DIY Gingerbread Man Decorations from Scrap Wood

Have you noticed all the gorgeous gingerbread decor in stores this year? I couldn’t resist picking up a few budget-friendly ornaments, but I also wanted to make something a little more personal. These wooden gingerbread men were made from leftover scraps in the garage, and they turned out so sweet. They’re simple to build, easy to decorate, and look adorable tucked under the tree or sitting on a shelf.

I made these last year when gingerbread decor started popping up everywhere, but I didn’t want to buy more. We had a few leftover pieces of 1×6 scrap wood in the garage, so I had Hubs help me make our own instead. I always decorate under our tree, and these little gingerbread people brought an old-fashioned Christmas feel into the living room. The same cozy gingerbread theme carried into the kitchen with a few gingerbread house touches.

How to Make DIY Wood Gingerbread Men

Supplies

These wooden gingerbread men were made entirely from leftovers — a bit of scrap wood, a few drops of stain, and some fabric and cord I already had. We managed to make them for free, and if you’re a crafter with some supplies on hand, I bet you can too. If you don’t have stain, try watering down some brown craft paint for a similar look. The twine, macrame cord, and buttons can all be found at Dollar Tree.

You can download the free gingerbread man pattern at the bottom of this post.

Step One – The Gingerbread Man Pattern

I created a free gingerbread man pattern for you to use. Just download the file, and a folder will open with two sizes 14″ and 18″ to choose from. Each pattern prints on two letter-size sheets that overlap slightly. Line them up and tape or glue them together before tracing. You will notice each pattern is only half of a gingerbread man. This makes sure both sides are perfectly symmetrical. Cut out the pattern pieces and trace each one twice.

Step Two – Make the Wood Gingerbread Cutouts

Once you have your wood ready, line the pattern up along one edge. Tape doesn’t stick to wood very well, so I just held mine in place while tracing. The pattern is only half of a gingerbread man, so trace it once, then flip it over and trace it onto the second piece of wood.

Cut along your pencil line using a jigsaw, taking your time around the corners.

Repeat the cut for the second half, then line the two pieces up to make sure they match evenly.

Sand both halves well using 120-grit sandpaper and an electric sander. I was able to smooth out small imperfections in the outline with the sander. Make sure to sand both sides before moving on.

Step Three – Stain The Gingerbread Men

To give the little gingerbread a more rustic look, I decided to stain them instead of painting. Using a rag or a sponge brush, apply the walnut gel stain in the direction of the wood grain. Let the stain sit for about 30 seconds, then wipe away the excess with a clean rag. In the tight corners and around the curves, a sponge brush works best to get into those small spaces.

Step Four – Glue Halves Together

Place some wood glue along the flat sides of your wood halves. Place the wood halves on a flat surface, align them exactly, and then clamp them in place. Let it dry as the glue manufacturers instruct. I left mine overnight. Once the glue is dry, remove the clamps.

Here are the finished wooden gingerbread man and woman, complete with their rope outlines, plaid fabric accents, and cheerful handmade details. They turned out so sweet and bring that old-fashioned Christmas charm I love adding under the tree.

Step 5 – Decorating

Let me show you exactly how I added the details that brought these little wooden gingerbread people to life.

How you decorate your wooden gingerbread men depends on what you have in your craft stash. I used leftover macrame cord, but you can use baker’s twine, burlap twine, a paint pen, or even puffy paint for the outline.

Outline in Twine

Adding the outline with glue and cord is the easiest and most forgiving way to shape the edges. The smoother your line, the nicer the finished look will be. Run a thin line of hot glue about a quarter inch from the edge, then press the cord gently into place. You can lift and adjust it as needed while the glue is still warm. I just eyeballed mine to keep the spacing even.

Add Eyes

The eyes are made with small felt circles and leftover macrame cord. Glue one end of the cord to the center of the felt and wrap it around itself to form a neat coil. For the larger gingerbread man, I wrapped four times; for the smaller one, three times. Add a dab of glue here and there to keep it in place, then attach both eyes to the gingerbread’s face.

Add Mouth

Cut a seven-inch piece of cord for the larger gingerbread man and fold it in half with the open ends at the bottom. Add a small dab of glue to hold the fold, let it cool, then curve the cord into a smile and tack it down with small dots of glue. Repeat the same process for the smaller gingerbread.

Bows and Buttons

These wooden gingerbread people are dressed to match my green plaid Christmas theme. For the larger gingerbread, I tied a simple plaid scarf about a foot long, cutting small fringes at the ends before knotting it loosely around his neck.

For the smaller gingerbread, I made a few tiny bows from the same fabric. One sits at the top of her head, and a couple are glued to the front with small green buttons in the center. The mix of plaid, wood, and rope gives them that cozy, old-fashioned charm that works perfectly under the Christmas tree.

Here’s the finished pair of wooden gingerbread people standing under our Christmas tree. They were simple to make using scraps and leftovers, but they turned out so sweet. The rope outlines add texture, the plaid fabric ties them in with the rest of my Christmas decor, and they bring that old-fashioned handmade charm I love.

If you’d like to make your own, download the free pattern below and dig through your scrap wood — you might already have everything you need.

Get the Free Pattern

Click to download the free wooden gingerbread man patterns in two sizes.

These wooden gingerbread people are one of my favorite Christmas projects. They cost nothing to make, and I love how they add that old-fashioned handmade touch to our living room and kitchen. If you decide to make your own, have fun with the decorating and use whatever scraps or ribbons you already have. It is such a nice way to save the budget for other things during the holidays. That is part of the joy of crafting, turning little leftovers into something one of a kind special for Christmas.

Happy Christmas Crafting, Leanna

If you would like to make your own wooden gingerbread people, be sure to pin this idea to save it for later. It is an easy Christmas craft to make from scraps, and they look so sweet under the tree or on a mantel.

More Wood Christmas Decorations Tutorials

If you love working with wood for Christmas, here are two more projects that show off rustic charm in bigger ways: