The easiest DIY Christmas decorations are the ones you can finish in one afternoon with things you already own, things from the yard, or a few supplies from the craft aisle. For a cozy home, start with clipped evergreen in jars, a bundle of cinnamon sticks tied with twine, and a paper star lantern with a little battery light inside. If you have more time, add salt dough ornaments, a twig wreath or a garland of popcorn and cranberries. Pick two or three from the ten below, not all of them, and the house will look handmade in the good way, with festive decorations that cost very little.
10 Easy DIY Christmas Decorations to Make in an Afternoon
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Which easy DIY Christmas decorations take the least time?
Most of these take under an hour of hands-on work. Salt dough and the popcorn garland are the two that take longest, and both are good with a child or a friend helping. In the cost column, $ means you probably own it or can pick it up free, and $$ means a few supplies from a store.
| Idea | Hands-on time | Cost | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Evergreen clippings in jars | 10 minutes | $ | Mantel, entry table, windowsill |
| 2. Paper star lanterns | 30 minutes | $ | Windowsill, shelf, stair step |
| 3. Cinnamon stick bundles | 10 minutes | $ | Candles, jars, napkins, doorknobs |
| 4. Salt dough ornaments | 1 hour 30 minutes with baking | $ | Tree, gifts, window |
| 5. Twig wreath | 45 minutes | $ | Door, wall, over a mirror |
| 6. Cranberry candle jars | 10 minutes | $ | Dining table, kitchen island |
| 7. Felt ball garland | 40 minutes | $$ | Mantel, shelf, window frame |
| 8. Framed vintage book page | 15 minutes | $ | Wall, bookshelf, dresser |
| 9. Twig stars | 20 minutes each | $ | Tree, window, gift topper |
| 10. Popcorn and cranberry garland | 45 minutes | $ | Tree, banister, bookcase |
10 easy DIY Christmas decorations to make in an afternoon
These are easy Christmas crafts for adults: DIY Christmas decor that looks at home with a Christmas tree or without one. Every idea says what you need, how long it takes and where it goes. If you want a longer garland project after this, our Christmas garland guide covers how much you need for a small home.
1. Put evergreen clippings in glass jars
This is the fastest festive decoration there is. Cut a handful of fir, cedar, pine or boxwood tips about 8 inches long, strip the needles off the bottom 2 inches, and stand them in water in a jar. Three or four jars in a row, each a little different in height, look like a plan. The greens are cheap or free: the bottom branches you trim off your own tree, trimmings from a tree lot if you ask, or a bag of cut greens from the grocery store.
You need: clean glass jars, such as these wide mouth pint mason jars (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., which come as a pack of three. Jam jars and pasta sauce jars work just as well. Time: 10 minutes. Cost: $.
Change the water every few days and the greens stay fresh for several weeks in a cool room. Our guide to indoor Christmas greenery that lasts covers which kinds hold up best. If your garland is faux, snip a few tips off the end and use those in the jars. They never dry out.
2. Make paper star lanterns
A plain jar becomes a lantern when light comes through stars punched in paper. Cut a strip of craft paper or kraft paper as tall as your jar and long enough to wrap around it once with an inch to spare. Draw three or four stars on it in pencil. Lay the strip on a folded towel and poke along the pencil lines with a push pin or a nail, holes about a quarter inch apart. Wrap the strip around the jar, tape the seam on the back, and drop in a battery tea light.
You need: a jar, craft paper, a push pin, tape, and a pack of 30 flickering white LED tea lights (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., which are battery powered with the batteries included. Time: 30 minutes for three lanterns. Cost: $.
Brown paper glows warm and white paper glows softer. These look good in a row on a windowsill, on the stairs, or beside a Christmas village on a shelf. If you would rather cut than punch, tape a paper snowflake to the outside of the jar instead.
3. Tie cinnamon stick bundles
Take six to eight cinnamon sticks, line them up even at the bottom, and tie them tight around the middle with twine. Tuck in a bay leaf or a small sprig of cedar and tie a bow on top. That is the whole project, and the kitchen smells like Christmas the minute you finish.
Use bundles as the ribbon on a jar of greens, a wrap around a pillar candle, a napkin tie, or a tag on a Christmas gift. Hang one from a doorknob or the kitchen cabinet pull.
You need: a 7 ounce bag of 3 inch cinnamon sticks (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., which holds 36 to 44 sticks, and natural jute twine (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., a 2 mm roll that will last you through every craft this winter. Time: 10 minutes for several. Cost: $.
The scent fades after a few weeks. Rub a stick between your fingers to wake it up, or drop the bundle into a pot when it is tired. Our simmer pot recipes put the same sticks to work.
4. Bake salt dough ornaments
Salt dough is flour, salt and water, and it is the old standard for homemade Christmas ornaments. Food Network’s version uses 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup kosher salt and 1 cup warm water. Stir to a sticky dough, knead on a floured counter for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth, and roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes, poke a hole at the top with a drinking straw, and bake at 300 degrees F for about an hour, until hard and the bottoms are golden. Cool them completely, then thread twine through.
Stars, trees, a snowman and a candy cane are the easy shapes. Leave them plain white for a Scandinavian look, or press a pinch of cinnamon in with the flour, or paint them. Air-dry clay works the same way without the oven if you would rather skip the baking.
You need: flour, salt, a rolling pin, a set of 15 mini metal Christmas cookie cutters (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., and twine. Time: about 1 hour 30 minutes including baking. Cost: $.
They make good Christmas tree decorations. You can also tie one ornament to each Christmas gift as a homemade gift tag, string them in a window, or hang numbered ones from a branch as a simple advent calendar. Keep them dry and wrapped in tissue between seasons and they last for years.
5. Build a twig wreath
A Christmas wreath does not need a wreath form from the craft store. Take a 10 inch embroidery hoop and wrap fallen twigs around it in one direction, tying them on with twine or thin floral wire as you go, until the hoop is mostly hidden. Tuck a few evergreen tips into the twine and hot glue them in place with a glue gun. Add a red berry sprig if you have one, and a loop of twine to hang it.
You need: a 10 inch bamboo embroidery hoop (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure., sold as a set of two, so you get a second wreath for the back door, plus twigs from the yard and twine. Time: 45 minutes. Cost: $.
It hangs on a removable hook on the front door, over a mirror, or on the wall above a table. It is light enough for a renter’s door with no nail.
6. Fill a jar with fresh cranberries
Fill a clear jar or glass vase about two-thirds full with fresh cranberries, set a battery tea light on top, and tuck a sprig of cedar or fresh rosemary down the side. That is a candle holder, a centerpiece and the reddest thing in the room for the price of one bag of berries. Make three and group them on a tray at different heights.
You need: a jar, one bag of fresh cranberries, a flameless tea light and an evergreen sprig. Time: 10 minutes. Cost: $.
Fresh berries stay plump for about two weeks in a cool room, then start to wrinkle. Swap them for a new bag, or drop the old ones in a pot and make sauce. More table ideas are in our guide to Christmas centerpiece ideas.
7. Thread a felt ball garland
Felt balls are small wool balls, sold as felt pom-poms or wool beads. Thread a big-eyed needle with twine or a length of yarn, push it through the center of each ball, and slide the balls along with a little space between them. A knot after every third ball keeps them from sliding into a clump.
A 2 cm felt ball is about 0.8 inch across, so a solid 5 foot garland takes roughly 75 balls. Space them out and you use about half. This bag of 2 cm wool felt balls (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure. comes in assorted colors, so pull out the ones you like. Cream, gray and sage green read as calm. Red and green is more traditional.
Time: 40 minutes. Cost: $$.
Drape it on a mantel, along a shelf edge or around a window frame. Hang it in a loose swag, not pulled tight. Our garland guide has more ways to hang one.
8. Frame a vintage book page
Find an old hymnal, a book of Christmas carols or a stack of sheet music at a thrift store, and slip out one page with a carol on it. Or print the words of a public domain carol such as Silent Night or O Little Town of Bethlehem on plain paper and wipe it lightly with strong black tea to age it, then let it dry flat. Put it in a thrifted frame, with a pressed leaf or a dried flower tucked behind the glass if you like.
You need: one book page or printed paper, strong brewed tea, a frame. Time: 15 minutes, plus drying. Cost: $.
It has a vintage Christmas look, and it goes on a wall, on a bookshelf, or leaning on a dresser. Of the ten, this one is the easiest to leave up into January.
9. Make twig stars
Pick five straight twigs of about the same length, around 8 inches. Lay them in a star shape before you trim anything, and adjust until the proportions look right. Then glue each crossing with hot glue or another strong craft adhesive and wrap the joints with thin twine to hold them. Add a loop of twine at one point to hang it. Each star takes about 20 minutes, and the uneven bark is the charm.
You need: twigs, a glue gun, twine. Cost: $.
Hang one on the tree, in a window, from a curtain rod, or tie one to a gift as a topper. A group of three in different sizes on a wall looks like a gallery. Add a small conifer cone or a short evergreen tip at the center if you want a bit more.
10. String a popcorn and cranberry garland
The old farmhouse garland still works. Pop plain popcorn (no butter or salt) a day ahead, because stale popcorn is less likely to crumble. Thread a sturdy needle with a long piece of strong thread, such as quilting thread, and push through one piece of popcorn, then one cranberry, and keep going. Fresh cranberries should be firm. Tie off both ends.
You need: plain popcorn, fresh cranberries, a needle, strong thread. Time: 45 minutes. Cost: $.
A child can thread the popcorn while an adult handles the needle. Hang it on the tree, down the banister or across a bookcase. Keep it indoors for a week or two, and after Christmas it can go outside for the birds as long as the popcorn was plain.
How do you make Christmas decorations cheaply?
Holiday decor does not have to cost much. Start with what is free: twigs, pinecones, evergreen trimmings and the bottom branches off your tree. Blesser House suggests clipping pine and cedar branches where you have permission, shopping thrift stores year round for frames, bowls and candle holders, and buying candles and ornaments at the dollar store. A dollar store such as Dollar Tree is a good place to look for jars, twine and candles. Our dried orange garland is another cheap one, made with oranges, jute twine and a few cinnamon sticks.
A sensible budget plan is to pick one cheap material, such as jars, and use it in three ways: evergreen in one, a lantern in another, cranberries in the third.
Are these easy DIY Christmas decorations for adults or kids?
They are made for adults, and the finished handmade decorations look like home decor, not school crafts. Several still work as a shared project. Children enjoy pressing cookie cutters into dough, picking the felt ball colors and threading popcorn with an adult nearby. For younger kids, Google’s AI Overview points to pinecone owls made with cotton balls and felt scraps, a simple craft with a pinecone, glue and a few felt bits.
Where do homemade Christmas decorations go?
Think in terms of the place you already look at:
- Fireplace mantel: jars of evergreen, a felt ball garland, a cinnamon stick bundle on a candle.
- Dining room table: cranberry jars on a tray, or paper lanterns down the middle of a Christmas table.
- Entry table: a jar of greens and a book page, framed.
- Windows: lanterns on the sill, twig stars on twine.
- Front door: the twig wreath.
- Tree and gifts: salt dough and twig stars.
What are the easiest paper Christmas decorations?
The simplest paper crafts are paper snowflakes, paper chains cut from leftover wrapping paper, and the punched lantern in idea 2. Gathered rounds up 21 easy paper decorations, from origami stars and honeycomb ornaments to a paper garland. A vintage option is the book page in idea 8, or sheet music cut into paper ornaments. All you need is paper, scissors, glue and a few minutes. Leave the glitter out and the paper looks cleaner.
How long do homemade Christmas decorations last?
It depends on what they are made of:
- Salt dough, twig stars and paper: years, if stored dry in tissue.
- Cinnamon bundles: the shape lasts for years, the scent for a few weeks.
- Evergreen in water: two to three weeks.
- Fresh cranberries: about two weeks.
- Popcorn garland: a week or two indoors.
Salt dough and popcorn are tempting to dogs, and holly and yew are best kept out of reach of pets, so hang those up high if you have an animal that chews.
Can you make easy DIY Christmas decorations for outside?
Yes, with the right ones. The twig wreath hangs fine on a porch door that stays out of the rain. Jars of evergreen on a step stay fresh in cold weather. Leave the paper lanterns inside, because paper goes soft in damp air. After Christmas, a plain popcorn garland can go on an outdoor tree for the birds.
What to buy
The products from above, in one place. Check sizes and counts on each listing before you order.
- Wide mouth pint mason jars, pack of three: Ball jars with lids and bands (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Flickering LED tea lights, 30 pieces: white, battery powered (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Cinnamon sticks, 7 ounce bag: 3 inch sticks (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Natural jute twine, 2 mm: 1100 feet (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Mini Christmas cookie cutters, 15 pieces: metal holiday shapes (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Bamboo embroidery hoops, 10 inch, set of two: round hoops (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
- Wool felt balls, 2 cm: assorted colors (opens Amazon in a new tab)As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
What to read next
- Dried orange garland is the one idea we left out of this list because it has its own page.
- Simmer pot recipes for Christmas and winter uses cinnamon sticks and orange peel.
- Indoor Christmas greenery that lasts helps with the jars in idea 1.
- Christmas garland ideas for a small home covers lengths and where to hang them.
- Christmas centerpiece ideas has more Christmas ideas for the dining table.
