Christmas time is such a fun time of the year to create our own decor and add those special touches to our trees. These DIY Christmas Tree Candle lights are one of my favorite and the second year I have created them. You may remember a few years ago I created them in blue and white in the living room. With a battery-operated taper candle, a printable lampshade, and a little bird’s nest at the base, each lamp adds a sweet mix of warmth, whimsy, and cottage-style charm to your tree.

This project also came to life thanks to my talented friend Bobbi from The French Door Studio. She designed the darling lampshades, and collaborating with her made the project even more special.

If you love meaningful decorations and unique textures on your tree, these mini lamp ornaments are such a lovely way to add something unexpected.

A small lampshade with a bird illustration glows warmly, decorated with a red velvet bow and nest, resembling DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights against blurred holiday lights in the background.

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Why You’ll Love These DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights

These little lamps stand out from traditional ornaments or string lights. Here’s why:

The lampshade softens the candle glow, making it feel warm and inviting.
Each nest adds a natural, handmade touch that pairs beautifully with neutral or woodland themes.
They’re battery operated, so your Christmas tree candle lights remain completely safe.
You can customize every detail — moss, feathers, ribbon, colors, and shade designs.
They look stunning on neutral, cozy, European, or vintage-inspired Christmas trees.

These small details truly elevate your holiday décor.

Supplies Needed for DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights

Battery-operated taper candle
2″ wood round
Small twig bird nest
Chipboard for cutting circle with center hole
Silicone gaskets
Printable lampshade template (80 lb cardstock)
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
Scissors or craft knife
Spanish moss
1″ velvet ribbon
Small feathers, dried elements, or ribbon scraps
Wooden clothes pins

A small lamp with a bird design on the shade is decorated with a large red velvet bow and sits in front of a Christmas tree adorned with lights and red ribbons.

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Yield: 1 Candle Lamp

DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights: Mini Lamp Ornaments

Cost$15

Materials

Battery-operated taper candle
2 ” wood round
Small twig bird nest
Chipboard for cutting circle with center hole
Printable lampshade template 80 lb cardstock
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
Scissors or craft knife
Spanish moss
velvet ribbon – 1 " wide
Small feathers dried elements, or ribbon scraps
Wooden clothes pins

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Cut a 4″ circle from chipboard and make a ¾” hole in the center.
Glue a silicone gasket around the center opening.
Slide the chipboard circle over the top of your battery-operated taper candle.
Hot glue the candle holder onto a 2″ wood round and hold until secure.
Cut a small opening in the bottom of the bird nest, slide it over the candle base, and glue it to the wood round.
Glue a wooden clothespin to the underside of the wood round if you want the lamp to clip to branches.
Decorate the nest with moss, feathers, ribbon, cinnamon sticks, or dried greenery for a natural, layered look.
Print the lampshade on cardstock, cut it out, roll into shape, and glue the seam.
Slide the lampshade over the chipboard circle so it rests above the candle; add trim if desired.
Insert batteries, turn the candle on, and nestle or clip your mini lamp onto your Christmas tree.

How to Make DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights

Step 1: Cut and Prepare the Chipboard

Cut a 4″ circle from your chipboard and make a ¾” hole in the center.
Glue the silicone gasket around the opening.

A round, flat, brown cardboard disc with a small hole in the center, ideal for DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights projects, shown against a white background.

A white battery-operated candle with a tan, wide circular paper disk around its middle, resembling a candle drip protector, placed on a light wood surface.

Step 2: Prepare the Candle

Slide the chipboard circle over the top of your battery-operated taper candle.
This little disc becomes the support for your lampshade.

Step 3: Create the Lamp Base

Hot glue the candle holder onto the 2″ wood round and hold until secure.
This becomes the base of your DIY Christmas tree candle light.

A round, white plastic object with a raised center is placed on a textured, light brown surface. There is a faint black signature or mark in the bottom left corner.

A white battery-powered LED candle stands upright on a table, surrounded by several small, empty brown bird nests in the background. The setting appears to be indoors with natural light coming through windows.

A white electric candle stands upright in a small, round bird's nest made of twigs, placed on a neutral surface with a blurred background.

Step 4: Add the Bird Nest

Cut a small opening in the bottom of the nest and place it over the candle and hot glue to the wood base.
This rustic little nest instantly turns the candle into a charming mini lamp.

Step 5: Add a Clip

Glue a wooden clothespin to the underside of the wood round if you want your lamps to easily clip onto branches.
This makes positioning your candle lights simple and secure.

Overhead view of several small bird nests, each containing a round white disk held in place by a wooden clothespin. The arrangement resembles DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights on a neatly organized brown surface.

Step 6: Decorate the Nest

Use moss, ribbon, feathers, cinnamon sticks, dried greenery, or any small natural elements to decorate the nest.
Layer the textures for a relaxed, organic look.

A small, empty bird’s nest made of twigs and moss sits on a light brown surface, decorated with artificial leaves and glittery accents.

A bird’s nest made from a mix of twigs and wires sits on a dusty, light-colored surface—its look reminiscent of DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights, with scattered bits of debris adding to its handmade charm.

Step 7: Assemble the Lampshade

Print your lampshade on cardstock, cut it out, roll into shape, and glue the seam with a hot glue gun.

If you don’t want to print yourself, you can have them printed at Staples or your local Fedex office.
Slide the shade over the chipboard circle so it rests above the candle.

Add trim if you like around the top and bottom edge of the DIY Christmas tree candle lights shade.

A lampshade decorated with a detailed illustration of a bird perched on a nest with eggs, surrounded by foliage and overlaid with sheet music patterns. The background surface is wooden.

This is the moment your DIY Christmas tree candle lights take on their own personality and truly look like miniature lamps.

A small DIY Christmas Tree Candle Light with a blue and white floral lampshade trimmed in red is clipped to the branch of a Christmas tree.

A small lamp with a bird-patterned shade glows softly, decorated with a red velvet bow, surrounded by greenery and Christmas ornaments against a dark, festive background.

A small lampshade with a bird illustration sits on a Christmas tree branch, decorated with a large red ribbon and surrounded by glowing holiday lights and ornaments.

A small lampshade decorated with lace glows warmly amid a Christmas tree adorned with red bows, pinecones, berries, and festive ornaments, creating a cozy holiday atmosphere.

A Christmas tree ornament shaped like a small lampshade with blue floral patterns and a red trim, topped with a red ribbon bow, pairs beautifully with DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights as it hangs on a green tree branch.

A close-up of a handmade ornament features a small lamp with a paper shade, a feather, pinecones, dried orange slices, moss, and greenery, resembling a rustic winter or holiday decoration.

Step 8: Place Your Mini Lamps on the Tree

Insert your batteries and turn the candle on, slip the lampshade into place, and nestle or clip your lamp into the branches.

Scatter your DIY Christmas tree candle lights throughout the tree to create depth and a warm layered glow.

A Christmas tree decorated with white lights, red ribbon bows, white snowflake ornaments, and DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights in blue and white lampshade-style ornaments, with faux candles shining beneath them.

A Christmas tree adorned with pine cones, white teapots, lamp-shaped ornaments, wood slices, and DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights stands near a window with light-colored curtains.

Styling Ideas for Christmas Tree Candle Lights

Tuck lights deep into branches for a cozy, candlelit effect.
Mix your lamps with dried hydrangeas, pinecones, and velvet ribbons for a neutral holiday palette.
Pair with gold leaf ornaments, dried oranges, or other handmade ornaments for a cozy look.
Use printed craft paper in several patterns for a collected look (like the blue and white lampshades I made), or stick with one design for a more uniform style, similar to the bird lampshades.

These mini lamp ornaments add so much personality to your Christmas décor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many DIY Christmas tree candle lights should I make?

For a 7–8 ft tree, 6–10 lamps create a lovely balance.

Are these safe?

Yes — they’re completely battery operated and safe for all tree types.

Can the lampshades be stored separately?

Yes! I always store the lampshades separately from the bases to keep them from bending. I usually stack the shades together and place them in a plastic box so they stay protected.

Final Thoughts

These DIY Christmas tree candle lights have quickly become one of my favorite handmade decorations. They’re charming, affordable, and wonderfully unique — and I love how they glow among the branches. Whether your tree is rustic, neutral, or vintage-inspired, these mini lamp ornaments add the sweetest touch.

Happy Holidays,

DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights: Mini Lamp Ornaments

Why You’ll Love These DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights

Supplies Needed for DIY Christmas Tree Candle Lights