As the classic carol says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Beyond the twinkle lights, garland galore, hot cocoa, and holiday cheer, there is one more way to make this holiday season even more wonderful: recycling! During a time when it feels like all we do is consume (mainly Christmas cookies), we want to equip you with some fun new DIY ideas for Christmas decorations. Here is a list of some easy decorations and crafts that you can make at home:
Cork Wreath
If you are wine lover, don’t throw those corks away! Put them to good use and create a beautiful holiday wreath for your door. All you need is a Styrofoam wreath, hot glue gun, and of course, corks! Use the Styrofoam as a base, glue the corks close to each other around the circle, tie a ribbon to the top, and hang your new creation to your door. Your guests will immediately feel your holiday cheer as they walk up onto your front porch!
Lightbulb Ornaments
When the lights go out, you can still make your tree shine! Take your burnt-out lightbulbs, cover them with glitter or spray paint, tie a cute red or green ribbon on top, and hang your new ornaments on your tree to add a little extra sparkle to those twinkle lights! This craft is really simple and can be adjusted to whatever supplies you already have at your house.
Coffee Christmas Tree
Coffee doesn’t just add a pep in your step – it can also add an extra touch to your holiday decorations! All you need for this craft is coffee filters, a foam cone (or something else to use as the tree base), and a sturdy base. Start stacking those filters on top of each other around the foam cone, and watch your coffee Christmas tree grow right before your eyes! If you are feeling extra jolly, glue buttons to the outside for ornaments.
Paper Snowflakes
This magical snowflake requires white paper plates, scissors, glue sticks, ribbon, and crayons. All you need to do is stack and then fold two paper plates in half and cut through both plates to create a unique snowflake design. Leave an uncut area in the middle at the fold for the face of the snowflake. Carefully unfold the paper plates and watch your snowflake form! Use crayons and glitter to add a little chill to your flakes, and glue the snowflakes back to back. Once dry, glue a pretty ribbon to the top and lace your window with a homemade winter wonderland.
Paper Plate Angel Topper
Still have paper plates left over from the snowflakes? It’s time to make a Christmas tree topper! Begin by tracing your angel on the bottom side of the paper plate. Once traced, begin to cut out the body of your angel along the lines you drew. Pull the middle lines you cut toward the back of the paper plate and staple. This will form the body of your angel. Decorate the angel to your liking and top off your tree!
Make this holiday season one to remember by creating new traditions with your loved ones, saving the planet, and having a blast by bringing these festive DIY projects to life!
