Make a set of shimmering, bejewelled holiday napkin rings, using a cardboard roll and aluminum foil. This quick and easy craft is virtually mess-free, and a fun way for kids to contribute something meaningful to your holiday dinner table. These napkin rings would also make a great homemade gift for a child to give to a parent or grandparent.
See our Easy Pipe Cleaner Napkin Rings for Toddlers here.
If you’re ever in need of a quick and easy craft for kids, themed napkin rings are always a winner. They require very few supplies to make, and can made to suit almost any occasion.
Check out our Thanksgiving napkin rings here and our Easter napkin rings here.
I would advise using paper towel rolls or wrapping paper rolls to make your napkin rings because putting a toilet paper roll on your dinner table seems pretty icky to me.
You can cover your cardboard roll with a number of materials when making homemade napkin rings. Patterned paper, wrapping paper and fabric would all work, but we’re going with tin foil (aluminum foil) today to add some silver shimmer to our Christmas dinner table.
The nice thing about crafting with foil
The nice thing about using tinfoil for crafting is you don’t have to glue it in place. You just crush or crimp it with your fingers and it stays put.
To add to the shimmer of the silver foil, we’re decorating our napkin rings with craft gems and sequins. Kids love crafting with anything sparkly, and these little pieces provide some extra-fine motor exercise.
Substitutes for gems and sequins
If you don’t have gems and sequins, substitute with whatever you have in your craft cupboard. Buttons, stickers, and craft foam shapes would all work work well. If you want to keep things really simple, your kids can colour their foil napkin rings with Sharpies. To see the vibrant, shimmery effect you’ll get, check out our foil and Sharpie tree toppers and CD ornaments.
These holiday napkin rings are virtually mess-free, and the perfect activity for keeping the kids happily entertained while you prepare your holiday dinner.
Instructions for Cardboard Roll and TinFoil Napkin Rings
Supplies
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- paper towel roll or wrapping paper roll
- aluminum foil
- white glue and/or glue gun (a glue gun is best for heavier gems)
- craft gems and sequins
How to Make Holiday Napkin Rings with a Cardboard Roll and Tinfoil
- Cut cardboard roll
Each napkin ring requires a 1.5 inch piece of a cardboard roll, so cut your paper towel or wrapping paper roll into as many 1.5 inch sections as you will need.
- Measure and cut aluminum foil
Tear a piece of aluminum foil off the roll and lay one of your cardboard sections on it (see photo). Trim your foil so it’s a little wider than your cardboard piece and long enough that it will wrap all the way around it with a some overlap.
Our foil measured 3.5 inches wide by 6.5 inches long.
- Wrap foil around cardboard roll
Gently roll the section of cardboard tube along the foil. As you roll it, fold excess foil to the inside of the tube and press it firmly in place (see photo).
When you get to the end of the foil, press firmly where the foil overlaps to smooth and secure it.
Press and pinch all around the the napkin ring to tidy the edges.
Repeat for remaining pieces of cardboard roll. - Decorate
Glue your gems and sequins to the foil.
White glue will work for this, but will take a while to dry. Hot glue will dry instantly and will be stronger to hold heavier gems.
Won’t these shimmery homemade napkin rings look delightful on your holiday table?
You may also like these ideas for decorating your holiday table:
Cardboard Roll Candles Wine Bottle Candle Holder 
Styrofoam Trees
- Cardboard Roll Candles
- Wine Bottle Candle Holder
- Sytrofoam Christmas Tree Table Toppers
- Easy Button Christmas Tree Ornaments & Table Toppers
Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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