10 DIY Holiday Decorations to Make on a Budget

1. Free Idea: Cut Paper Snowflakes From Scrap Paper

My recycling bin is full of junk mail and old wrapping paper by the first week of December, and I always feel a little guilty tossing it. I also have bare windows that look so plain next to the neighbors’ lights.

So I fold a sheet into a square, then a triangle, snip little shapes along the edges and unfold it. Each one takes about three minutes, and a handful taped to the window looks like a whole display. I do it at the kitchen table with a mug of tea, and it costs nothing.

If a window feels too busy, I tape them in a single row at the same height. It looks planned, even though I cut every one by eye while the kettle was heating up.

2. Free Idea: Wrap a Jar or Can for a Candle Holder

There is always one empty jar in my pantry, and it always ends up in the trash. Then I stand in the living room on a cold night wishing I had one more cozy thing on the shelf.

I rinse the label off, wrap the jar in twine or a strip of old fabric and tie a bow around the neck. Put a tea light or a flameless candle inside and it looks like something from a shop. I make three or four at a time so they sit in a row on the mantel.

I keep the colors to two so the shelf does not look messy. A real flame near twine is a bad idea, so I stick with flameless tea lights and let the jar glow.

3. Free Idea: Gather Pine, Twigs and Cones on a Walk

Real greenery in the store costs more than I want to spend, and it is always sold out by the time I go. I get frustrated paying for something the park has in piles.

On a walk, I pick up fallen pine branches, small pine cones and twigs, and I bring them home in a tote bag. I shake out the bugs outside, then tuck the branches into a vase, a bowl or the top of a door frame. It makes the whole house smell like the season for a few days. Only take what is already on the ground.

I like to group three branches of different heights in a tall jar, and I tuck one small cone at the base. That one handful of greenery makes a whole entry table feel decorated, and I have not spent a dollar yet.

4. Fill Clear Ornaments With Anything You Love

Every year I tell myself I will make my own tree ornaments, and every year the store ones win because I do not know where to start. I want something so simple I cannot mess it up.

This 25 set of 50 clear fillable ornaments has two halves that pop open and snap shut, and the listing says it comes in five sizes. I would fill a few with faux snow, a few with torn kraft paper and a few with tiny pine sprigs. I would fill the first one over a bowl so loose bits do not scatter, and handle them by the edges so fingerprints do not show under the tree lights.

5. Paint Wood Slices Into Gift Tags and Ornaments

I love handwritten gift tags, but my handwriting on flimsy paper never looks right. I want something I can write a name on and tie on with twine.

This 60 pack of blank wood slices gives you 3.5 inch circles, and the listing says it includes jute twine. They are natural wood, so each one looks a little different, which I like for rustic tags. I would sand any rough edge and wipe the surface first, so the paint pens glide instead of skipping.

6. Dress a Grapevine Wreath Form Your Way

Fresh wreaths in the shop cost more than I want to spend, and I never find one that feels like my house. I would rather start with a plain base and add my own touches.

This 18 inch natural grapevine wreath is a plain form, and I would wrap it in ribbon, glue on a few berry picks and hang it on the door. The vines hold glue well. They shed a few little bits, so I would work over an old towel.

7. Tie Wired Ribbon Bows for Wreaths and Windows

A bow on a wreath always looks easy online, and then my bow ends up flat and sad. I need a ribbon with a wire edge that holds its shape while I figure it out.

This red and black buffalo plaid wired ribbon comes as two rolls, and the listing says it is wire edged. I would make one big bow for the wreath and tie smaller ones on the window frame. I would practice one bow first, since wired ribbon takes a try or two, and cut the tails in a V shape so the ends look finished.

8. Draw Holiday Designs With Acrylic Paint Pens

I can draw a decent snowflake on paper, but regular markers slide right off wood and plastic. I want a color that stays put.

This 24 color acrylic paint pen set has dual tips, so I would use the fine tip for names and the brush tip for fills. I would write names on the wood slices and draw stars on the clear ornaments. I would shake each pen and test on scrap paper, then let each coat dry before I layer a new color.

9. Shape Air Dry Clay Into Ornaments, No Oven

I want to make clay ornaments, but I do not own a kiln, and my oven is already full on baking day. I need clay that dries on its own.

This 500 gram block of white air dry clay needs no oven. I would roll it out, press a cookie cutter, poke a hole for string and let it dry for a day or two. I would plan this one early in November, then sand it smooth and add color with the paint pens.

10. Add Battery Fairy Lights to Jars and Wreaths

Handmade decor can look a little dim at night, and I do not love trailing cords across my room. I want a soft glow without an outlet.

These battery fairy lights come as a 6 pack of 7 foot copper wire strands with 20 LEDs each. I would curl one strand inside a mason jar, wind another through the wreath and tuck one into a glass ornament. I would tape the battery pack where it hides, behind the wreath or under the jar lid, and keep it within reach for changing batteries.