Christmas Cheer Starts at Home with DIY Seasonal Decorations

Christmas is a time for family, friends, good food and festive cheer. One of the less welcome guests at any Christmas gathering is the expense which can be associated with paying for our yuletide indulgence[i]. It is all too easy to get carried away with holiday purchases, not least the investment required to transform our homes into a suitable Christmas backdrop[ii]. Setting the scene at home is an important part of Christmas for many families, and as with any aspect of interior décor there is often a desire to update and refresh the household Christmas image. Buying into this concept can however become a costly exercise. Today's Christmas decorations are a world away from the holly and ivy basics and have a price tag to match. Thankfully there is an alternative. Homemade decorations provide a personalized approach to Christmas interiors that packs a really festive punch. Using materials already found in many homes and repurposing others wins points from an eco-friendly perspective[iii] and saves money into the bargain. Here we look at a few potential projects which are suitable for even novice crafters.

Winter Wonderland Wine Bottle Vases

If you have a few old wine bottles lying around at home, perhaps waiting to be taken to the recycling depot then this project is ideal. Making a stunning snow themed centerpiece couldn't be simpler using just a few basic items[iv]. Start off by taking three (empty!) wine bottles preferably of differing sizes and covering them in a coat of primer. When they are dry, spray them with craft bond adhesive and roll them in Epsom salts. Place the bottles on a silver platter or plate and spread some Epsom salts around the base of each bottle. Put some foliage (which you could spray silver too) in the bottles and surround with some silver decorative balls or a few votives. This winter stunner is now picture perfect!

Recycled Christmas card Cheer

Banners and bunting make a real style statement at Christmas, but professionally made products can work out pretty but expensive. A cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative is to recycle colorful old Christmas cards to make an eye catching garland which the whole family can help create[v]? Simply take a stack of old cards and cut them into whatever shape you like[vi]. Triangular shape is traditional for vintage style garlands but squares or even snowflake shapes look equally good. Draw the shape onto the back of the card - this ensures you get a consistent look- and start cutting. Lay out the card sections in whatever order you think looks best and attach them to some brightly colored string using tape. Display your garland with pride - you might like the result so much you decide to make a few more. This is a labor light project with a stylish, low cost result.

Seaside style

Beaches are a great place to pick up items which can be turned into home décor crafts, including Christmas ornaments. Driftwood and shells may not sound like typical ingredients for a holiday decoration but they really can be. Create an impressive Christmas tree style focal point using a wooden background, pieces of wood and some pretty shells[vii]. Select different sizes of driftwood and assemble them in a Christmas tree shape. Adorn them with shells and stones and attach to an old wooden board - painting it white will make the driftwood really pop. Arrange and affix smaller pieces of wood or a starfish shell into a tree topper shape as a finishing touch.

Cowabunga Christmas

Give your Christmas some turtle power with home- made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tree decorations. With the latest movie fresh in children's minds, this project is so this year. The good news is that you can impress your kids with these in-style tree trimmers with minimal effort and only a handful of items[viii]. Start off by purchasing some plain green tree baubles - most dollar stores will have them. If you can't find any another option is to repaint some old baubles you have at home. Next you'll need some ribbon in assorted colors - again if you have these at home great, otherwise it's back to the dollar store. Cut a length of ribbon for each ornament - it needs to wrap around the bauble with some extra to tie at the join- think ninja mask. If the ribbon is quite thin cut enough to wrap around twice again allowing some extra fabric to make the tying. Use some hot glue to attach the ribbon to the ball. When it's dry, glue on two googly eyes, and your festive turtle decoration is complete.