The best tips for do-it-yourself (DIY) Christmas decorations include using found supplies, re-purposing and re-furbishing Christmas and household items, and incorporating easy-to-find seasonal herbs, fruits, and plants. Scouring the home for makeshift supplies saves money and a trip to the store, while re-purposing and re-furbishing old holiday decor and household items give a new handmade life to them. Seasonal goods like cranberries and pears work well for simple and quick decor, and skills like knitting or embroidery can be used to make traditional Christmas and table decor.
Using found materials for DIY Christmas decorations keeps you from having to brave the busy holiday aisles, as well as being both economically and environmentally-friendly. Search for supplies that you have at home for inspiration. A large stack of scrap fabric can be cut into squares and sewn together for a festive Christmas garland. Old glass bottles can be painted holiday colors and used as candle holders or vases at the Christmas table. Have kids help to decorate simply by coloring or painting holiday-themed pictures and cutting them out for paper ornaments or to be hung from the ceiling.
Re-purposing and re-furbishing old Christmas decorations can also be effective. Old clear Christmas ornaments can be painted with stencils, decorated with gemstones, or have tiny objects like single feathers or pebbles carefully placed inside. Other objects around the home work well for DIY Christmas crafts, such as old light bulbs-turned painted ornaments or a cluster of bare branches placed in a large vase as a makeshift Christmas tree.
DIY Christmas decorations can involve seasonal plants, herbs, and fruits as well, with simple craft projects centering around one or more of these items. Pinecones, for example, can be spray-painted gold, white, or silver, and placed in a decorative bowl, and they work well as place settings with a labeled gift tag attached to each one. Cranberries can be placed in a bowl of water with floating candles or between two clear vases for a colorful floral arrangement. Create quick DIY Christmas decorations for the table by laying pears atop dinner plates along with sprigs of fir or eucalyptus.
Put your hobby or technical skills to work when creating DIY Christmas decorations. If you you have needlepoint, knitting, or crocheting skills, use them to make a Christmas-themed embroidery piece or a garland from yarn. Stockings and tree skirts are common, and you can create or embellish table decor as well, including napkin rings, wine bottle sleeves, and place mats.
