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.webp "Merry Christmas Banners & Printable Decorations")
There is a unique kind of magic in the air as the holiday season approaches, a sense of warmth, tradition, and the simple joy of gathering with loved ones. Our Printable Merry Christmas Banner & Decor Kit is designed to help you capture that festive spirit. Featuring a timeless palette of classic holiday colors and charming illustrations, this collection offers a versatile way to change any space into a cozy Winter Wonderland.
It doesn’t matter if you’re brightening up a busy classroom, adding some life to your fireplace mantle, or setting the scene for a big family dinner; these pieces fit right in. They give you that polished, high-quality look while keeping the cozy, personal feel of something handmade.
Between the festive banners and the smaller decorative touches, everything here is designed to make your space feel a little more like home this Christmas.
Download, print, and display to create a beautiful backdrop for your favorite seasonal memories. This year, let your decorations be as joyful and stress-free as the holiday itself.
What makes printable decorations better than buying pre-made?
You can customize everything
Store-bought banners say what they say. If you want "Merry Christmas" but the store only has "Happy Holidays," you're stuck. Or vice versa. With printables, you print exactly what you need.
Need a banner that says "Season's Readings" for your library corner? Print it. Want ornaments with vocabulary words for your word wall? Print those too. The flexibility is worth everything.
Kids can participate
This is the big one. When you hand out printable ornaments or banner letters for kids to color, you're giving them something meaningful to do. Actual contribution to the classroom environment.
I've seen kids who normally rush through everything spend 20 minutes carefully coloring a single banner letter because they knew it was going up on the wall. That kind of careful attention? That's practicing fine motor skills, focus, and taking pride in work. All while they think they're just coloring.
To make your holiday displays even more impactful, these banners pair perfectly with our Red & Green Christmas Bulletin Board Letters, giving you everything you need for a fully coordinated festive theme.
You can replace what gets damaged
Someone will spill juice on something. A decoration will fall and get stepped on. The custodian will accidentally throw away something that wasn't trash. It happens every single year.
With printables, you print another one. With store-bought decorations, you either live with the gap or buy a whole new set. I keep my Christmas decoration files saved and just reprint whatever I need. Takes five minutes.
What decorations work in a busy classroom?
Not all printable decorations are created equal. Some look cute but are a nightmare to use. Others seem plain but work perfectly. Here's what functions in a real classroom.
Letter banners that spell words
The "Merry Christmas" banner is classic for a reason. It's clear, festive, and doesn't require explanation. Here's what makes a good printable banner:
- Each letter needs to be on its own page or clearly separated for cutting
- The letters should be large enough to see from across the room (at least 6-8 inches tall)
- There should be coloring space - plain letters are boring, but letters surrounded by decorative elements like gifts, ornaments, or snowflakes give kids something interesting to work on
- Triangular pennant-style letters work better than rectangular ones because they look more festive and are easier to string up
String mine on ribbon or yarn before hanging. Trying to attach individual letters to the wall is tedious, and they never line up right. Thread them first, then hang the whole thing.
Christmas ornament cutouts
These are more versatile. Obviously, they look good hanging in windows or from the ceiling. You can also use them for:
- Nametags for desks during December
- Reward tokens (kids earn ornaments to "decorate" a paper tree)
- Writing prompts (kids write what they're grateful for on an ornament)
- Math manipulatives (seriously, printable ornaments work great for counting and patterning activities)
The ones with intricate patterns are great for older kids who want a challenge. Simple designs work better for kindergarten and first grade. Keep both types on hand.
Gift box decorations
These don't get enough credit. Printable gift boxes are perfect for creating 3D decorations without needing expensive materials. Use them for:
- Holding classroom supplies (pencils, crayons, etc.) in a festive way
- Creating a "gift" display where each box represents a different kindness or good deed
- Making advent calendar boxes where we open one each day with a different activity inside
- Wrapping small prizes for December behavior incentives
The colored versions save time, but the black-and-white ones that kids can color are more engaging. Do a mix: colored ones for quick needs, blank ones when you have time for kids to personalize them.
Stars and Christmas trees
These basic shapes are incredibly useful. Not exciting, maybe, but useful.
Stars work for everything: adding to bulletin boards, creating window decorations, making garlands, and decorating other projects. Print more stars than any other decoration because they fill empty space quickly and always look appropriate.
Christmas trees are similar. A few trees scattered around the room instantly make it feel festive. Kids can decorate them however they want. Some do traditional red and green. Others go wild with every color. Both look good.
How do you organize a classroom decorating project?
This is where good planning saves your sanity. You cannot just hand out decorations and hope for the best. I learned this the hard way in year two when I gave everyone scissors and printables at the same time and spent 45 minutes managing chaos.
The system that works for me
I spread decorating over several days, not all at once. On Monday, kids color their assigned decorations. On Tuesday, we cut them out. On Wednesday, we assemble and hang them. Breaking it into chunks keeps it manageable.
I also designate specific times: during indoor recess, the last 15 minutes of the day, or as a reward for finishing other work. Never during prime instruction time unless the decorating is tied to an actual lesson (which I'll talk about in a minute).
My Favorite December Schedule:
Week 1: Color banner letters during centers time
Week 2: Create ornament decorations, hang a banner
Week 3: Make gift box decorations or additional pieces
Week 4: Let kids add finishing touches before break
What supplies do you really need?
People overcomplicate this. Here's my supply list:
- Cardstock if you're printing things that need to last (banner letters, ornaments you'll reuse)
- Regular paper for everything else
- Crayons or colored pencils (not markers - they bleed)
- Scissors that actually cut (dull scissors make kids frustrated)
- Tape or a stapler for hanging
- String or ribbon for banners
- Optional: glitter, stickers, or other embellishments if you're feeling fancy
That's it. You don't need a laminator, although if you have access to one, laminated decorations last much longer. You don't need expensive specialty paper. Basic supplies work fine.
Can these decorations teach something?
Absolutely, and this is where printable decorations really shine compared to store-bought.
Fine motor skill practice
Coloring within lines, cutting shapes, assembling pieces - all of this builds hand strength and coordination. This is especially valuable for younger kids who struggle with pencil grip.
The intricate ornament patterns? Those are basically fine motor skill worksheets disguised as art projects. Kids think they're making something pretty. They're practicing control and precision.
Following directions
When kids need to color specific parts of a decoration, cut on the lines, and assemble pieces in order, they're practicing following multi-step directions. This is a skill many kids struggle with, and decoration projects provide low-stakes practice.
Letter recognition and spelling
When kids are working on banner letters, talk about the words you're spelling. "What word are we making? What letter comes next? What sound does this letter make?" It's a natural opportunity for literacy practice.
For younger kids, I sometimes have them trace the letters before coloring them. For older kids, they can write words or phrases on their decorations.
How do you use these at home?
Parents use printable decorations differently from teachers, and that's good. You don't need 25 copies of everything. You need quality activities for your specific kids.
Making it a family project
Print one banner and let everyone work on different letters. Or print multiple decorations, and each person claims a few. The collaborative aspect makes it feel like a project, not just another coloring sheet.
Set up a "decoration station" with all the supplies. Let kids work on it when they want to, not on a schedule. Some days they'll spend 20 minutes. Some days they'll ignore it. Both are fine.
Using decorations as activities during holiday break
When kids are home for two weeks and driving you slightly crazy, these printables are lifesavers. Each day, introduce a new decoration type. It gives them something to do that's festive and productive.
Creating traditions
Some families I know print the same banner design every year. Kids color it, it goes up, and at the end of the season, they date it and save it. After several years, they can see how their coloring has improved. That's pretty special.
While we’re focused on the winter holidays now, you can keep the seasonal excitement alive all year long by checking out our FREE Spooky Fun! Printable Halloween & Autumn Coloring Pages for Kids & Adults for your future fall planning.
How long do these decorations last?
Depends on how you make and store them.
Paper decorations colored with crayons or colored pencils last surprisingly well if you're gentle with them. Laminated decorations last for years. I have ornaments from 2019 that still look good.
The trick is storage. Don't just stuff everything in a box. I use large manila envelopes or folders, labeled by type. Banner letters go flat in one envelope. Ornaments in another. Everything stays in a plastic bin until next December.
If something gets damaged, you print a replacement. That's the advantage. You're not trying to preserve irreplaceable store-bought decorations. You have the files forever.
What if you don't have time or energy for elaborate decorating?
Then don't do elaborate decorating. Simple is completely acceptable.
A single "Merry Christmas" banner across your board takes maybe 30 minutes total, including printing, coloring, and hanging. That's it. You don't need more.
A few ornaments in the window. Some stars on the door. Done. Your room feels festive, you didn't stress yourself out, and honestly, kids don't notice whether you went simple or went all-out. They notice whether you did something or nothing.
Where do you hang all this stuff?
Bulletin boards are obvious, but they're not the only option. Here's where I put decorations:
- Above the whiteboard: Perfect for banners
- Windows: Ornaments taped to windows look great from inside and outside
- Door: Banner running vertically or horizontally across the top
- Hanging from the ceiling: If your school allows it (mine doesn't, fire code), stars and ornaments look amazing hanging at different heights
- Attached to existing displays: Add festive elements to your regular bulletin boards
- Strung across corners: Diagonal garlands fill empty space nicely
I use painter's tape for most things because it doesn't damage paint. Staples for bulletin boards. Command strips for anything heavy. Tape fails less often when you press it firmly and let it "set" for a few seconds before releasing.
Can kids take their decorations home after the holidays?
Some teachers do this, some don't. Both approaches work.
I usually let kids take home ornaments they individually decorated. The banner stays up because it's a classroom thing, not an individual project.
If you want kids to be able to keep their work, make extras. Print two sets of ornaments - one for the classroom, one for them to take home. This way, you don't lose your decorations mid-December when someone decides they need to take their ornament home right now.
🎄 Free Christmas Decoration Pack 🎄
Banners, ornaments, gift boxes, stars & trees - everything you need for a festive classroom or home!
Download Free PackHere's what matters about holiday decorations
Your classroom or home doesn't need to look like a magazine spread. It needs to feel welcoming and festive in whatever way works for you.
Printable decorations aren't better because they're free or cheap. They're better because they're flexible, replaceable, and can involve kids in meaningful ways.
The banner your students colored might not look as polished as something from the teacher store. But when kids see their work displayed, when they feel ownership over their classroom environment, when they learn that their contributions matter - that's worth more than any perfect store-bought decoration.
So print some letters. Hand out some ornaments. Let kids make your space festive in their own imperfect, wonderful way.
Will everything turn out perfectly? No. Will some decorations fall down? Probably. Will kids get frustrated and color outside the lines and use weird color combinations? Definitely.
But your room will feel like December. And that's the whole point.
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