Christmas is the merriest season of the year but also the most expensive one. Setting up a stunning decorations from outside the house up to the interior and table centerpiece can definitely break one’s budget. Spreading some holiday cheer and making the festive extra special can be as economical as possible by skipping the store-bought decors and investing time in do it yourself (DIY) crafts.
It’s never too late to add Christmas decorations in your home. Aside from making the home look beautiful and attractive, Christmas decors bring the family closer as they work together in coming out with perfect decorating ideas. While some people opt to buy traditional Christmas trees, lights, lanterns, candy canes and snowflakes in stores, there are many ways in making alternatives for these ornaments without cashing out too much. Apart from being practical, DIY crafts are unique and special since it can be customized and personalized.
DIY Christmas tree is a great project. You can pick the size, color and style that will completely complement your home’s interior and personality. For households who have limited spaces, a three-dimensional paper Christmas tree is a great choice. It can be made from cardboards, colored papers, magazines, scratch papers or newspapers, which can be easily finished with spray paint, glitters, stickers, paper cutouts, or anything else you can think of. Posting some of your collections in the wall, such as frames, souvenirs and colorful buttons, and form it as a tree is also a good choice for small homes as it does not occupy any space on the flooring.
For book lovers who want to exhibit their collection, DIY Christmas tree made from stacks of books can be considered. The good thing about this is you can attempt to build a massive and tall tree as much as you can and arrange the books by colors and sizes. Putting a star on top and some traditional decors around the tree can make it more appealing. If you are worried about its stability, you can simply pick up some books with green cover and stack them on the bookshelf from largest to smallest, and top it with a star.
For people who always want to put a natural element in their craft, a sturdy tree branch can be transformed into a Christmas tree. Simply apply a white spray paint and stick it in a transparent glass bottle or any container, then decorate it with Christmas balls and flowers. To make it more personal, you can hang some pictures of your family members or any significant stuff you have collected.
Outdoor decorations are also important as it sets the tone of Christmas and welcomes the visitors as they enter the home. Christmas lanterns can significantly make the ambience merrier but DIY Christmas lanterns that display your personality and creativity can make your home truly exceptional.
DIY Christmas lanterns can be made out of simple materials like mason jar or empty wine bottle. By simply putting a battery-powered LED string lights inside the jar or bottle and artistically knotting at least three of it together can be a great alternative to a lantern. To make it more attractive, you can turn the jar or bottle as the heads of Santa Claus or a Snowman, and add Christmas balls and poinsettia as other elements.
Lanterns made from recycled materials may be the best idea to make a DIY hanging decor. Materials such as plastic bottles, soda cans, cups, spoon and fork can be turned to an elegant masterpiece by combining your imagination and artistry. For instance, the petal shape pieces of plastic spoons can be arranged to form a star or lotus-shape lantern that can be painted with a color that complements your home’s exterior.
For a snowy indoor wall scene, popsicle sticks can be made as snowflakes by arranging the sticks to the desired shapes and covering it with white or any color of the paint that matches your wall. Cute little penguins painted in recycled two-liter bottles can perfectly complement this, together with a Christmas wreath on the door.
On Christmas Eve, the table also deserves a special touch. For a simple yet stunning centerpiece, you can place a three to five square shaped candles in a rectangular serving dish and fill the remaining spaces with cranberries, enhance with a few pine twigs or any available Christmas decor. For a colorful choice, simply fill a bowl with brightly colored balls and place it in a stand covered with green ornaments.
Empty glass bottles can be also used as a centerpiece to radiate a fresh and elegant tablescape. For instance, an assortment of clear or lightly tinted glass bottles filled with small balls and something greenery on top can be artistically arranged on the center, together with pine cones spread around. — Mark Louis F. Ferrolino
