ornaments sold in climbing shops or online!


3. Bouldering Rock Christmas Wreath

Materials Needed:

  • A foam wreath base
  • Brown or gray felt or fabric
  • Mini climbing holds (buy some or use 3D printed ones)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Ribbon for hanging

How To Make It:

  1. Start by wrapping the foam wreath base with brown or gray fabric to mimic a rock texture.
  2. Glue mini climbing holds around the wreath, leaving spaces between them to create a natural rock feature.
  3. Add greenery, such as fake pine needles or holly, to fill in any gaps for a festive touch.
  4. For a climber-friendly twist, glue some mini carabiners, chalk bags, or rope coils onto the wreath.
  5. Finish it by tying a colorful ribbon to the top of the wreath for hanging.

Tip: If you don’t have real climbing holds, you can easily make your own using foam or lightweight plastic and paint them in various colors to look like real holds.


4. Rope Advent Calendar

Materials Needed:

  • Strong, colorful climbing rope (a thinner type works best)
  • 24 mini bags or envelopes
  • Small surprises or gifts (such as chalk, mini carabiners, climbing tape, etc.)
  • Scissors and glue gun

How To Make It:

  1. Hang the climbing rope horizontally or vertically on your wall.
  2. Attach the 24 mini bags or envelopes to the rope, creating pockets for your climber surprises.
  3. Fill each bag with small items related to climbing or Christmas-themed trinkets.
  4. Number the bags for each day leading up to Christmas.

Tip: Personalize each bag with a motivational note or a climbing tip for the day. It’s a great way to count down to Christmas while keeping your climbing spirit high!


5. Climbing-Themed Christmas Stockings

Materials Needed:

  • Plain Christmas stockings
  • Mini climbing gear items (carabiners, chalk bags, ropes, etc.)
  • Fabric glue
  • Felt or embroidery thread

How To Make It:

  1. Start with a basic Christmas stocking and decide where you’d like to decorate.
  2. Using fabric glue, attach small climbing gear items such as mini carabiners, climbing shoes, or small pieces of rope.
  3. You can also embroider climbing logos or symbols, such as a chalk mark, a carabiner, or mountain shapes, onto the stocking to make it unique.
  4. For a fun touch, stitch on little phrases like “Climb Hard,” “Rock On,” or “Send It.”

Tip: These make excellent gifts for climbing friends or family members, as you can personalize them with their favorite gear and colors.


6. DIY Crimp Hold Ornaments

Materials Needed:

  • Air-dry clay (or baking clay like Fimo)
  • Paint (variety of colors)
  • Ribbon for hanging
  • Sculpting tools or fingers to create holds

How To Make It:

  1. Roll out the air-dry or baking clay to about 1/2-inch thickness.
  2. Use sculpting tools or your fingers to form small, crimp-like holds (you can use climbing hold shapes for inspiration).
  3. Once the holds are formed, let the clay dry or bake it according to package instructions.
  4. Paint the holds in bright colors to resemble the real thing (you can go for a traditional color palette or make them festive with red, green, and gold).
  5. Once dry, attach a small ribbon through the top of the crimp hold and hang them on the tree!

Tip: These DIY climbing holds are lightweight and make great gifts for your climbing friends too!


7. Chalk Bag Christmas Tree Topper

Materials Needed:

  • Small chalk bag (or a homemade one)
  • Christmas tree decorations (small baubles, tinsel)
  • Ribbon or string

How To Make It:

  1. If you have a spare chalk bag or an old one lying around, it makes a great base for a Christmas tree topper.
  2. Fill the chalk bag with small Christmas tree decorations like baubles, tinsel, or pine needles.
  3. Secure the bag to the top of the tree with a ribbon or string, and let the festive climbing spirit shine through!

Tip: For a more rustic look, you can even use some climbing tape or an old climbing rope as a garland to wrap around your tree.


Conclusion

This Christmas, infuse your holiday decorations with a bit of climbing spirit by creating your own DIY climbing-inspired ornaments and decor. Whether you’re making carabiner ornaments, climbing shoe stockings, or a bouldering wreath, these creative projects will add a personal touch to your festivities. So, grab your gear, get crafty, and have fun making decorations that celebrate your passion for climbing while spreading the holiday cheer!

Happy holidays and happy climbing! 🎄🧗‍♂️

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