40 Incredible DIY Christmas Decorations
Updated: Dec. 05, 2023
Get one-of-a-kind holiday decorations with these DIY Christmas décor ideas.
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DIY Christmas Tree Light Idea
Announce your Christmas tree with marquee lettering like this one from Craftaholics Anonymous. These Christmas tree lights are super unique and can be customized with different words or phrases. It gives a Hollywood touch to the rustic Christmas décor. If you're feeling extra festive, you can also add a Christmas tree fence.
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Marquee Star Tree
Like the marquee look but want to skip the letters? Try just the star. A Rustic wood marquee star adorns the top of this tree from BabySavers which makes the glow of the tree that much brighter. Christmas tree ornaments also include old style skeleton keys and a faux snow globe as the alternating ribbons fit snugly around the tree.
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Gingerbread Christmas Décor Idea
Gingerbread men come alive with this fantastically sweet Christmas tree from A Thoughtful Place. Candy cane ornaments and popcorn DIY Christmas garland will have you hankering for Christmas dinner with this design. This DIY Christmas idea mixes modern and traditional for a totally festive look. Find out if Christmas trees are toxic to cats and follow these tips on how to keep cats out of your Christmas tree.
This giant popcorn garland is the latest Christmas tree decoration trend.
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DIY Christmas Tree with Deer Antlers
Blogger Jade Harrington created her own deer antler Christmas ornament by combining different elements to create a unique glittery feature. She glued antlers to an ornament ball and added a block of wood with yuletide sayings. She also added in interesting ribbon that resembles tinsel in a way. If you want to hide unattractive tree strands, then you can add Christmas tree collars.
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Merry and Bright DIY Christmas Tree
Make It & Love It blogger Ashley Johnston went big and bright with this Christmas design. She mixed in big silver stars along with silver letters to spell out "merry" and "bright" on her tree. She sprinkled in some frosted pinecones to complement the silver color scheme as well for a tree that sparkles.
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Plywood DIY Christmas Tree
This tree is made from sheets of birch plywood with stars cut out for modern Christmas tree alternatives. Search for "plywood Christmas tree patterns" online for dozens of additional options. And a scroll saw works best for cutting the large pieces of plywood for a tree this size.
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Ladder Tree
An eye-catching ladder tree spotted on Pinterest may not save any space, but it is certainly a new take on a traditional Christmas tree. Try decorating with sparkly ornaments, some strands of lights and a star or angel on top. You could also channel your inner creativity and learn how to make ornaments.
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Wine Cork Tree
For the wine drinker, try using all those corks to create DIY alternative Christmas trees. And there are several ideas on Pinterest to provide inspiration.
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Christmas Tree Art
If you have a fireplace and no room for a traditional tree, try decorating the mantel with some DIY tree art. Find a piece of reclaimed wood or even canvas for a backdrop, use wire to form a tree shape or simple zigzag and decorate with ribbon or strips of fabric tied to the wire. This ombre effect is on trend! Check out this zigzag Christmas tree light hack, which makes your tree look even brighter.
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Rustic Wood Tree
This rustic tree is made from reclaimed wood for a one-of-a-kind design that can be used in the corner of the living room or on a tabletop, depending on how big you make it. And find some wood and grab a saw, hammer and nails to create these primitive christmas tree alternatives. Don't forget to check out these tips to decorate a small living room for Christmas.
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Simple Christmas Tree Decorations: Broken Furniture Piece Ornaments
Project via Hometalker Debbi from Debi's Design Diary.
Turn your broken or salvaged furniture scraps into whimsical Christmas tree ornaments with this awesome tutorial. Cut, paint, and hang these refinished furniture bits and bobs, for holiday decor that's stunning and free! Looking for more ideas? Here's our collection of black and white Christmas tree decor ideas.
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Simple Christmas Tree Decorations: Wood Slice Ornaments
Project via Hometalker Katie from Upcycled Treasures.
For a simply beautiful holiday design, turn a fallen branch or collected log into a stack of slices perfect for decorating your tree. Add some graphics with this simple transfer method, or write merry messages and draw your own holiday images by hand!
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Light-Up Present Christmas Decorations
Project via Hometalker Holly from Down to Earth Style.
Combine two favorite Christmas features, twinkly lights and piles of gifts, and create the perfect attractive and exciting holiday display. These large lit-up wooden gifts are perfect for porch decor, or for arranging around your tree. You should also check out this tutorial on how to make a Christmas bow. Here find out when to put up Christmas decorations.
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DIY Christmas Card Holder
This card holder is a snap to make with wire coat hangers. Twist and bend two hangers together to form a tree, creating a short trunk and a heart-shaped loop at the top for hanging. And paint about 60 wooden clip-on clothespins green and about four more brown. When the clothespins are dry, clip them to the wire, making a green tree with a brown trunk. Tie small strips of red fabric to the wire between the clothespins for added color. All that’s left to do is hang your holiday projects on the wall, attach Christmas cards and enjoy.
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Picture Frame Christmas Décor
Have a sofa-size painting or other large wall accent? For the holidays, remove it and use that wall space to hang small picture frames in the shape of a Christmas tree. You’ll create a heartwarming family tree of memories to enjoy all season long.
Bright Idea: This wall-hung “tree” is a real space-saver for apartment dwellers.
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Green Thumb
Put your extra terra-cotta pots to good use—turn them into a Christmas tree! Paint three pots of descending sizes with red spray paint and let them dry. Then use round sponges of various sizes to add dots of green acrylic craft paint. When the pots are dry, stack them to form a tree shape and tape a coordinating bow on top. Another terrific gift for a gardener is this cedar potting bench. You don't need any special woodworking skills to build it.
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Simple Christmas Tree Decorations: Advent Treasure Hunt
Children will love this treasure hunt idea for Advent. For each day, write a clue to the location of a treat, roll the paper into a scroll and tie it with a ribbon, leaving one end long. Put the scroll into a clear shatterproof ball ornament and glue the long end inside the ornament top, making the scroll hang inside. Number the balls with stickers and cover the tops of the ornaments with ribbon.
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Simple Christmas Tree Decorations: Translucent Painted Christmas Bulbs
The classic Christmas bulb is more memorable when you make it yourself. With a clear glass or plastic bulb, glue, and food coloring, you can make a set of dreamy, translucent balls for your tree or windows.
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Simple Christmas Decorations: Victorian Image Transfer Ornaments
Evoke a 19th-century feel with a homemade ornament using image transfer paper, muslin, lace, and a miniature embroidery hoop. This vision of Christmas past looks lovely hanging among your blinking lights. Make sure you know how to store Christmas ornaments when it comes time to tear down.
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Simple Christmas Tree Decorations: Bit of Birch Ornaments
These DIY Christmas decorations sure are cute. Bring the outside in with a slice of birch. Use festive rubber stamps, a wire hanger, and ribbon embellishment to convert a bit of wood into a long-lasting slice of woodsy memorabilia. Here, learn to create Christmas decor from nature with winter container plants.
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Shiny Pine
Ball ornaments don't have to be tree trims. They can be the tree! This one hangs in a frame with a 10- x 13-in. opening. For each row of the tree, lay a piece of wire horizontally across the back of the opening. Use a staple gun to tack one wire end to the frame, string on the ornaments and staple the other end. Secure the staples with a mallet and bend the wire ends over the staples. Add a Christmas bow as a topper. If you're looking for tips and hacks for your real or faux tree, don't miss this collection.
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Hanging Christmas Wreaths
Some wreaths around the house will add to your holiday decor in an instant and won't take up loads of time trying to find something that will fit perfectly in the room.
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Cinnamon Stick Tree Ornaments
With a little cinnamon, some garland, buttons and a glue gun you have great-looking ornaments on the fly. These cinnamon stick ornaments fit in anywhere around the house.
If you're tired of cutting down a Christmas tree each year, check out some awesome Christmas tree alternatives.
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Tea Light Snowmen
These little snowmen are super easy to make with some dollar store tea lights. Grab a black marker and an orange marker, along with a glue gun, pipe cleaners and some felt.
Photo: Courtesy of Blog Lovin
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Christmas Tree Napkin Folding
If you're short on time but still want to impress, just fold your napkins into Christmas trees. Your guests will like the look and want to know how you did it.
As the holidays approach make sure no one is peaking around at the presents with these incredible gift hiding ideas.
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Pine Cone Christmas Tree
A pine cone Christmas tree sparkles after getting dressed up with some paint. This pine cone tree added a star and some white paint for a bit of a flocked look.
Photo: Courtesy of Amy's Delights
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Christmas Utensil Holders
Utensil holders are super simple to make and you can add a creative flair with what you do. Check out these Santa and elf-inspired utensil holders.
Find out how to repair Christmas lights around the home this season.
Photo: Courtesy of Stamp With Heather
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Book Christmas Tree
Book Christmas trees are gaining steam as alternatives to an actual Christmas tree but take that creative spirit a step forward and let the pages of a book unfurl your Christmas tree.
Learn how to cut down on expenses with keeping the Christmas lights on during the holidays.
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Stairs Getting Stares
Don’t forget the stairs when decorating for Christmas. Sure a little garland along the railing is a no brainer but go bigger like this design from Just Destiny Mag. A couple of marquee letters spell out “Ho Ho Ho” and in between some fancy luminaries.
Find out how to keep a handrail sturdy so you don't end up having any holiday emergencies.
Photo: Courtesy of Just Destiny Mag
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Doorway Garland
This is a classic decoration but check out the large pinecones. Big pinecones can look pretty good with garland.
Learn how to install an exterior door.
Photo: Courtesy of Setting for Four
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Lantern Ornaments
Lanterns are pretty good ornaments on their own but when you fill up an old one with Christmas ornaments it’s quite the look. Any color ornament will kind of work when you’ve got a neutral colored lantern like this.
Find out how to replace an exterior door if you want a new look.
Photo: Courtesy of Dimples and Tangles
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Advent Ladder
Here’s a new take on an advent calendar, try the advent ladder. Vintage, rustic, sleek and simple, it’s a fantastic addition to any room in the house.
Make holiday decorating easier this season.
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Rudolph Reigns Outside
Rudolph leads the way for Santa each year but he can also lead people to your house during the holiday season. Housepitality Designs stationed a wooden Rudolph outside the door with a plaid scarf for a neat touch.
Learn how to make easy Christmas ornaments for your home.
Photo: Courtesy of Housepitality Designs
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Forget the Yuletide Log
This DIY centerpiece from Jenna Burger is complete with faux berries, branches and pinecones. Candles can surround it on the table for more dramatic effect during the dining experience.
Photo: Courtesy of Jenna Burger
Want a fun DIY Christmas decor project? These floating candles are fun to make and spruce up any room.
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Mudroom Magic
This mudroom pops with red plaid against the blue background to give a strong holiday cheer right away.
Get some ideas to organize your mudroom.
Photo: Courtesy of Golden Boys and Me
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Natural Wreath
A “Joy” board wreath is a neat touch outside the door like what was done at Fynes Designs. It’s a fairly simple project for DIYers and makes your home stand out instantly.
Photo: Courtesy of Fynes Designs
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Fa La La La La Foyer
This foyer from Nesting Blissfully Interiors calls up Christmas with carols with the elaborate set up around the foyer table.
Check out these 15 awesome ideas for entryways after the holidays.
Photo: Courtesy of Nesting Blissfully Interiors
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Holiday String Art
String art is a wildly popular DIY decor idea right now and for a good reason. It's simple, the color combinations are endless, and it can be easily modified for any season or event. Just be sure to pick the right size of nail to sink into the wood and leave enough space between the nails for several layers of embroidery thread or string. And print out or trace an outline to use as a guide or draw your design freehand directly on the wood.
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Spell it Out
This DIY decor idea lets you express yourself in words! You can create any phrase you like with some reclaimed wood for the back and purchased letters. And better yet, create the whole alphabet and you can keep changing the message all year long!
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Bathroom Decor
The holidays mean lots of visitors, and that means lots of people using the guest bathroom. This neat shelf made from an old sled can hold toilet paper, towels, extra soap, or anything a guest might need, and is a great way to use a repurposed item in your decor.
Originally Published: November 26, 2018
