Deck the Halls

Christmas can be a costly time, so to it’s time to get crafty and get creative

1 HANDMADE ORNAMENTS

Get creative and make your ornaments using paper, felt, or fabric. You can personalise them with photos or hand-painted designs. To make paper ornaments, cut out shapes like stars, snowflakes, or Christmas trees and decorate them with markers, glitter, or stickers. Cut out shapes and sew or glue them together for felt ornaments, adding embellishments like sequins or beads. For fabric ornaments, cut out shapes and sew them together, stuffing them with batting or adding a ribbon for hanging.

2 WREATHS

Use natural materials such as pine cones, berries, and branches to create a unique and festive wreath for your front door. Gather materials from your yard or local park, and attach them with a wire wreath frame or a foam wreath base. You can also use artificial materials such as ribbons, ornaments, or tinsel to create a more colourful or whimsical wreath.

3 GARLAND

String together popcorn, cranberries, or dried citrus slices to create a beautiful and natural garland for your tree or mantle. Pop plain popcorn and thread it onto a needle and string to make popcorn garland. Use a needle and thread to string fresh or frozen cranberries for cranberry garland. For citrus garland, slice oranges or lemons thinly and dry them in the oven before threading them onto a string.

4 MASON JAR LUMINARIES

Use mason jars to create beautiful, cosy luminaries with tea lights or LED candles decorated with holiday-themed silhouettes or stencils. Use a stencil or freehand cut a silhouette out of black paper, tape it to the inside of the jar, and fill it with sand or rocks to stabilise the candle.

5 ADVENT CALENDAR

Make your own advent calendar with envelopes, paper bags, or even repurposed baby food jars. Fill them with small trinkets or treats like candy, stickers, or toys. Number each envelope or jar for each day leading up to Christmas.

6 UPCYCLED DECOR

Turn old sweaters into cosy Christmas stockings, or use old books to create a unique tree topper. To make a sweater stocking, cut out a stocking shape from the sweater, sew it together, and add a ribbon for hanging. To make a book tree topper, fold the pages of a book into a cone shape and decorate with glitter or ornaments.

7 FABRIC BUNTING

Use fabric scraps to create a festive bunting across your mantle or window. Cut out triangles or other shapes from fabric, sew or glue them together onto a ribbon or twine, and decorate with glitter or holiday accents.

8 GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Get the whole family involved in creating a delicious and festive gingerbread house, complete with icing and candy decorations. Use a gingerbread house kit or make your dough from scratch, cut out and assemble the pieces, and decorate with colourful icing and sweet treats.

9 RECYCLED CARDBOARD

Use cardboard to create unique and eco-friendly holiday décor, such as a cardboard Christmas tree or gift boxes. Cut out shapes from cardboard, like a tree or box, and decorate with paint, glitter, or wrapping paper.

10 DIY CANDLES

Create your scented candles with essential oils and natural wax, and decorate them with holiday accents such as cinnamon sticks or dried flowers. Melt wax in a double boiler, add essential oils and dye if desired, and pour into candle moulds. Add accents like cinnamon sticks or dried flowers before the wax hardens.

11 CENTREPIECE

Consider using a combination of candles, ornaments, and greenery to create a beautiful centrepiece. You could also make your place cards using festive paper and glitter.

12 WOOD SLICE DECOR

Use wood slices to create rustic coasters, tree ornaments, or a unique mantlepiece display. Slice branches into thin rounds, sand the edges, and decorate with paint, markers, or woodburning tools.

Craven&ValleyLife Winter 23