The holidays are here, which means one thing: it’s time to spend all your money on festive decor. Well, not really. Families spend 60% of their income on holiday decor and produce 30% more waste during the holiday season. Think about those broken Christmas lights you replace yearly, ribbons, bows, shopping bags, and food waste we produce during the holidays.
Christmas decoration is one area where you can significantly cut down on holiday waste. Deck your halls with glowing lights, sparkling ornaments, and colorful Christmas bows — all homemade. This is a great way to save a ton of money. Plus, you can involve your family, so DIY Christmas ornaments can become a new favorite family tradition.
I’ve tracked 30 homemade Christmas decoration ideas that will transform your home into a holiday wonderland and benefit our environment.
DIY Christmas Decoration Ideas That Anyone Can Make
A giant cardboard Christmas tree is affordable, easy to make, and upcycled. This is a great idea to reuse those holiday delivery boxes. Add some string lights and make your cardboard Christmas tree extra festive. Or, get your kids to draw some ornaments to make it even more special.
Imagine these felt reindeer candy cane cozies on your desk at work or around your home. It’s a perfect way to add Christmas spirit to any room. Plus, you can stick the felt reindeer to candy canes, which makes a great Christmas gift for the young ones.
A ribbon Christmas tree is a perfect way to reuse ribbons instated of throwing them out, and it’s one of the most versatile Christmas decorating ideas. You can make the ribbon tree as small or as big as you like by using different ribbons and choose colors that match the rest of your decor.
One of my core childhood memories is cutting snowflakes with my mom and hanging them on the windows. If you live in an area without snow or want a winter wonderland inside, this is the perfect Christmas decor DIY.
A rustic twig ornament is the best way to bring a touch of the outdoors inside. It’s extremely versatile — you can add ribbons, sparkles, or any decor you like on the twigs to make them festive. Or, go a step further and have an outdoor-themed Christmas tree.
A Christmas village stocking hanger box is a perfect way to draw attention to your stockings. You can color the village homes any color you like and add some battery-powdered Christmas lights to make it extra festive.
All you need are wooden odds and ends, paint, glitter, and you’ll have a magical wooden Christmas tree forest. This is a great Christmas decor to make with your family. You’ll be creating memories together and won’t throw out the forest for years to come.
Stop postponing making your own stockings and use these custom Christmas stockings as an inspiration. Get some fun graphic fabrics, punchy patterns, and a customized ribbon to personalize each stocking, and you’ll cherish them for years to come.
Your family will love the fun texture of these pom-pom Christmas stockings. They are colorful and fluffy, and you can personalize them to any holiday color scheme. These stockings will be mementos you’ll reuse every holiday season.
A Christmas tree mason jar votive is a great way to bring together a group of kids, friends, or family. You can make them any color you like or any motive (snowflakes, Santa, and others). You can exchange jars, so everyone has a keepsake of a special time spent together. This will go perfectly with your living Christmas tree.
11. Christmas Village Hoop Wreath
Image: Sister Suitcase Blog
No Christmas is complete without a wreath, and a Christmas village wreath is guaranteed to make your door the best looking in the entire neighborhood. Find a hoop, and attach some shelves for your village, and you can add as many homes as you like. You can even create a replica of your neighborhood.
A Christmas tree napkin fold is a great way to surprise your friends and family if you’re hosting a dinner this holiday season and add some holiday decor to your table setup.
This is a great idea for an upcycled centerpiece. Gather old vases or glasses you don’t need, and fill them with berries or branches. You can add water to make your branches last longer and a floating candle for some extra sparkle.
Cinnamon stick candles are easy, scented candles that will add holiday spirit to your home. Plus, what smells more like holidays than cinnamon? You can use twine or a ribbon to bind the cinnamon and add extra holiday cheer.
Mason jars, evergreens, ribbons, and cranberries, are all things we associate with Christmas, so why not use them to make a centerpiece? You probably already have most of these lying around. Just add some cranberries to jars, a floating candle, tie a ribbon around the jar, and you’re all set.
Gather the glass jars around your home and turn them into a Christmas village. You can use Epson Salts for snow, make cardboard trees, houses, a snowman, and more. Get your family involved by having them paint the village, and you’ll have inexpensive Christmas decorations you can reuse. This will surely make your sustainable Christmas parties livelier.
Pinecone ornaments are some of the best cheap Christmas decorations you can make. Go for a walk and gather some pinecones, or buy cinnamon-scented ones. Add a bow on top, tie some jute, and hang the ornament on your tree.
Gather some sticks outside or use cinnamon ones, and tie shades of green and brown scrap ribbon around it. This will emulate the branches of a Christmas tree. You’ll have a lovely ornament you can keep or gift this holiday season.
No Christmas holiday decor is complete without at least one Rudolph. This Rudolph ornament has a rustic charm. Plus, you can decorate it however you want. Give your Rudolph a glittery red pom-pom to make it pop. Make a stand-alone ornament or all nine of Santa’s Reindeer.
Honeycomb Christmas bulbs are a nice twist on standard Christmas bulbs. These bulbs are Christmas decor ideas that are easy to make and budget-friendly. You’ll feel like Martha Stewart and wow the guests with your decor.
If you’re tired of traditional centerpieces and want something unique, you’ll love this copper pipe centerpiece that doubles as a candelabra. It can also be used as a vase to hold the flowers. You can alter the design as needed and use it all year long.
These rustic wood candle holders are an excellent way to add some rustic decor to your home. After all, nature is the best free home decor. Use some sprigs of evergreen and berries to make it pop. You can keep the wood candle holders as a table centerpiece or on a window table for some atmosphere.
If you want to add a touch of Scandinavia to your home, these wood holiday houses are a great idea. This is a good way to reuse scrap wood leftovers. You can paint the wood and create a wooden house holiday mantel or a tablescape.
If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional Christmas tree or want more Christmas trees in your home (why settle for only one?), these little wooden Christmas trees are a great idea. You can make as many or as few as you like, in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and place them all around your home.
Are you tired of all the traditional red and green decor? Check out the simplicity of these metalics for the holiday season. Get a branch with a few twigs, and hang Christmas bulbs on it. You can go for bulbs of any color and tie some sprigs of rosemary for a holiday scent.
You’ll need a few packs of popsicle sticks. Ask your family to lay the design of each snowflake and glue the sticks together. Everyone will have their own personal snowflake. Paint the snowflakes and glue them to the wall for a magical wintery design.
Who thought birch pieces could be used as a glamorous centerpiece? But, if you add some candles, little shiny Christmas trees, and reindeer, you’ll have a show-stopping piece for your holiday dinner.
Save a tree this year, and go for a washi tree. Use washi tape and some strings to create a tree on your wall. Add tinsel garlands, make washi tape ornaments, and glue Christmas cards as they arrive in the post. You’ll feel the holiday spirit every time you look at your tree.
String art is a one-of-a-kind homemade Christmas decoration. It’ll give your home a rustic glam feel. Plus, you can add glittery garlands to make it even more festive.
Instead of a centerpiece (which everyone does), make a snowman winter table setting using your plates. You’ll need a set of bigger and smaller plates, napkins for scarves and hats, and cutlery for arms. Both kids and grown-ups will love this table setting.
Should You Try Christmas Decorating Ideas
Christmas decoration ideas DIY are the best way to make your decor stand out this year, spend as little as possible, and not create a ton of holiday waste.
You can reuse things around your home or get some twigs and sprigs from nature. Enlist the whole family to help you, and you’ll create memories to last a lifetime. You can make homemade Christmas decorations a new holiday tradition.
Use as many of the ideas I listed above, transform your home into a holiday wonderland, and keep our planet safe this holiday season.
Marina is passionate about sustainability and works to help ensure our planet stays as our home for a long time. She takes part in environmental conservation by recycling and not buying single-use plastic. When not writing, she can be found with her nose stuck in a book or trying out new baking recipes.
Current Events
30 Super Simple DIY Christmas Decorations You Should Try
by : Marina Maletic | Last Updated: September 14, 2023
Contents
Tap into your inner creative side this Christmas season. These 30 DIY crafts should lift up your Christmas spirit.
The holidays are here, which means one thing: it’s time to spend all your money on festive decor. Well, not really. Families spend 60% of their income on holiday decor and produce 30% more waste during the holiday season. Think about those broken Christmas lights you replace yearly, ribbons, bows, shopping bags, and food waste we produce during the holidays.
Christmas decoration is one area where you can significantly cut down on holiday waste. Deck your halls with glowing lights, sparkling ornaments, and colorful Christmas bows — all homemade. This is a great way to save a ton of money. Plus, you can involve your family, so DIY Christmas ornaments can become a new favorite family tradition.
I’ve tracked 30 homemade Christmas decoration ideas that will transform your home into a holiday wonderland and benefit our environment.
DIY Christmas Decoration Ideas That Anyone Can Make
1. Giant Cardboard Christmas Tree
Image: Lovely Indeed
Idea Credit: Lovely Indeed
A giant cardboard Christmas tree is affordable, easy to make, and upcycled. This is a great idea to reuse those holiday delivery boxes. Add some string lights and make your cardboard Christmas tree extra festive. Or, get your kids to draw some ornaments to make it even more special.
2. Felt Reindeer Candy Cane Cozies
Image: Dream A Little Bigger
Idea Credit: Dream A Little Bigger
Imagine these felt reindeer candy cane cozies on your desk at work or around your home. It’s a perfect way to add Christmas spirit to any room. Plus, you can stick the felt reindeer to candy canes, which makes a great Christmas gift for the young ones.
3. Ribbon Christmas Tree Craft
Image: Somewhat Simple
Idea Credit: Somewhat Simple
A ribbon Christmas tree is a perfect way to reuse ribbons instated of throwing them out, and it’s one of the most versatile Christmas decorating ideas. You can make the ribbon tree as small or as big as you like by using different ribbons and choose colors that match the rest of your decor.
4. Snowflake Decorations
Image: Lovely Indeed
Idea Credit: Lovely Indeed
One of my core childhood memories is cutting snowflakes with my mom and hanging them on the windows. If you live in an area without snow or want a winter wonderland inside, this is the perfect Christmas decor DIY.
5. Rustic Twig Christmas Ornaments
Image: Simple As That Blog
Idea Credit: Simple As That Blog
A rustic twig ornament is the best way to bring a touch of the outdoors inside. It’s extremely versatile — you can add ribbons, sparkles, or any decor you like on the twigs to make them festive. Or, go a step further and have an outdoor-themed Christmas tree.
6. Christmas Village Stocking Hanger Box
Image: Jen Woodhouse
Idea Credit: Jen Woodhouse
A Christmas village stocking hanger box is a perfect way to draw attention to your stockings. You can color the village homes any color you like and add some battery-powdered Christmas lights to make it extra festive.
7. Wooden Christmas Tree Forest!
Image: Studio DIY
Idea Credit: Studio DIY
All you need are wooden odds and ends, paint, glitter, and you’ll have a magical wooden Christmas tree forest. This is a great Christmas decor to make with your family. You’ll be creating memories together and won’t throw out the forest for years to come.
8. DIY Custom Christmas Stockings
Image: The House That Lars Built
Idea Credit: The House That Lars Built
Stop postponing making your own stockings and use these custom Christmas stockings as an inspiration. Get some fun graphic fabrics, punchy patterns, and a customized ribbon to personalize each stocking, and you’ll cherish them for years to come.
9. DIY Pom-Pom Christmas Stocking
Image: A Beautiful Mess
Idea Credit: A Beautiful Mess
Your family will love the fun texture of these pom-pom Christmas stockings. They are colorful and fluffy, and you can personalize them to any holiday color scheme. These stockings will be mementos you’ll reuse every holiday season.
10. Christmas Tree Mason Jar Votive
Image: Mason Jar Crafts Love
Idea Credit: Mason Jar Crafts Love
A Christmas tree mason jar votive is a great way to bring together a group of kids, friends, or family. You can make them any color you like or any motive (snowflakes, Santa, and others). You can exchange jars, so everyone has a keepsake of a special time spent together. This will go perfectly with your living Christmas tree.
11. Christmas Village Hoop Wreath
Image: Sister Suitcase Blog
No Christmas is complete without a wreath, and a Christmas village wreath is guaranteed to make your door the best looking in the entire neighborhood. Find a hoop, and attach some shelves for your village, and you can add as many homes as you like. You can even create a replica of your neighborhood.
12. Christmas Tree Napkin Fold
Image: Origami Tree
Idea Credit: Origami Tree
A Christmas tree napkin fold is a great way to surprise your friends and family if you’re hosting a dinner this holiday season and add some holiday decor to your table setup.
13. Christmas Centerpiece
Image: 33 Shades of Green
Idea Credit: 33 Shades of Green
This is a great idea for an upcycled centerpiece. Gather old vases or glasses you don’t need, and fill them with berries or branches. You can add water to make your branches last longer and a floating candle for some extra sparkle.
14. Cinnamon Stick Candles
Image: Louise Roe
Idea Credit: Louise Roe
Cinnamon stick candles are easy, scented candles that will add holiday spirit to your home. Plus, what smells more like holidays than cinnamon? You can use twine or a ribbon to bind the cinnamon and add extra holiday cheer.
15. Mason Jar Christmas Centerpiece
Image: A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
Idea Credit: A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
Mason jars, evergreens, ribbons, and cranberries, are all things we associate with Christmas, so why not use them to make a centerpiece? You probably already have most of these lying around. Just add some cranberries to jars, a floating candle, tie a ribbon around the jar, and you’re all set.
16. Christmas Jars with Christmas Village
Image: The Idea Room
Idea Credit: The Idea Room
Gather the glass jars around your home and turn them into a Christmas village. You can use Epson Salts for snow, make cardboard trees, houses, a snowman, and more. Get your family involved by having them paint the village, and you’ll have inexpensive Christmas decorations you can reuse. This will surely make your sustainable Christmas parties livelier.
17. Pinecone Ornaments
Image: Make-It Love-It
Idea Credit: Make-It Love-It
Pinecone ornaments are some of the best cheap Christmas decorations you can make. Go for a walk and gather some pinecones, or buy cinnamon-scented ones. Add a bow on top, tie some jute, and hang the ornament on your tree.
18. Scrap Ribbon Christmas Tree Ornament
Image: Fireflies and Mudpies
Idea Credit: Fireflies and Mudpies
Gather some sticks outside or use cinnamon ones, and tie shades of green and brown scrap ribbon around it. This will emulate the branches of a Christmas tree. You’ll have a lovely ornament you can keep or gift this holiday season.
19. Wooden Slice Rudolph Ornament
Image: Sugar Spice and Glitter
Idea Credit: Sugar Spice and Glitter
No Christmas holiday decor is complete without at least one Rudolph. This Rudolph ornament has a rustic charm. Plus, you can decorate it however you want. Give your Rudolph a glittery red pom-pom to make it pop. Make a stand-alone ornament or all nine of Santa’s Reindeer.
20. DIY Honeycomb Christmas Bulbs
Image: Studio DIY
Idea Credit: Studio DIY
Honeycomb Christmas bulbs are a nice twist on standard Christmas bulbs. These bulbs are Christmas decor ideas that are easy to make and budget-friendly. You’ll feel like Martha Stewart and wow the guests with your decor.
21. DIY Copper Pipe Centerpiece
Image: Pretty Handy Girl
Idea Credit: Pretty Handy Girl
If you’re tired of traditional centerpieces and want something unique, you’ll love this copper pipe centerpiece that doubles as a candelabra. It can also be used as a vase to hold the flowers. You can alter the design as needed and use it all year long.
22. DIY Rustic Wood Candle Holders
Image: Marty’s Musings
Idea Credit: Marty’s Musings
These rustic wood candle holders are an excellent way to add some rustic decor to your home. After all, nature is the best free home decor. Use some sprigs of evergreen and berries to make it pop. You can keep the wood candle holders as a table centerpiece or on a window table for some atmosphere.
23. Wood Holiday Houses
Image: HGTV
Idea Credit: HGTV
If you want to add a touch of Scandinavia to your home, these wood holiday houses are a great idea. This is a good way to reuse scrap wood leftovers. You can paint the wood and create a wooden house holiday mantel or a tablescape.
24. DIY Wooden Christmas Tree
Image: Sugar and Cloth
Idea Credit: Sugar and Cloth
If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional Christmas tree or want more Christmas trees in your home (why settle for only one?), these little wooden Christmas trees are a great idea. You can make as many or as few as you like, in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and place them all around your home.
25. Branch Christmas Tree
Image: The Lovely Drawer
Idea Credit: The Lovely Drawer
Are you tired of all the traditional red and green decor? Check out the simplicity of these metalics for the holiday season. Get a branch with a few twigs, and hang Christmas bulbs on it. You can go for bulbs of any color and tie some sprigs of rosemary for a holiday scent.
26. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes
Image: A Girl And A Glue Gun
Idea Credit: A Girl And A Glue Gun
You’ll need a few packs of popsicle sticks. Ask your family to lay the design of each snowflake and glue the sticks together. Everyone will have their own personal snowflake. Paint the snowflakes and glue them to the wall for a magical wintery design.
27. Natural Holiday Centerpiece
Image: The Sweet Escape Creative Studio
Idea Credit: The Sweet Escape Creative Studio
Who thought birch pieces could be used as a glamorous centerpiece? But, if you add some candles, little shiny Christmas trees, and reindeer, you’ll have a show-stopping piece for your holiday dinner.
28. Washi Tree
Image: Thyme Is Honey
Idea Credit: Thyme Is Honey
Save a tree this year, and go for a washi tree. Use washi tape and some strings to create a tree on your wall. Add tinsel garlands, make washi tape ornaments, and glue Christmas cards as they arrive in the post. You’ll feel the holiday spirit every time you look at your tree.
29. Deer Head String Art
Image: Clean And Sensible
Idea Credit: Clean And Sensible
String art is a one-of-a-kind homemade Christmas decoration. It’ll give your home a rustic glam feel. Plus, you can add glittery garlands to make it even more festive.
30. Winter Table Setting
Image: Stager Linda
Idea Credit: Stager Linda
Instead of a centerpiece (which everyone does), make a snowman winter table setting using your plates. You’ll need a set of bigger and smaller plates, napkins for scarves and hats, and cutlery for arms. Both kids and grown-ups will love this table setting.
Should You Try Christmas Decorating Ideas
Christmas decoration ideas DIY are the best way to make your decor stand out this year, spend as little as possible, and not create a ton of holiday waste.
You can reuse things around your home or get some twigs and sprigs from nature. Enlist the whole family to help you, and you’ll create memories to last a lifetime. You can make homemade Christmas decorations a new holiday tradition.
Use as many of the ideas I listed above, transform your home into a holiday wonderland, and keep our planet safe this holiday season.
Marina Maletic
Marina is passionate about sustainability and works to help ensure our planet stays as our home for a long time. She takes part in environmental conservation by recycling and not buying single-use plastic. When not writing, she can be found with her nose stuck in a book or trying out new baking recipes.
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Category: Current Events, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living