29 DIY Christmas Decorations

The holiday season is the perfect time to showcase your creativity and craft unique decorations that infuse your home with festive charm. DIY Christmas decorations not only save money but also add a personal touch to your holiday celebrations. Here are 29 delightful ideas to inspire you, ensuring every corner of your home is merry and bright.

Handmade Ornaments for the Tree

1. Salt Dough Ornaments

Create personalized tree ornaments using salt dough. Mix flour, salt, and water to form a pliable dough, roll it out, and cut shapes with festive cookie cutters. Once dried or baked, paint and seal them for long-lasting keepsakes.

2. Cinnamon Stick Stars

Glue cinnamon sticks into star shapes for a rustic, aromatic addition to your tree. Add twine or ribbon to hang them and sprinkle a little glitter for sparkle.

3. Scrabble Tile Messages

Repurpose old Scrabble tiles to spell out festive words like “Joy” or “Noel.” Attach them to twine for ornaments that are both playful and meaningful.

4. Glitter Pinecones

Collect pinecones and coat them with glue and glitter for a dazzling, nature-inspired ornament. Attach a hook or ribbon to hang them.

5. Pom-Pom Baubles

Make colorful pom-poms using yarn, then glue them to clear plastic ornaments or hang them as-is for a whimsical tree decoration.

Stunning Wreaths

6. Evergreen Hoop Wreath

Use a metal hoop as the base and attach fresh or faux evergreen branches with floral wire. Embellish with berries, pinecones, or ribbons for an elegant, modern wreath.

7. Fabric Scrap Wreath

Cut strips of fabric in holiday colors and tie them around a wire wreath frame. The result is a textured, vibrant wreath perfect for a cozy holiday aesthetic.

8. Jingle Bell Wreath

String jingle bells onto sturdy wire, shaping it into a circle. Finish with a bold ribbon bow for a wreath that jingles with holiday cheer.

8. Candy Cane Wreath

Glue candy canes together in pairs, forming heart shapes. Attach them to a circular base for a sweet and festive display.

10. Rustic Burlap Wreath

Wrap burlap around a foam wreath base and decorate it with plaid bows, miniature ornaments, or sprigs of greenery for a farmhouse-inspired look.

Festive Garlands

11. Paper Snowflake Garland

Cut intricate snowflakes from white paper and string them together for a delicate and whimsical garland.

12. Cranberry and Popcorn Garland

Thread fresh cranberries and popped popcorn onto a needle and string for a classic, vintage holiday decoration.

13. Felt Holly Garland

Cut holly leaf shapes from green felt and attach them to twine along with red felt “berries.” This garland is perfect for mantels or banisters.

14. DIY Tassel Garland

Make tassels from yarn in red, green, and white. String them together for a festive, textured garland to hang on walls or mantels.

15. Pinecone and Ribbon Garland

Attach pinecones to a length of twine using ribbon or hot glue. Add fairy lights for an extra magical touch.

Tabletop Decorations

16. Mason Jar Snow Globes

Fill mason jars with faux snow, miniature Christmas trees, and small figurines. Seal the jars and place them on tabletops for charming, wintry scenes.

17. DIY Advent Calendar

Use small envelopes or boxes, decorate them with numbers, and fill them with treats or notes. Arrange them on a board or string them as a garland.

18. Cork Christmas Trees

Glue wine corks into tree shapes and paint them in festive colors. These mini trees are perfect for tablescapes or shelf decor.

19. Tealight Snowmen

Wrap battery-operated tealights in white felt and add small accessories to turn them into adorable snowmen.

20. Candy Cane Place Card Holders

Glue two candy canes together in a “V” shape to create a stand for place cards at your holiday table.

Window and Wall Decor

21. Snowy Window Clings

Cut shapes from white contact paper or use non-toxic window paint to create snowflakes, stars, or trees for your windows.

22. Twinkle Light Canvas

Paint a holiday scene on a canvas, then poke small holes and insert battery-operated fairy lights from the back for a glowing piece of art.

23. Ribbon Wall Tree

Use holiday ribbon to create the shape of a tree on your wall. Add bows, bells, or other ornaments for a festive, space-saving decoration.

24. DIY Christmas Sign

Paint or stencil holiday sayings like “Merry Christmas” on wooden boards. Use bright colors or metallic paints for a cheerful sign.

25. Hanging Ornament Display

Suspend ornaments at varying heights from a sturdy branch or dowel. Hang the display in front of a window for a magical floating effect.

Outdoor Decorations

26. Upcycled Tin Can Lanterns

Punch holiday designs into empty tin cans, then spray paint them. Place candles inside for a glowing outdoor display.

27. Light-Up Christmas Gift Boxes

Wrap empty boxes in waterproof wrapping paper, add ribbons, and insert battery-operated fairy lights. Scatter these “gifts” on your porch or lawn.

28. Pallet Christmas Trees

Cut wood pallets into tree shapes and paint them in festive colors. Add decorations or lights for rustic outdoor decor.

29. Tomato Cage Trees

Wrap a tomato cage with garland and lights to create a DIY topiary-style Christmas tree for your yard.

30. Ice Lanterns

Freeze water in buckets or molds with pine branches and cranberries. Once frozen, remove the mold and place candles inside for stunning, icy luminaries.

Kid-Friendly Crafts

31. Paper Plate Santa

Use paper plates, cotton balls, and red construction paper to craft a jolly Santa Claus. This is a fun project for young children.

32. Popsicle Stick Reindeer

Glue popsicle sticks into reindeer shapes and decorate them with googly eyes, pom-poms, and ribbons. These make adorable tree ornaments or fridge magnets.

33. Handprint Christmas Tree

Paint children’s hands in green and press them onto a canvas to form the shape of a Christmas tree. Add thumbprint ornaments for a keepsake craft.

34. Sock Snowmen

Stuff white socks with rice or cotton, tie off sections to form a snowman, and decorate with buttons and fabric scraps.

35. Felt Christmas Tree Puzzle

Cut a large tree shape from green felt and smaller ornament shapes from colorful felt. Kids can “decorate” their tree over and over again.

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Andrea Farley is a content writer for Life and Agri and board-certified horticulture with more than three decades of experience.

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