You don’t have to spend a lot of money on store bought holiday decorations to make a stunning impact with your seasonal displays. Paper and string come to life with a little patience and imagination. There’s just something about a handmade decoration that adds homespun warmth and elegance during the holiday season. Create a timeless keepsake creation from your bits and pieces with these enchanting decorating ideas.
Paper Ball Garland
Fold, crease, cut and glue yourself to a pretty little DIY garland. String up a crafty chain of handmade paper balls to add a festive touch to your celebration. Choose a traditional holiday color scheme or throw together a random selection of beautiful colors for a festive appeal.
Creative Crepe Creations
A tiny treasure trove of mini boxes adds an appealing touch when it’s strung together to create a colorful garland or used as an accent on a miniature tree. Save those tiny snack boxes and wrap them in crepe paper to instantly create the look of a holiday surprise. Tie with some holiday ribbon or shiny sting to add excitement to those tiny “mystery” boxes.
Paper Ribbon Candy
Like a candy dish on Grandma’s coffee table, this graceful look of ribbon candy gives you a nostalgic taste of the past. Shimmery strips of paper and a handful of beads come together to create a charming vintage decoration for your holiday tree.
Snowman Countdown
Repurpose your discarded paper tubes into a frosty friend to help you count down the 25 days until Santa’s arrival. Cut, paint and loop together to create a chain of holiday charm. Add a top hat and happy expression to bring your project to life.
Advent Adventure
Create a primitive village of holiday enchantment using a cottage template or cutting machine. Nestle twenty five tiny structures amongst a background of greenery to evoke the feel of a tiny hamlet of seasonal delight. Number the houses and place a tiny treat or scripture verse inside each to celebrate the days of waiting this Yuletide season.
Paper Vintage Light Garland
A vintage inspired creation of paper lights strung across a vintage window pane adds a primitive bit of country charm to your home this Christmas season. The detail of this handcrafted creation adds a delightful accent using rich colors and a nostalgic.
Felt Snowflake Garland
Drape your home with the wintry appeal of an intricate snowflake garland. Gracefully fashioned from felt and attached to a crisp white strand of ric-rac, this handmade bit of seasonal beauty will add festive charm all through the winter.
Glory Garland
Colors and patterns partner together in a fanciful geometric inspired garland of bliss. Put that pile of colorful paper you’ve been saving to good use with this easy cut and string project. Simple patterns of circular shapes in various diameters brings this little beauty to life.
Paper Snowflake Sensation
Create your very own snowstorm with a collection of paper snowflakes and a bit of clear fishing line. Use your own style to fold and cut snowflakes of various sizes and designs and then string them together to create a floating effect as they hang from the ceiling.
Winter Woodland Wonder
Using a template or cutting machine, create this masterful 3-layer work of art illuminated with a flameless tea light. Tucked under a glass globe, this DIY project would make a beautiful handmade gift for someone special in your life.
Christmas Cone Trees
Easily fashion your own whimsical winter forest from simple and inexpensive craft supplies you may already have laying around your home. A painted spool and wooden dowel create the backbone for a delightful cone-shaped holiday tree. Use various paper designs for a playful collection.
Lovely Layered Look
Breathe new life into an old favorite with this layered paper concept. Like feathers on a bird, the layering effect of paper circles creates a stunning effect. Consider using pages from outdated botanical catalogs for an especially lovely effect.
Paper Tube Rudolph
Everybody’s favorite reindeer makes an appearance with this easy economical Christmas craft. Fashioned from a paper tube and artfully cut into a reindeer image, this happy little guy will give a merry appearance to your playful holiday décor.
Folded Fancies
These foldable handmade ornaments slide open and closed on a fancy string,giving your welcoming Christmas décor a timeless handcrafted feel. Created in sections and joined together, these ornaments lay flat when folded and store beautifully from one holiday to the next.
Teardrop ornaments
Pull out that scrapbooking paper and a pair of scissors to whip up this charming teardrop shaped ornament. One inch strips of paper come together with precision to give a timeless look to your holiday tree.
Pretty Paper Cone Wreath
It’s hard to believe something this beautiful is made from practical items you probably already have. A cardboard frame provides a sturdy base on which rolled paper cones are nestled together in a delightfully simple and classic wreath. Choose natural hues or give your wreath some pizazz with a palette of colorful hues.
Paper Roll Wreath
Simple enough that even a child can make it, this paper tube wreath will bring a smile as your guests admire the youthful work of busy fingers. Sectioned paper tubes painted and connected to form a wreath is hung on a festive holiday door giving it childlike appeal.
Tissue Paper Sun Catcher
Let the winter sun illuminate your windows in colorful splendor with this kid friendly Christmas craft. A black frame in whatever image you choose supports a colorful array of tissue paper scraps to give a stained glass effect to this handmade treasure.
Woven star ornament
Glue, weave, bend and glue again to create this amazing holiday ornament. Two sided paper makes this design brim with contemporary style. Add a personal touch with a center embellishment.
Paper Plate Laced Holiday Tree
Busy fingers will giggle with joy as they see their Christmas creation come to life. A simple supply of common items joined together with love will create a timeless treasure to be cherished forever.
Merry Melody
Give your décor a merry musical touch with these 3 dimensional ornaments fashioned from old sheet music. Layered pages are cut and attached together to give depth. Easily folded flat for storage and plumped back out for reuse, these user friendly trimmings have classic appeal.
Rolled Paper Ornaments
A novel decorating idea takes root in this rolled paper holiday ornament. Choose you color scheme and roll the cut strips of paper with care to bring life to this handcrafted jewel.
Spiral Tree
Turn a flat square of green paper into a moving holiday tree with a pair of scissors. Add some sparkling glitter accents and top it with a star. Make a collection of trees and hang from a ceiling fan to create a moving tribute to the holiday season.
3D Paper Balls
A flower shaped template or cutting machine works a bit of magic as this holiday ornament comes together. Try using foil paper to create a magical look that will glimmer in the glow of holiday lights.
Symbol of the Season
This little origami masterpiece is folded with precision to create a universal symbol of the Christmas season. Topped with a golden star, this tree contains 25 miniature compartments that could be used in to count down the days of the advent season.
Nesting Beauty
Simple circles are cut and glued to create a nesting effect with this ornament. Select paper that evokes a holiday feel or choose to accent you décor with a specific color palette. Sprinkle with glitter or adorn with sequins to add some holiday sparkle.
Rustic Holiday Wreath
A series of rolled paper cones dazzle and delight on this seasonal wreath. Choose a selection your favorite paper and get busy creating a bit of homespun elegance for your door. Choose a natural element such as pine cones or sea shells to create a focal point.