For Seniors: Auspicious Handmade Zodiac Ornament Craft Ideas
The Chinese zodiac changes every year, and figurines of that year’s zodiac animal are considered lucky charms.
It’s said that if you display them in your entryway, living room, or household shrine, they will protect your home for a year.
In this article, we introduce handmade zodiac decoration craft ideas tailored for older adults!
The look and feel change depending on the materials you use, so choose your favorite based on what makes you think, “I’d love to display this at home—it’s lovely.”
Try making this year’s zodiac figurine together with everyone at a day service or other care facility!
[For Seniors] Auspicious! Handmade Zodiac Ornament Craft Ideas (1–10)
Papier-mâché zodiac ornament
These are zodiac figurines made using the papier-mâché technique, where paper is pasted onto a hollow frame to create the shape.
Traditionally, the frame is assembled from bamboo or wood, or a clay mold is used, but you can also make them with items like capsule toy cases, making it easy to gather materials.
By crafting one with wishes for the new year, you can reflect on the past year and see in the new year with a refreshed feeling.
Tearing and pasting paper are simple tasks that also exercise the fingers, making this a recommended craft.
Daruma
By incorporating zodiac designs into the daruma, which has long been cherished as a good-luck charm, you can create a decoration perfect for New Year’s.
Using tissue paper and chiyogami will give it a vibrant finish, making it an enjoyable project.
Since you’ll be using scissors and other tools to make parts and decorations, please be careful with your hands.
Coming up with facial features and other design elements also serves as brain training, so it can be a meaningful activity.
It’s a craft that we hope you’ll display not only at the start of the year but all year round, and one that lets you enjoy your own unique style.
Tsumami-zaiku zodiac ornament
Eto decorations made with tsumami-zaiku, a traditional craft passed down since the Edo period, are perfect for celebrating the New Year.
Because they’re made by folding and pinching fabric without using needles or thread, they’re relatively easy to create.
As multiple fabrics are combined, it’s easy to express personal preferences and originality, and when making them in places like care facilities, the colorful ornaments can brighten up the room.
However, since you’ll need to cut small parts with scissors and the like, please take care during production.
Clay craft zodiac ornament
Clay crafting is highly recommended for seniors because the soft texture has a calming effect.
The method is very simple: shape the clay into a round form and attach parts like ears and a nose made with thin rods.
If you combine clays in various colors, the result will look more polished, so keep that in mind when purchasing materials.
For cutting the clay, use a type of knife that doesn’t cut too easily; it allows you to work more safely.
origami: horse ema (votive plaque)
Here’s an idea for making an ema (votive plaque) from a single sheet of origami paper.
The creasing step is important for this one: you’ll cut along those crease lines with scissors and keep folding from there.
The steps for folding the horse are quite detailed, so having some tools on hand might help.
Also, if you use 15 cm origami paper, the finished piece will be quite small, so we recommend using a larger sheet.
Write your wish on the white part of the ema and hang it up with a string.
Use brown-toned origami paper for this project.
Zodiac Paper Cups
Let’s make zodiac animals and figurines using paper cups—great helpers for craft projects! Paper cups are easy to handle and convenient since most households have them, and you can also buy them at 100-yen shops.
Cut a paper cup vertically in half, and shape the bottom part to become the animal’s mouth.
Adjust the face shape, add ears, and attach arms and legs.
This method is versatile, so you can create many kinds of animals in many poses.
Using natural brown or patterned paper cups also makes them look charming.
origami horse zodiac
One of the twelve zodiac signs, the Horse (Uma).
Let’s fold a horse out of origami to welcome the New Year.
Using washi-patterned or double-sided origami paper makes it look very festive.
In this video, hand-dyed yuzen paper is used.
Fold with the patterned side on the outside.
Pay attention to making clean, sharp corners—the neater the folds, the better the final result.
The section that becomes the face involves a 3D fold and takes a bit of practice, but the challenge makes finishing it all the more rewarding.
How about enjoying some conversation with friends or family as you get started on New Year’s preparations?
