Christmas decorating gets especially good when paper, clay, felt, buttons, pinecones, and dried oranges turn into ornaments, garlands, wreaths, and small pieces for the home. These handmade ideas range from pastel felt ornaments and egg-carton trees to snowy mason jars, tray displays, paper mache candles, and a festive tic-tac-toe game, with simple materials doing most of the work.
Vase Filling With Dried Orange Slices
A tall glass vase works well for a simple Christmas DIY.
A clear vase lets the arrangement show through, with pinecones and dried orange slices adding natural texture. Use twine, fairy lights, pinecones, and dried orange slices together in the vase.
Place the vases on a console or mantel. With lights and oranges nearby, an evening glow can be produced.
Rustic Christmas Snowman Hanging
This Christmas wall hanging features a snowman that is larger than an ornament, giving the snowman a bigger presence than a typical tree decoration.
A branch forms the base of this wall hanging, with wood slices, twine, fabric scarves, buttons, pinecones, and greenery added around it.
Hang the snowmen at varying lengths to create a playful arrangement.
Pastel Christmas Ornaments
If you want to avoid the usual colors, pastel ornaments offer an alternative to a red-and-green palette.
Pearl ornaments can be made with felt, beads, embroidery thread, and ribbon.
Beading and stitching already provide plenty of detail, so keep the ornament shapes simple.
Christmas Tree Craft from Egg Cartons
These Christmas tree crafts use multiple egg cartons and can be reused every year.
Small stars add the finishing material to this Christmas tree craft. Build it with egg cartons, wire, sticks, wood slices, and glue.
Similar green paints create a calm grouping for the trees.
Clay or Hot Glue Melted Snowmen
With a face and small hat added, a melted snowman becomes recognizable. The result is also funny, especially because the snowman keeps its melted shape.
A black marker is part of the snowman details. The nose is orange. White clay or hot glue can be used for the snowman, while black buttons or paper hats are options.
The uneven white shape creates the melted appearance, so keep it uneven rather than making the snowman look solid or upright.
Tiny Felt Christmas Mug Ornament
This tiny felt ornament looks like a cup filled with hot cocoa, and it is used on the Christmas tree.
A tiny pom-pom and a small label for cocoa or tea are added to the felt ornament. Thread and glue hold it together, while a ribbon provides the hanger.
Use different colors to give several felt ornaments the look of a handmade set.
Paper Snowflakes
Paper snowflakes provide a festive appearance without requiring much spending.
Fishing line or string can be attached with tape to hang each paper snowflake. Include larger flakes in the middle.
Hang paper snowflakes above the kitchen, over a party table, or in a hallway, where the ceiling is often empty. These spots give the flakes room to fill the space.
Bow Garland
For anyone who prefers softer decor, a bow garland is softer than tinsel.
Use a simple twine base with paper stars, a fabric bow, and ribbon for a warm, handmade garland with a soft finish. Add a few hanging decorations for the finished arrangement.
The surrounding details can include different patterns if desired, but the colors should stay close to one another. That keeps the overall look from becoming too busy.
Christmas Trees from Pipe Cleaners
Small green pipe cleaners are arranged around a cone shape to make the tree.
The base is a cone made from cardboard or foam. Green pipe cleaners, scissors, and glue are used to build the trees around it.
Soft loops give the branches their shape. Bend the pipe cleaners into soft loops, which create fluffy branches around the tree.
Snowy Mason Jar Decor
Place snowy mason jars on shelves, windowsills, or a table for easy Christmas decor.
For the snowy finish, choose faux snow or white paint. Use the mason jar with twine, a pinecone, a berry, and greenery.
Battery lights can be added inside the mason jars if you want them to produce a nighttime glow.
Trees Made with Stacked Buttons
Stacked button trees appear more polished when the buttons are layered by size and color. Arrange the buttons in those layers to build each tree.
A wood slice makes the base, and wire or a skewer can support the tree. Glue holds the varied green buttons in place, with a small gold topper at the top.
Keep each tree within one color family. Matching color families create a coordinated set.
Bell Ornaments Made with Clay
The bell ornaments are made from air-dry clay, and simple painted details give them their finished look.
Fabric scraps can be tied into bows, while air-dry clay is used for the small bells. Add paint and string to complete the bells and their hanging details.
The fabric bows have a soft handmade appearance. Choose bow colors that match the Christmas decor.
Wreath of Star Anise
A star anise wreath uses star anise for a natural, simple, grown-up style.
On a wreath ring, use star anise, ribbon, and a small bell, securing the pieces with glue or wire.
Dark green ribbon brings a rich color to the wreath and is associated with a higher-end appearance. Compared with a basic craft wreath, it can also appear more expensive.
Christmas Tray Styling
Tray styling takes less work than a from-scratch craft, and it is an easy DIY.
Use a tray with a candle, faux berries, a small tree, greenery, ribbon, a tall vase, and a tall candle holder. These pieces can be grouped together as the tray display.
When it sits on a table used for coffee or meals, keep the center low so the arrangement stays at a low height.
Candles Made with Paper Mache
These candles use no real flames, even though they resemble taper candles. They are made from paper mache, giving the candle shapes the look of actual tapers without burning.
Gold glitter can mark the flame, while paint gives the paper mache and cardboard candles their color. Ribbon and bows add the remaining details.
A few paper mache candles can be grouped on a mantel, shelf, or Christmas tray. Together, the candles resemble holiday decor.
Christmas Tic Tac Toe Game Board
A Christmas tic-tac-toe tray provides a game for children to use.
On a small tray or clay board, set out Christmas markers shaped like peppermints, marshmallows, stars, or tiny presents. These pieces give the game a festive look while serving as the playing markers.
For small hands, keep the game pieces chunky and avoid using tiny pieces.
Dried Orange Christmas Garland
Across a mantel or shelf, a dried orange garland creates a warm atmosphere. Its old-fashioned style also supports an old-fashioned look.
The garland combines dried orange slices, pinecones, and twine, with greenery as an optional material.
Hang the garland from a mantel, shelf, or doorway, choosing a spot where light can catch the orange slices.