• Inexpensive Styrofoam can be the foundation for beautiful ornaments.New-Year tree decoration, Christmas-tree decoration image by Tuyara from Fotolia.com
  
  Build on lightweight Styrofoam to create unique ornaments for your tree that can last for decades with proper care. It begins with a trip to a craft store to check out the variety available, or simply paying attention to the often fascinating shapes of the foam packaging surrounding your next new appliance. Styrofoam is common, easy to work with and inexpensive.
  
  

Ball ornament

• Start with a ball-shaped piece of foam, any size. Rub white glue on part of it and sprinkle the glue with glitter. Continue until the entire ball is covered with glitter and allow it to dry. Glue on small beads, colored cotton or other accents as desired. Glue one end of a piece of ribbon to the top of the ornament; tie the other end of the ribbon to a branch to hold it on the tree.
  
  

Snowman

• Take three Styrofoam balls of different sizes to act as the snowman’s three “snowball” sections. Connect the largest ball to the second largest using a toothpick and a little white glue. Do the same to connect the smallest ball to the middle one. Use markers to draw eyes, a mouth and buttons. An orange ball of fluff can serve as the nose and toothpicks as the arms. Wrap a piece of ribbon around the neck to act as a scarf. Glue a doll’s hat or similar object to the top of the head. Hang the snowman on the tree with a hook sewed into the hat, or pin a hook to the back of his head where it will not be visible.
  
  

Mini tree

• You’ll need a cone-shaped piece of foam, green sequins, short straight pins and any other decorations you want. Pin the sequins onto the cone one at a time, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Slightly overlap the sequins so that the foam underneath is concealed. After the cone is covered, decorate the tree by gluing beads to it. Pin a colorful thread to the top to tie around a branch.
  
  

Gingerbread man

• Draw a gingerbread man shape on a Styrofoam plate and cut it out with scissors. Paint the figure brown with acrylic paint and allow him to dry. Use a marker to draw his face, or glue on decorative eyes and other features. Old buttons look good on the belly. Attach a piece of thread to the back of his head to wrap around the tree branch.