In the last minute dash to Christmas, there are gifts to be wrapped, cookies to be made, elves to be placed in compromising positions… So much to do! Part of the fun of Christmas is creating something extraordinary, whether it’s a delicious dessert for the big day, a heartfelt handmade gift, or exciting decorations for the home. I’ve gone and gotten myself the crafting bug this year and have made a few little creations to help keep the holiday season fun, festive, and of course, within budget!
Christmas Chalkboard Sign
Awhile ago, I had a beautiful gold framed mirror. Our cat decided he wasn’t all that fond of the “other” kitty in the mirror and smashed said mirror into tiny pieces. Not wanting to part with my beautiful gold frame, I covered the backing board with self adhesive chalkboard paper (available from Kmart!) and have been using it ever since as a memo board and to display photos. For Christmas, I drew a Christmas sign and added it to my home’s Christmas tree corner!
Bauble Filled Lantern
I had seen a similar idea on Pinterest and decided to re-create it using an old, rusty garden lantern I had lying around. Fill your lantern with baubles and ornaments as well as a set of battery operated twinkle lights for a dazzling Christmas centerpiece! This look can also be recreated using a large glass decorative dish or a clear vase.
Bauble Garland
This stunning idea for a DIY Christmas bauble garland was shared in our Facebook Group: Home Design & Decorating 101 by the lovely Paulette, owner of a fabulous handmade candle and melts store, Enchantingly Scented. Using twine and an assortment of baubles found in her local op-shops, Paulette has made these beautiful garlands that are a perfect fit for hanging over your doorways or using as a centerpiece on your Christmas table – For a truly magical touch, add in a set of battery operated twinkle lights!
Using leftover gift wrap and ribbon…
- Upcycled Tin Cans:
Another simple DIY Christmas decoration for the home! Thoroughly clean out your old tin cans from the kitchen, drying them well. You can use leftover scraps of gift wrap and ribbon to cover them up, paint them or layer some colourful washi-tape on your tin cans to create a festive piece. I’ve used mine to house candy canes! - The North Pole:
Once again, a great way to make use of some leftover bits and pieces after you’ve wrapped your Christmas gifts! I used the cardboard roll from my gift wrap, along with a scrap of leftover gift paper turned over so the white, un-decorated underside of the paper faces out and some red sticky tape. Simply wrap your cardboard tube with a length of leftover gift wrap (with the white side facing out), tape into place on the top and bottom of your tube and wrap red sticky tape (or leftover red gift wrap if you have any!) to form a candy striped “North Pole”! You can use it to create a Christmas sign for your living room (Santa, Please stop here!) or place a red or silver bauble on the top for a more traditional looking North Pole. - Bon-Bon Box:
Simple but fun! Born of my need to use every last scrap of gift wrap, I re-packaged the box our Christmas bon-bons came in, tied a little bow around it and voila!
Christmas Eve Box for Grown-ups
Christmas Eve boxes aren’t just a fun tradition for the little ones. This more grown up Christmas Eve box is filled with lovely things for a relaxing Christmas Eve: I’ve included a mini bottle of something sparkly, a swanky little glass, a mini yearly planner and bath bomb as well as assorted bits and pieces such as lollies, a tea light candle and a mini Christmas bon-bon; The perfect Christmas Gift idea for someone special that you can easily put together in a jiff! You can find even more ideas for grown up Christmas Eve boxes in this blog post.
Brownie in a Jar Christmas Gift
Cost effective, creative and best of all: delicious! Using a microwave safe jar, fill with all the dry ingredients needed and label with the remaining wet ingredients and instructions for your gift’s recipient to follow – Our very decadent chocolate brownie in a mug recipe can be found here and is the perfect fit for this scrumptious gift idea!
We hope you’ve enjoyed our DIY Christmas decorating and gift ideas and would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
For more wonderful ideas for the home, join our Facebook Group: Home Design & Decorating 101!
FURTHER READING:
- Top 6 Alternative Christmas Tree Ideas
- Our Top 6 Christmas Cookie Recipes
- The Best Kmart Christmas Hacks
