Handmade Christmas Ornaments and Table Décor in South Africa

Last updated: 29 September 2026

Handmade Christmas ornaments in South Africa cost from R58 for a single hand-modelled clay ornament to R179 for a set of six baubles, and handmade Christmas table décor runs from R219 for four napkin rings to R279 for a set of three hand-painted nutcrackers. On The Holiday Village you can buy them directly from the stalls that make them. This guide covers the tree, the table and the walls, and it’s part of our guide to handmade gifts from South African creators.

Most of us have one decoration that comes out of the box first every year: the one somebody made. That’s the expert’s view of Christmas décor in one line — shop-bought pieces fill a tree, but handmade pieces are the ones that get unpacked with a story.

Handmade Christmas tree ornaments

For a classic ivory or neutral tree

Sarah Makes’ Elk Winged Ornaments are hand-crafted in clay, painted ivory with a subtle shimmer and hung on silver strings — a set of four for R129. They sit well on a white, silver or natural tree.

For a pastel or candy-themed tree

The Candyland Christmas Ornament set is six baubles finished with pastel pink satin loops for R179, dispatched within 3–5 business days. Add single Candyland Tree Ornaments at R58 each: hand-modelled clay pieces painted mint and pastel pink to look like frosted candy (they’re not edible). These are made to order and dispatched within 5–10 business days, so order early.

For a gingerbread tree

The Gingerbread Tree & Boy ornament (R105) is hand-modelled clay made to look like frosted gingerbread — again, strictly for looking at. It’s a good starting piece if you want to build a gingerbread theme over a few Christmases.

For a tree the children decorate

Krafty Kids SA in Newcastle makes a gift-boxed Christmas gift kit (R60) with six plaster Christmas figurines, four pots of paint and a brush. The stall says it exists “to bring kids, families and adults together through fun, creative craft kits” — and painting your own tree decorations in the December holidays is exactly that.

Read more: Kids’ craft kits in South Africa

Handmade Christmas table décor

A South African Christmas lunch is often long, warm and at least partly outdoors, so table décor has to be sturdy, easy to clean and good-looking in daylight.

Handmade by Pat makes a set of four Festive Wreath Napkin Rings (R219) — handmade, each slightly different, and wipe-clean after lunch. For the centre of the table, the Elegant Santa Sleigh (R239) is a wooden gold sleigh with reindeer. On a sideboard or mantel, Sarah Makes’ Wooden Nutcracker Figurines are a set of three in hand-painted matte wood for R279.

For candlelight once the sun goes down, Sweet Savor Candles in Heidelberg makes “100% Soy Wax Candles and 100% Beeswax Candles.” Their beeswax candles come as a pair — 22cm and 11cm tall — for R130, ready for your own candle holders, and their soy candles in glass jars are R220, in scents such as Fig and Champagne & Pomegranate. A jar candle is the safer choice on an outdoor table, where a breeze can catch an open taper.

Handmade Christmas décor for walls, doors and mantels

Sarah Makes’ vintage “The Stockings Were Hung” wooden sign (R135) has a distressed wooden finish and a rustic hanging cord for a mantel or entrance. Handmade by Pat’s Small Christmas Metal Tree (R89.99) hangs on a wall or stands on a shelf, and looks best clustered in a small group.

How do you style a handmade Christmas table in South African heat?

Plan for daylight first. On 25 December the sun sets at around 18:55 in Durban, 19:00 in Johannesburg and 19:55 in Cape Town, so most of a Christmas lunch happens in bright light and candles only come into their own at the end.

Keep the centrepiece low so guests can see and talk across the table — a sleigh or a cluster of ornaments in a bowl works better than anything tall. Count napkin rings in sets of four: two sets for eight guests is R438. Put candles out at the last minute, not in the morning sun.

And watch the car. Beeswax melts at 62–64°C, and in an Arizona State University study, the dashboards of cars parked in the sun on very hot days averaged 157°F (about 69°C) after an hour. Don’t leave candles, clay ornaments or painted wood in a parked car on the way to lunch.

What does handmade Christmas décor cost?

Under R100

Candyland Tree Ornament (R58), Krafty Kids SA Christmas gift kit (R60), Small Christmas Metal Tree (R89.99).

R100 to R200

Gingerbread Tree & Boy ornament (R105), Elk Winged Ornaments, set of 4 (R129), pair of beeswax candles (R130), “The Stockings Were Hung” sign (R135), Candyland baubles, set of 6 (R179).

R200 to R300

Festive Wreath Napkin Rings, set of 4 (R219), soy candles in glass jars (R220), Elegant Santa Sleigh (R239), Wooden Nutcracker Figurines, set of 3 (R279).

For gifts rather than décor, see handmade Christmas gifts by person and budget and handmade gifts under R250. For full-house Christmas styling — trees, lights and larger pieces — our sister store has a guide to Christmas decorations in South Africa.

Why buy Christmas décor on The Holiday Village?

The Holiday Village was started by The Holiday Shop, the KwaZulu-Natal seasonal décor studio founded in 2021. We’ve decorated through five South African summer Christmases and built the Village so handmade pieces could sit in one place under the names of the stalls that make them. Every product page says whether a piece is ready to ship or made to order, with the dispatch time, and each maker sends their work directly to you.

A South African Christmas table has its own rules: sunny windows, open doors and a summer breeze that arrives exactly when everything has been styled. I have learned to love décor that has presence without needing to be precious — pieces that still look beautiful when the day becomes a little lively. The slightly imperfect tables are usually the ones that feel most welcoming.

Frequently asked questions

How much do handmade Christmas ornaments cost in South Africa?

Handmade Christmas ornaments in South Africa cost from about R58 for a single hand-modelled clay ornament to R179 for a set of six baubles on The Holiday Village. A set of four hand-crafted clay Elk Winged Ornaments costs R129, and a paint-your-own kit with six plaster Christmas figurines costs R60.

Can candles melt in a hot car in South Africa?

Yes. Beeswax melts at 62–64°C, and research from Arizona State University found that dashboards of cars parked in the sun on very hot days averaged about 69°C after one hour. In a South African December, keep candles, clay ornaments and painted décor out of parked cars and direct sun.

What Christmas table décor works outdoors in South Africa?

Sturdy, wipe-clean pieces and jar candles work best on an outdoor South African Christmas table. Handmade napkin rings, a low wooden centrepiece and candles in glass jars cope with daylight, heat and a breeze better than tall arrangements or open tapers.

Make it the decoration they unpack first

Handmade Christmas décor is chosen once and brought out every year after — and on The Holiday Village, you know which stall made it.

Browse Home & Décor on The Holiday Village, or explore the full guide to handmade gifts from South African creators.