Deck the halls with boughs of holly… or mason jars, or wood ornaments, or pinecone crafts. Store-bought Christmas decor is great, but the beauty of the holiday is found in the handmade items. The ones you spent hours perfecting over a cup of hot cocoa with carols playing in the background. Whether you’re planning some family decorating activities, or taking some time for yourself with a solo crafting day, this list has got you covered. Here are some DIY Christmas decor projects you can do this weekend:
1. Mason Jar Crafts
Mason jars are incredibly versatile. With just a little paint, ribbon, and some imagination, you can turn simple glass jars into festive features that your guests will be talking about for years. Frost the outside of a mason jar with white spray paint and add a small tea light to give your dining table a cozy glow. Fill some jars with greenery, cranberries, mini pinecones, and tiny figurines to make mason jar Christmas scenes. You can even make your own snow globes or DIY cocoa kits that you can gift to your friends and family.
2. Wood Ornaments
For a natural touch to your Christmas tree or holiday displays, you can make your own wooden ornaments. Of all the Christmas decor projects you can do this weekend, it may be the most versatile. Use thin wood slices, craft sticks, and scrap wood and get started with bringing the ideas you have to life. Sand the pieces smooth, decorate them with paint and stencils, and let your creativity flow. You can even burn or stain the wood, add some glitter, or dress them up with greenery. Once you’re done, drill a small hole at the top and loop through some twine or ribbon to hang your new wooden ornaments.
3. Dining Table Centerpieces
The centerpiece on your dinner table is one of the most important focal points of the entire room. Make it stand out by turning it into a festive masterpiece that you crafted yourself. You don’t need complicated or expensive decor pieces because natural materials and things from your home will do. Use pinecones, branches, candles, ribbon, fairylights, mason jars, holly sprigs, wood, glass, and DIY ornaments to whip up a centerpiece that’ll bring along the holiday spirit. You can get creative or simply fill a glass bowl or wooden crate with everything that reminds you of Christmas.
4. Natural Garlands
Natural garlands are a more eco-friendly option if you’re thinking of turning your home into a Christmas wonderland. You can compost them right after the holiday season ends and they give off a fragrance that you won’t get from store-bought foil or plastic garlands. You only need natural materials like pine branches, eucalyptus, or dried greenery. Create a long chain and secure it with floral wire, then drape it across your mantel, stairway railings, and around your doorway. If you want to add extra sparkle, weave fairy lights through the garland and add organic accents like pinecones, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, and red berries.
5. Greenery Wreaths
Just like natural garlands, natural wreaths are sustainable and they add a lovely scent to your living area. Make a wire or grapevine wreath base and layer on all of your favorites. Use fresh greenery like pine, cedar, or eucalyptus and secure it with floral wire. If you want something that’ll last longer, opt for dried greenery instead of fresh. Keep the design simple or add some simple accents like pinecones, ribbons, ornaments, and berries. You can hang your wreath above your fireplace or on your door as a statement piece, but the memories of making it will have an even bigger impact than the final product.
6. Pinecone Crafts
Are there any Christmas decor projects you can do this weekend that don’t involve pinecones? The answer doesn’t matter because pinecones are synonymous to Christmas. You can transform them into so many different decorations. Spray paint them white, gold, or silver to give them a frosted effect or leave them natural. You can use them to make ornaments, table decor, centerpieces, or as Christmas figurines. Yes, you can create your own pinecone reindeer if you glue on googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and some felt. Dip them in cinnamon-scented oils and use them as natural air fresheners or use them as holders for place cards and family photographs.
7. DIY Stockings
It just isn’t Christmas without stockings. They serve as a fun family tradition and if you make them together as a family activity, you can make that tradition even better. Gather fabric scraps, old sweaters, or inexpensive burlap and start sewing and gluing together personalized stockings for each family member. Use stencils, iron-on letters, or hand embroidery to give them names if you want to add a personal touch. Then, customize them with pom-poms, lace trim, or felt designs before you hang them where you’ll see them everyday.
8. Statement Advent Calendar
Just like stockings, advent calendars add anticipation and joy to the holiday season. Add to your list of Christmas traditions by making your own instead of buying store-bought ones with no character. Use envelopes, small boxes, cloth bags, or any other containers that can hold the small candies, handwritten notes, or tiny trinkets you want to fill them with. Decorate them with paint, stickers, or festive ribbons and hang them on a string with clothespins. Alternatively, you can attach them to a wooden board or arrange them on a wall in a tree shape. Adults will appreciate the effort and creativity, while kids won’t be able to contain their excitement once they realize there are treats inside.
9. Christmas Signs
Spread the festive cheer with DIY Christmas signs. Use wood planks, chalkboards, or cardboards and decide on the messages you want to display. Paint or stencil phrases like “Merry Christmas,” “Joy to the World,” or “Happy Holidays,” onto the surface and add greenery or fairy lights around the edges. Display your customized signs on your porch, above your mantel, or on your walls to add warmth to your home.
10. Salt Dough Ornaments
Salt dough ornaments double as a family tradition and a sentimental keepsake. Make a cup of hot cocoa, set out some freshly baked cookies, and get started with your family’s salt dough ornaments. Mix flour, salt, and water to make a quick and easy dough. Roll it out and cut it into festive shapes like stars, gingerbread men, and trees, poke a hole into the top, and then bake and cool. Paint or decorate your ornaments with glitter and sequins and hang them with ribbon or twine, or use them as gift tags. The children that are too small to decorate their own shapes don’t have to be left out. Put some paint on their hands and feet and make your own print keepsakes that you can display on your mantel.
11. Christmas Tree Alternatives
Whether you’re short on space, looking for something unique, or just into the idea of DIY Christmas decor projects you can do this weekend, tree alternatives are a fantastic option. Use string lights and drape them on your wall in the shape of a tree (or just a triangular shape). You can do the same thing with washi tape or branches. Ladder trees are another popular idea and it’s no more complicated than decorating a wooden ladder with ornaments and lights. For something trendy or witty, stack books and wrap them with garland, or see how many laughs you can get with a basket filled with a tall tree-shaped pile of laundry.
