10 easy DIY Christmas decorations to make at home

1. Cinnamon stick candle holders

This rustic DIY decoration takes a humble candle jar and transforms it into something really Christmassy!

Simply wrap your jar candle with fragrant cinnamon sticks and tie them in place with twine for a rustic look, or ribbon for something extra-festive. Not only will they look amazing, but they’ll also give your home a wonderful festive scent.

2. Dress up your wreath

Been using the same wreath for years? It may be overdue a glow-up! There are loads of quick and easy ways to dress up a bog-standard wreath, from adding string lights for a festive glow to adorning it with baubles and other décor. Get creative!

To help you get started, we’ve got a handy blog with 5 ways to decorate a Christmas wreath.

3. Jazzy jars and lanterns with lights

You don’t always have to buy loads of new decorations – sometimes, you can make easy DIY Christmas decorations from stuff you have lying around the house!

All you need for this homemade Christmas decoration is some spare string lights and an empty jar or lantern. Simply stuff your LED lights into the jar and turn them on. How easy was that? This Budget Christmas idea gives a wonderful festive glow to your home and looks great on windowsills, sideboards, even the Christmas dinner table. Find out more in our blog!

No lights? No problem. Just pop some spare baubles into a jar and hey presto: a stunning Christmas decoration in no time.

4. Festive foodie kits

The kitchen often gets overlooked when it comes to decorating your home for Christmas. However, with our festive foodie gifts, your kitchen can have a festive look which can also be eaten!

Get your Christmas baking prepped ahead of time by layering the dry ingredients for cookies, cakes and other sweet treats into a sealed jar. These can be popped onto a shelf or windowsill until the kids demand that you get baking!

We’ve got plenty of ideas for gifts for the food lovers in your life in our blog.

5. Pinecone ornaments

This is one of our favourite budget Christmas ideas. All you need is some pinecones – pop down to your local park and you should find them in plentiful supply!

These make wonderful mini-Christmas trees. You can glue yours to old wine corks to make them sturdy, and decorate them with paint, pipe cleaners, or spray paint them in Christmassy colours like gold, silver or green.

6. Toilet roll characters

This budget Christmas idea makes use of something you’d otherwise throw away: toilet roll tubes. Get the craft kit out and turn your tubes into festive characters like snowmen, Santa, or reindeer using coloured card, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and whatever else you have lying around.

This is another wonderful DIY Christmas craft to get the kids involved in, perfect for a cold and wet afternoon in.

7. Upgrade your baubles

If you’re growing a little bored of the same old baubles, it’s easier than you think to give them a new look!

Simply spray paint your baubles to give them a new base colour, and decorate to your heart’s desire with ribbon, stickers, or paint. The result is an upcycled Christmas decoration which will look stunning on your Christmas tree. There are plenty more ideas in our bauble blog!

8. Make your own rustic wreath

Why buy a wreath when you can make one? If you’ve been trimming your Christmas tree or have some fallen twigs in the garden, you already have the materials to make your own rustic wreath.

Wrap your longest, bendiest branches around a circle of wire, securing them in place with twine or wire. You can then add accents and layers with more branches, pinecones, bows and more. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect – this is a DIY craft after all!

9. Paper snowflakes

This is one of the easiest DIY Christmas decorations to do at home. All you need is some paper and some scissors!

Start by folding a square of paper in half to create a triangle, folding again into quarters, then once more into thirds. You can then draw shapes around the edges of the triangle before carefully cutting them out with scissors. Straight lines will always be easier than curvy ones!

Once that’s done, unfold your snowflake and marvel at the intricate shape. The nice thing is that paper snowflakes are just like the real ones – no two are ever the same.

Experiment with different colour paper, and decorate your stars before hanging them from shelves or the Christmas tree!

10. Pipe cleaner trees & bows

When all else fails, there are always pipe cleaners. Grab a pack and use yours to create little mini-Christmas trees, or simple bows for the tree. Pipe cleaners can also help in loads of other crafts throughout the year, so it’s always worth having a bunch in your craft box!

Quick tips for Christmas crafts

Decide on your colour scheme

A little bit of consistency in your decorations can really help tie a room together. So, whether you’re going traditional with red and green, bold with gold and silver, or your own Christmas combination, bear that in mind when you’re crafting.

If you’re looking for inspiration, our Christmas themes are a brilliant place to look. Candy Cane Lane is the perfect theme for a kitsch take on a traditional Christmas, with gingerbread houses, candy canes and sweeties galore.

Fancy something more rustic? Mistletoe Cottage or Amber Charm have a wonderfully cosy vibe while being a bit more understated.

Embrace natural beauty

Embracing a bit of rustic beauty is a trend that’s growing in popularity every year. Branches, leaves and twigs all create a wonderfully glamourous Christmas atmosphere, and you can even repurpose them for an early autumn look too.

And when it comes to budget Christmas ideas, nothing beats upcycling stuff that’s lying around for free in your garden!

Make it an event

Pick a couple of your favourite ideas from our list and put aside an afternoon for Christmas crafting! Whether you’re by yourself or spending time with family, crafts like this are a great way to get in the Christmas spirit. So, pop some music on and grab yourself a festive tipple. You can make a batch of hot chocolate in the slow cooker if you’ve got company! Then all you need is some snacks and you’re good to go.