DIY Holiday Decor
Craft ideas for creating your own do-it-yourself holiday decorations.
Falling behind on your holiday decorations? Or just looking for a fun activity to do while the whole family is gathered together this holiday season? Either way, DIY Holiday Decor might be just what you need!
Decorating for the holidays is fun, festive, and beautiful. And when you do it yourself, you get that extra feeling of enjoyment and accomplishment. Talk about a win/win.
I’ve got plenty of DIY holiday decor tips, tricks, and ideas below. Enjoy!
DIY Holiday Wreath
If you are just dipping your toes into the sea of DIY holiday decor ideas, I think a wreath would be the perfect place for you to start. Personally, I like to purchase grapevine wreaths, because they can be repurposed for different holidays! If you wan to reuse your wreaths like I do, just make sure to decorate with temporary, easy-to-remove supplies like wire. No hot glue allowed! (If you want to create a more permanent wreath, then definitely get yourself a high-quality glue gun and go to town.)
Before you start adding to your wreath, think of a theme or point of inspiration. For example, my theme this year was winter woodlands and animals! Other ideas:
- Simple red and green
- Sparkly (great for both Christmas and New Years)
- Kid-friendly and colorful
- Bows
You don’t have to enjoy your DIY and craft day alone! Host a wreath-making party with your friends and family! Ask everyone to gather leftover supplies and decorations from years past. Grab sales items from your local craft stores, Big Lots, Michaels, dollar stores, etc. and set up a big craft bonanza.
The whole point is to get creative and make something with your own two hands that will contribute to your holiday cheer every time you see it!
DIY Centerpiece
What better way to get the conversation started around the holiday dinner table than to create your own DIY centerpiece? I created the owl-and-pine-cone piece above almost entirely out of found materials. I love to take things that have been laying around and turn them into something beautiful!
To create this centerpiece, I found some wood in our yard and had the hubby cut pieces at varying heights. He cut the wood on an angle for a more sophisticated look. Then, I wrapped my adorable new “trunks” with burlap and added some natural pine cones from our yard. (The perks of living in Upstate NY!)
Even if you live in a warmer climate, there are probably tons of inspiring found objects around you. How cute would a tropical centerpiece be, made with sand, shells, and palm tree leaves?!
Once my centerpiece was nearly complete, I knew I wanted to incorporate an owl, to tie into my Winter Woodlands theme! I got this cutie right off the sale rack at Michaels. Score! Since the owl was already on a stick, all I had to do was drill a hole in the tallest trunk and place him in there. The battery-operated pine cone light-up garland was the perfect finishing touch.
What lights and other decor do you have around your home that you could repurpose for a unique DIY centerpiece this year?
DIY Holiday Accents & Decor
For your DIY holiday decor & accents, there is SO much you can create with repurposed materials. Use those left over wine bottles and other found jars that accumulate around the house. Use the kids’ school supplies like felt and construction paper. Get faux foliages and find twigs outside. Just grab whatever inspires you and run with it!
We actually had our wedding in January of 2021, so I repurposed lots of our winter wedding decor into my DIY Christmas decor for this year.
For the cardinal painting shown on the right, I went to a painting class here in town and loved it!! The lady teaching the class brought in these pieces of slate that we got to paint, and I found it super cool. I decided to copy the idea and put together a painting night with my girlfriends. We had a blast!
Want a super-easy, retro-inspired DIY idea? Sock snowmen are about as easy as it gets – but so cute! (Plus, I know you must have some mismatched socks lying around somewhere.) I made these sock snowmen years ago and have been displaying them ever since.
Supplies include:
- Socks – white and color
- Rubber bands
- Rice
- Fabric/ribbon
- Glue gun
- Markers/paint
- Yarn (for pom poms)
Fill your white sock with rice and wrap a rubber band around the top. Then add additional rubber bands to make the middle sections. I am a traditionalist so I make sure I have at least 3 to create a head, torso and bottom. But your snowman’s genetic makeup is completely up to you!
Overachievers might hot glue some buttons. Or, do what I did and just use markers! Leftover fabric and ribbon are perfect for creating a cute scarf.If you have an old colored sock, cut off the toe and make a little beanie hat! Lastly, cut up yarn to create a cute beanie pom pom. Voila – you’re done!!
Last Tip For The Most Beautiful DIY Holiday Decor: Don’t Forget Lights!
Ok! I’ll admit it. I have a slight obsession with fairy lights. They are so fun to use and instantly create a warm, inviting holiday atmosphere.
I wrapped fairy lights around the Americana stars in our yard. It turned out awesome, with absolutely no cords or strings necessary. If you have a little corner or surface that you’re having a hard time decorating, lights are always a quick and easy solution. Here are my favorites! They will arrive before Christmas, WITH extra batteries. Add to cart now!
