Decorating & Design
From The Archives: Our Best DIY Holiday Decorating Ideas
Updated on November 13, 2024
The countdown to the holidays has officially begun! One of our favorite ways to celebrate the season is by filling our homes with handmade decorations. From wreaths and garlands to stylish and unique gift-wrapping ideas, click through for our best holiday crafts from the archives.
Striped Tapers
Group these colorful candles on a table or mantel for a soft glow with graphic appeal.
Here’s how to make these striped tapers.
Rickrack Napkins
Give your linens a fun holiday spin with rickrack ribbon — no sewing required.
Here are the directions and all the materials you’ll need for these rickrack napkins.
Fresh and Dried Flower Wreath
Using dried flowers as well as fresh means this wreath can last for weeks. This wreath also mixes up traditional colors in favour of pops of playful brights.
Get the directions and materials for this dried flower wreath.
Decoupage Cocktail Trail
Create a custom tray to serve holiday cocktails using this clever decoupage technique that uses gift wrap.
Here are the directions for this decoupage tray.
Clay Tabletop Trees
This is a fun project for kids. These clay trees are graphic and modern alternatives to bottlebrush and serve as graphic centerpieces, or line them up on a mantel.
Here are the directions for this DIY clay tree.
Korean-style Fabric Wrapping
A gift wrapped with a bojagi (traditional Korean wrapping cloth) is a sustainable alternative to using paper.
Watch our video here to learn these easy steps!
Infused Ice Cubes
These simple ice cubes look festive on your drinks tray. Small berries such as currants, raspberries, cranberries and pomegranates, sprigs of rosemary or thyme and calendula flowers are colorful and luscious.
Learn how to make these infused icecubes here.
Fresh & Faux Wreath
Making your own wreath is easy and fun! This one includes fresh greenery and faux winter florals for a look that feels elegant yet moody.
Learn how to make our Fresh & Faux Wreath.
Colorful Paper Bag Stars
Bring some merry to your windows this holiday with a heavenly group of paper bag stars.
Learn how to make our Colorful Paper Bag Stars.
Felt Leaf Garland
A felt garland — rather than the expected swag of greenery — feels fresh and new for the holidays.
Learn how to make our Felt Leaf Garland.
Holiday Card Tree & Hanukkah Candle Gift Bags
Finally — a good-looking place to display all those holiday cards! Place gift bags with candle cut outs beneath this tree’s towering branches to further glow up your festive decorating.
Learn how to make our Holiday Card Tree & Hanukkah Candle Gift Bags.
Marbled Holiday Crackers
Get the look of high-end Florentine marbled paper using shaving cream and acrylic paint.
Learn how to make our Marbled Holiday Crackers.
Dip-Dyed Gift Wrap
It’s so easy to transform plain paper into artful gift wrap. Simply grab some rubber gloves and powder dye, and get dippin’!
Learn how to make our Dip-Dyed Gift Wrap.
Seasonal Centerpiece
Shine a light on your table this season with a festive centerpiece. Add a ring of pomegranates — a symbol of good luck and abundance — to the mix for an extra rich holiday look.
Learn how to make our Seasonal Centerpiece.
Ombré Wood Block Menorah
Wood blocks dipped in a tranquil shade of blue make a lovely menorah when placed en masse.
Learn how to make our Ombré Wood Block Menorah.
Salt Dough Ornaments
Pantry staples and holiday spices (read: star anise seed pods) are the key ingredients you’ll need to make a batch of these charming handmade ornaments.
Learn how to make our Salt Dough Ornaments.
Wintry Lanterns
Glowy lanterns filled with miniature houses, bottle brush trees and snow (read: cotton batting) are sure to make the season bright.
Learn how to make our Wintry Lanterns.
Flower Tree Advent Calendar
Trade your traditional Christmas count-down calendar for a unique flower tree version. This pretty project doubles as a festive decoration for any tabletop.
Learn how to make our Flower Tree Advent Calendar.
Wrapping Paper Kirigami Bows
Don’t know what to do with all of your wrapping paper scraps? Turn them into kirigami bows — it’s an origami technique that involves cutting and folding paper.
Learn how to make our Wrapping Paper Kirigami Bows.
Elegant Gift Wrap
Turn ordinary presents into haute gifts by wrapping them in tissue or scraps of solid-colored fabric you have laying around the house.
Learn how to make our Elegant Gift Wrap.
Custom Christmas Crackers
Introducing a sweet, stylish and simple project to personalize those crackers everyone loves opening on Christmas day.
Learn how to make our Custom Christmas Crackers.
Reusable Hanukkah Crackers
Add a sense of richness to the holiday table with luxe velvet crackers.
Learn how to make them here.
Paper Concertina Wreath
Create a fresh take on a classic holiday wreath with this clever paper craft.
Get the directions for the wreath here.
Holiday Posy & Tassel and Bell Garland
Deck the halls with these easy-to-assemble embellishments.
See how to make them here.
Holiday Paper Ornaments
These lightweight paper ornaments are perfect for displaying on a mantel, and you can customize the color to your holiday palette.
Get the instructions for paper ornaments here.
Calendar Gift Wrap
Instead of buying new holiday paper, wrap your presents with images from your 2021 calendar.
See how to make this wrap here.
Painted Wooden Ornaments
Create your own one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments by hand painting wooden ones from craft stores.
Get directions for the ornaments here.
Waxed Pinecone Name Card Holders
Set your dining table with organic name card holders with pinecones gathered on a snowy winter walk.
Get the instructions here.
Pinecone Swag
Add some subtle cheer with this fun craft that kids can help with.
The directions are here.
Felt Napkin Holder
This tree-shaped napkin holder is a rustic way to anchor a napkin. Tuck in a twig of berries for extra color.
Find out how to make it here.
Nut Garland
Create a natural garland that can be used year after year.
Click here for instructions.
Treat Cones
Use cardstock, old calendars or wallpaper ends to make these festive treat swags and fill them with goodies.
Here is how to make them!
Holiday Simmers
Capture the aroma of pure Christmas with this recipe.
Find all the ingredients here.
Creative Gift Wrap
This season, give presents that are just as thoughtfully wrapped as they are picked. Personalizing gifts is as simple as putting paint brush to paper or decorating gift wrap with cutouts of seasonal greenery.
Learn how to make our Creative Gift Wrap.
Georgian-Inspired Mirror Wreath
Add festive charm to a mirror with a Georgian-inspired wreath overlay. It offers an old world look thats elegant enough to be hung anywhere, from the front hall to the dining room.
Learn how to make our Georgian-Inspired Mirror Wreath.
Dried Orange Ornaments
Deck the halls with dried orange slices this holiday season! In Graham Kechnie and Andraya Frith’s old stone house, the citrus fruit is used to make ornaments for their Douglas fir.
Learn how to make Dried Orange Ornaments.
Dried Orange Garland
And in their master bedroom, a garland made from dried oranges decks out the fireplace.
Learn how to make a Dried Orange Garland.
Natural Christmas Wreaths
Dress up windows (or doors) with a more natural, homemade wreath made from berries, pinecones and evergreen bough.
Learn how to make Natural Christmas Wreaths.
Custom Christmas Crackers
Celebratory crackers are a must during the holidays! Play around with the different patterns to suit your home’s holiday palette.
Learn how to make Custom Christmas Crackers.
Gilded Leaves
Instead of splurging on a centerpiece, make your own using faux-aged glass bottles, paired with spray-painted leaves and branches for a touch of metallic glam.
Learn how to make Gilded Leaves.
Paper Gift Toppers
Skip the predictable bow in favor of intricate paper toppers, like this spiky star and 3-D paper ball.
Learn how to make Paper Gift Toppers.
Paper Cone Party Favors
Everyone loves a party favors. Fill cones with candy and keep them on a tray by the front door to give to guests as they leave.
Learn how to make Paper Cone Party Favors.
Christmas Card Garland
Instead of stowing Christmas cards away, show them off by clipping them to a clothespin.
Learn how to make our Christmas Card Garland.