‘Tis the season to DIY!
One of the best parts about Christmas is getting to deck the halls with all kinds of decorations. Lights, garland, ornaments, and wreaths adorn homes all over, making it feel like Christmas — everywhere you go.
But why stop at buying the same decorations as everyone else when you can get even more in the spirit by making your own?
Pour yourself a glass of eggnog, put on your favorite festive playlist, and break out those craft supplies. You don’t need a lot of time or skill to create something unique. You can easily find nativity yard decorations in the market that you can use. These seven easy DIY Christmas ornaments will have you feeling merry and bright in a snap!
1. Marbled Christmas Ornaments
If you’re tired of seeing the same old Christmas ornaments everywhere you look, we’ve got the perfect trendy project for your tree.
These marbled ornaments only use three things to create a stunning effect that will wow your family and friends this holiday season.
Here’s what you’ll need for this craft:
- Clear ornaments (enough for your tree)
- Enamel paint (in the colors of your choice)
- Water (to help the paint stick)
These ornaments are so simple, and the end result breathes new life into your Christmas tree. Just swirl a little paint around inside each ornament, and you’ll see how fun they are to make.
See the full tutorial: Marbled Christmas Ornaments
2. Felt Stockings
Do your family stockings desperately need an upgrade?
A few colors of felt and a little sewing know-how are all you need to make a brand new set of idyllic stockings. You’ll be proud to hang these by your chimney with care.
This stocking craft comes with a pattern for the stocking itself, as well as a few different appliques you can use to make them even more festive. There are measurements for a top cuff and a loop to hang it up.
It’ll be much easier to make if you already know something about sewing, but you can also learn as you go with these simple lines!
Just cut two stocking shapes, a cuff, and a loop from the felt and stitch them all together. Top your new stockings with the provided leaf and berry branch appliques, or make some designs of your own to glue on.
You can even cut letters out of felt to add names to them.
See the full tutorial: Felt Stockings
3. Coffee Filter Garland
Going for rustic Christmas decor?
Complete the look with a beautiful floral-inspired garland made from twine and coffee filters.
These supplies may seem simple at first glance, but their transformation after a little time and effort will amaze you. (Honestly, you will probably spend most of your time ruffling coffee filters.)
Use a mix of white and natural colored coffee filters to mimic the look in the tutorial below, or go for some tissue paper instead if color is more your style!
You’ll need to cut the tissue paper into circles for it to come out the same.
Once you’ve got your materials at hand, make a couple of stacks of 12 ruffled coffee filters to form the flowers and staple them together. Cut the twine at least a foot longer than you need it (better too long than too short).
Separate the stacks by six inches of twine, making twice as many stacks of coffee filters as the length of your garland.
After everything is ready to go, it just takes a little bit of threading, a couple of knots, and some Christmas music to put this decoration together!
See the full tutorial: Coffee Filter Garland
4. Christmas Ornament Advent Calendar
Combine your countdown to Christmas with tree decorating fun!
Advent calendars are a Christmastime staple. They up the excitement every single day by giving you a small gift or something fun to do during December up until Christmas day.
Now you can make your very own advent calendar that features your favorite ornaments.
This craft is not only easy but also remarkably customizable. You choose what to cover your foam board in, what color and shape tags to use, and, of course, which ornaments to hang on each day.
No two will be the same!
If you don’t have any special ornaments for your calendar — don’t worry! The tutorial includes instructions for making 24 easy ornaments that will perfectly fit your advent calendar and tree.
See the full tutorial: DIY Advent Calendar
5. Plastic Spoon Christmas Trees
What do cheap plastic spoons, a tree form, spray paint, and hot glue all have in common?
They’re all part of this next adorable project!
Few things are as synonymous with Christmas as a fir tree. But fake evergreens are so common and impossible to make yourself.
Save a bit of money for gifts and create a unique piece to set on your mantle or use as a centerpiece for your holiday tablescape using only a few materials. There’s really nothing to it.
You may spend a little more time on this one, cutting the heads off your spoons and then gluing them all to the tree form to create your tree. If you have an afternoon to spend crafting, this craft is well worth it.
Trust us — the result is impressive.
See the full tutorial: Plastic Spoon Christmas Tree
6. Snowball Wreath
The weather outside might be frightful, but this DIY project is so delightful.
Let it snow … styrofoam!
Classic wreaths never get old, but everyone and their grandma has one in their house around this time of year. You want something different, something that helps your home feel like a winter wonderland.
Bring the magic of snow inside with this unique take on a traditional decoration.
Run out to the craft store and pick up a styrofoam wreath form, some different sized styrofoam balls, and some fake snow. Then, get crazy with a low-temperature glue gun to set your snowballs in place.
Use decoupage medium to adhere fake snow on the balls or leave them as-is for a cleaner look.
See the full tutorial: Snowball Wreath
7. Christmas Ornament Frame
Not feeling the wreath at all?
This alternative to the classic wreath doesn’t really look like a wreath at all. It’s not a circle and no foliage to arrange and glue on until your fingers go numb.
It’s so simple that you can throw it together in no time at all.
You’ll need a picture frame that’s at least 8×10 inches, some thin satin ribbon, some thicker ribbon, unused Christmas ornaments, and a bit of hot glue.
The idea is to hang the ornaments with the thin ribbon, so they dangle in the middle of the picture frame. Adding a big bow to the top brings this craft back into wreath territory, then use that same ribbon to create a hanger for your new decoration.
Even though it’s quick and easy, you end with a project that looks like it jumped straight off the page of a home decor magazine.
See the full tutorial: Ornament Frames
In Conclusion
Christmas is a season for spending time with your loved ones, giving back, and making spirits light.
You can cover all three of these things with the right DIY project!
Don’t let the same old decorations turn you into a humbug. Take matters into your own hands and throw together one, two, or all seven easy DIY Christmas decorations to spruce up your home.
Karen Lein is the General Manager of Grove at San Marcos. She is a Fresno State alumna and enjoys traveling and watching football. #GoDogs