Looking to add a little pickleball flair to your Christmas tree this year? 🎄✨ Upcycle and transform those old or broken pickleballs into dazzling ornaments that will light up your holiday decor. Not only is this craft fun and festive, but it’s also super affordable, easy to do, and uses items you probably already have at home! 

Whether you’re a crafting pro or a complete beginner, this step-by-step guide will help you create sparkling ornaments perfect for your tree, garlands, or as thoughtful gifts for fellow pickleball enthusiasts. Grab some glitter and let’s get crafty!

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need for this simple and budget-friendly project (most of which you likely already have on hand!):

1. Fine Glitter (We used Recollections extra fine polyester glitter – $5.99 at Michaels for a multipack).
2. Elmer’s Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive ($7.99 at Michaels, but any spray adhesive works).
3. Christmas Ornament Caps (Reuse from old ornaments or snag some on Amazon for less than 10¢ each).
4. Ornament Hooks (Optional, but handy for hanging).
5. Helpful Extras: Disposable gloves, pencils, paper plates, newspaper, and a small paintbrush.

Cost Breakdown:

We spent just $14 total for adhesive and glitter, enough to make 20–25 ornaments! The rest of the materials were items we already had lying around the house. For less than $1 per pickleball ornament, this craft is as economical as it is festive!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Gather Your Pickleballs

Dig through your stash of old, cracked, or low-quality pickleballs that are ready for a second life. (Pro tip: This is the perfect excuse to upgrade your gear with some new balls!)

2. Clean the Pickleballs

Give your pickleballs a good wipe-down to remove dirt or dust. A clean surface helps the adhesive and glitter stick better.

3. Attach Your "Handle"

Insert a pencil into one of the holes of the pickleball. This will act as a handle so you can easily spray and glitter without making a mess.

4. Spray Adhesive Evenly

Holding the pencil like a wand, spray the pickleball with adhesive, covering it evenly. Don’t go too heavy — a light, even coat works best to avoid clumping.

5. Glitter It Up

Over a paper plate (to catch excess glitter), sprinkle glitter liberally onto the pickleball. Rotate the ball to make sure it’s completely covered. If you see any bare spots, lightly spray with adhesive again and reapply glitter until you achieve full coverage. Tap the pencil gently to shake off any loose glitter.

6. Dry Time

Place the pencil (pickleball still attached) upright in a cup or jar to dry. Check the adhesive instructions for drying time, but it usually takes about an hour.

7. Save Extra Glitter

Once finished with a color, funnel the leftover glitter from the paper plate back into its container. This glitter goes a long way!

8. Repeat for All Pickleballs

Repeat the above steps for all the pickleballs you plan to turn into ornaments. You can even mix and match glitter colors for a festive variety!

9. Remove Excess Glitter

Once dry, use a small paintbrush to gently dust off any loose glitter over a trash can or paper plate. This will minimize glitter fallout when handling the ornaments later.

10. Remove the Pencil

Carefully twist and pull the pencil out of the pickleball. If the adhesive is still a bit tacky, use a thin object (like a chopstick) to stabilize the ball while you twist. This helps avoid disrupting the glitter.

11. Add Ornament Cap and Hook

Pop an ornament cap into the hole where the pencil was, and attach an ornament hook. Voila! Your pickleball is now a one-of-a-kind Christmas ornament. 🎄

Where to Use Your Christmas Pickleball Ornaments

Your new ornaments are perfect for: 

• Decorating Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands. 
• Adding some sparkle to your pickleball club’s holiday party. 
• Giving as creative and thoughtful gifts to fellow pickleball enthusiasts.

In the pictures below you can see we added a fun twist to our holiday decor by attaching four different colored pickleball ornaments to a wreath and hanging it on our front door—it’s an instant conversation starter! The glittery pickleballs catch the light beautifully and add a playful, sporty vibe to the traditional wreath.