Tis the season once again, or at least it is certainly approaching fast. We all know how expensive the holiday season can be; with gifts and food and travel expenses, it’s a miracle most of us come out of it alive. If you are the one in the neighborhood who has a tendency to revel in the spirit of Christmas by decorating your home Decor for the occasion, you know how costly attractive decorations can be.
Well, here is the solution. Besides the items you regularly use to decorate during the holidays, save a bit of money by refraining from hitting the decoration aisle and making some holiday knick-knacks of your own. Below are five simple do-it-yourself crafts with holiday themes which are easy to do and affordable to make. You will not only be saving money, but you can involve the kids in creating these decorations and make cheerful memories in the process. Enjoy!
Quick & Easy Holiday Decorations
1. Magazine Christmas Tree
What you will need:
- A small magazine with a flat spine; Readers Digest or TV Guide work well.
- Small decorations; beads, small pieces of tinsel, and something for a tree topper.
What to do:
- Remove both the front and back covers of the magazine.
- Take the first page by the upper right-hand corner and fold it left and downward, making sure the edges of the folded page and spine line up.
- Now, take the same page by the new corner on the right, formed when you made the first fold. Make another fold left and downward, lining up the page and spine once again. You will notice a triangular bit of page extending past the bottom of the magazine. Simply fold it upward, creating a flat line on the bottom of the page as well.
- Continue steps 1-3 with the remainder of the pages. Fasten the front page and back page together with transparent tape in a few spots and decorate to please!
2. The Christmas Candy Cane Vase
What you will need:
- A vase or aluminum can that is cylindrical in shape.
- Ribbon; green and red are perfect!
- Candy Canes; get approximately 20 for this project
- Poinsettias
- Craft glue
What to do:
- Glue the candy canes around the vase or can. The vessel you use should be completely covered by the candy cane stems, so make sure it isn’t too tall. Glue the candy so the cane’s hooks face outward.
- Tie your ribbon or ribbons around the candy canes. Paper ribbon is a great addition, as it is easy to curl with a knife or scissors. Before placing the ribbon around the canes, place a few drops of glue on it to secure it to the candy.
- Fill the can about half-full of water. Clip the ends of the poinsettias at an angle and place them in the water. Voila! You have a gorgeous holiday centerpiece!
3. Add a formal touch to your dining arrangement.
What you will need:
- Fabric; any color you desire is fine. You will need one piece per chair for the first part of the project. Each piece should measure approximately 3 x 5 ft. if you have high-back dining chairs; 2 x 4 should work for lower chair backs.
- A contrasting color fabric, which is festive and complementary to your color scheme.
- Any other type of décor you desire, such as glitter, beads, or garland pieces.
- Small safety pins.
What to do:
- Take the larger material pieces and drape them over the back of the dining chair; the material should look like it is simply folded in half. Chair back should be concealed between the folded.
- Take the top corners of the material, and beginning on the left fold the corner down toward the center of the actual seat. Do the same with the right corner. Pin the two corners together from the inside for safety.
- Next, take the next color material, which should measure approximately 9” x 4’. Stand behind the dining chair which you have already draped and proceed to wrap the material around the chair, tying a beautiful bow and securing it safely from the inside with safety pins. Decorate with craft supplies if desired. You have changed the entire look of the dining room to fit the season!
4. “Emergency” Hot Chocolate in a Mug
What you will need:
- A Mason jar glass mug, or similar brand.
- Hot chocolate
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate chips
- Colorful candies
- Straws
What to do:
- Take the handled glass mug and clean and dry it thoroughly.
- Add approximately 2” off the hot chocolate mix, dry, to the mug. Do not add water.
- Now add the colored candies and edible decorations you have chosen to add; cake decorations are perfect! You want to add approximately ½-1” of this candy.
- Top the candy with approximately an inch of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Now fill the mug to the top with marshmallows; stuff them in! Shove a cheerfully colored straw into the mix. Make these delicious treats available to your guest when having a holiday party or hosting Christmas dinner. Just add hot water!
5. The Full-Sized Snowman Wreath
What you need:
- 3 green Christmas wreaths, preferable of varying sizes.
- Christmas themed scarf and matching hat.
- Twigs, or another item, for the arms.
- Use your imagination when bringing your wreath snowman alive by decorating him to suit your pleasure. One creative soul used her doorknocker for the snowman’s face!
What to do:
- Your wreath snowman should basically fit the length of your preferred door. Begin by determining exactly where you want to position your new friend. Place the larger wreath on the bottom, fastening it with wire or even removable hanging devices developed by 3M, which are safe, effective, and affordable. They will not damage your paint or home in any way. The medium sized wreath should top that, and his head will reign supreme on top.
- Add the stick arms to the snowman by determining where you want them and fastening them securely to the wreath with heavy duty crafters glue or a staple gun. Be sure they are positioned the way you want them before securing them to the wreath.
- Now, slide the scarf you have chosen for your a new family member, gently sliding it behind his neck area and tying it loosely, yet securely, about his neck. Do the same with the hat you have chosen. Both items should be secured with a dab of glue, or a staple gun if more security is needed.
- Continue to dress and decorate according to your family’s desires. You have not only engaged your family in quality time, but you now have the priceless memories that came with it. (Not to mention you have an extremely unique holiday piece welcoming in the season!
The spirit of Christmas and the holiday season is what it is really all about. Don’t put yourself into cardiac arrest over preparations. The above ideas will relieve you of much burden and responsibility regarding holiday décor, and you will be blessed with many opportunities to bond with your family as you participate in these activities together.
Happy Holidays to you and yours this season!
