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[For Seniors] Recommended Wall Decorations and Crafts for January
We’d like to introduce wall decorations that are perfect for January, the month when we welcome a brand-new year!
We’ve gathered auspicious New Year–themed pieces as well as works that let you feel the season of January.
Many January decorations feature vibrant colors that will brighten up your space.
We offer a wide range: items you shape by hand, projects with simple steps, and pieces that require fine finger work.
New Year’s decorations often feature traditional Japanese motifs such as shimenawa and shishimai.
Some older adults may find themselves reminiscing as they create.
Why not enjoy making them while sharing stories and memories?
[For Seniors] Recommended Wall Decorations and Crafts for January (1–10)
Three-dimensional plum
Because plum blossoms bloom gracefully even in severe cold, they are also considered auspicious flowers that symbolize wishes for longevity.
They’re perfect for the New Year, too.
There’s even the expression “pine, bamboo, and plum” as lucky plants.
Let’s brighten up your room with plum blossoms made from colored construction paper.
Plum blossoms have five petals, but getting the balance right can be tricky.
If you first make a plum blossom template, though, you can craft them neatly.
Attach stamens to the colored-paper blossoms, and they’re complete.
Make lots and decorate the wall.
Older adults, in particular, may feel a sense of accomplishment when they see the plum blossoms they made themselves.
Good Luck Hanging Fan Ornament
Fans are often paired with New Year’s and celebratory decorations.
When you open a fan, it spreads out at the end, doesn’t it? From this shape comes the auspicious meaning that good fortune will continue to spread, bringing ongoing success and prosperity.
Works featuring fans are also recommended as projects for January, when we welcome the New Year.
Prepare three types of origami: plain sheets, traditional Japanese patterns, and shiny papers such as gold or silver.
Make two sets by attaching strips of these three types of paper at your preferred widths.
Accordion-fold the two sets together, then overlap the outermost peaks of both sets to form a fan shape.
Attach a string to the back and it’s complete.
This lively fan craft, perfect for the New Year atmosphere, is likely to delight older adults as well.
Japanese-style ema (wooden votive plaque)
Some elderly people may go to temples or shrines for their first visit of the New Year (hatsumode).
During hatsumode, some may also dedicate ema, wooden plaques on which they write their wishes.
Let’s decorate the facility’s walls in January with auspicious ema.
Prepare origami paper with traditional Japanese or floral patterns and cut it into the shape of ema.
Use construction paper in your preferred color as the backing for the ema you cut out.
Attach a plain piece of paper in the center of the ema and add a hanging string to finish.
Even seniors who find it difficult to go out can write their wishes on the ema as if they were visiting for hatsumode.
Plum blossoms and camellias made with pom-poms
This is a vibrant wall decoration featuring plum blossoms and camellias—the quintessential flowers of winter.
It’s a simple craft you can make easily with materials from a 100-yen shop.
It’s perfect for craft activities during the winter when it’s harder to go out, so why not make it together and enjoy a brighter mood? To make the plum and camellia flowers, thread pom-poms onto a wire, form a loop, then twist to secure.
Thread yarn through these motifs to turn them into wall or hanging decorations.
By varying the pom-pom sizes and adding celebratory colors like red, pink, and white, you’ll get an extra festive, eye-catching finish!
Japanese-style simple New Year decoration
It’s said that cranes live a thousand years and turtles ten thousand, and these two are auspicious symbols of longevity.
Let’s incorporate them into a standing New Year’s decoration.
Since it will stand upright, the key is to use a firm backing.
Postcard paper that you can put a stamp on is convenient.
Decorate it with Japanese-pattern origami or chiyogami, which you can also find at 100-yen shops.
Use a craft punch to make plum blossom petals.
Fold a crane and a turtle with your favorite origami, attach them, and you’re done.
Adding brush-written characters of your choice alongside them will look lovely, too.
Try making these distinctive pieces together with older adults.
Kimono made of origami
January is a time when you often see people wearing kimono, such as during New Year’s celebrations and Coming-of-Age Day.
There are many movements and manners unique to kimono that look especially beautiful.
Some older adults may also appreciate the elegance of kimono.
So let’s try making a lovely kimono out of origami.
Considering the overlapping collar and the overall shape, you might think the folding would be difficult.
However, it can be made with just one sheet of origami paper.
If you use double-sided colored paper, the collar will show nicely.
There are a few slightly complex steps, but if you enjoy origami, this could be a rewarding project.
Please provide support as needed to suit older participants.
There are many varieties of origami available at 100-yen shops, which makes them convenient to use.
New Year wall decorations
There are many things that make us think of New Year’s in Japan, like kagami mochi, kadomatsu, and the first sunrise of the year.
Let’s try making a wall decoration with a New Year’s theme.
It’s also a good idea to ask older adults what comes to mind when they hear “New Year’s.” Having them list what they associate with it can serve as brain training.
Craft activities can also spark conversations with those around them and may lead to more social interaction.
As they create, some people might recall how they spent New Year’s when they were young and reflect on the past.
Please enjoy making it!