Holiday

18 DIY holiday decorating projects for that homemade feel

Ideas for trimming the tree, styling a stellar dinner party tablescape, making wintry wreaths and more.

Ideas for trimming the tree, styling a stellar dinner party tablescape, making wintry wreaths and more

Left: 3 knitted stockings hanging from a fireplace mantel; Right: A hand reaches in to light a taper candle on a table set for dinner. The centrepiece is made of sugared fruit.
(Photo, left: Lady Hayes; right: Cindy Chau)

Homemade decorations, no matter how imperfect, can have the loveliest effect when you're decking your halls. We're drawn to all the glittery, quirky, cosy pieces that have lots of personality.

We've curated a collection of our festive DIY projects from recent years. Below you'll find easy-to-follow instructions for making ornaments, stockings, wreaths, bundles of winter greenery and much more. Some projects come together quickly, and are perfect for when you only have a few spare moments, while others are great for tackling on a blustery day when you've got more time to indulge in the holiday vibes. 

We've also included clever ideas to transform everyday grocery store items into adorable decorations. Plus, if you're planning to host a dinner party, our stunning styling ideas for tablescapes will wow your guests. So plug in your glue guns, turn on your favourite holiday movie (perhaps one that will inspire your decorating) and enjoy an evening of crafting.

Food garland, 3 ways 

A fireplace mantel decorated for Christmas with three strings of garland made of popcorn, cinnamon sticks and cranberries.
(Photography by Rachel Simpson)

DIY stockings

A fireplace mantel with three knitted stockings hanging from it.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

A winter greenery chandelier 

A DIY chandelier hanging from a bedroom ceiling. It's made of greenery hanging upside down and the top is lined with Christmas lights.

A chestnut centrepiece

Left: A coffee table with a centrepiece made of chestnuts. Red carnations are in bud vases throughout a platter of chestnuts. Right: Overhead shot of the centrepiece.
(Photography by Rachel Simpson)

A Victorian tablescape from Steven Sabados

Steven Sabados standing behind a dining table decorated with greenery, red velvet, fruit and lit candles.
(Photography by David Bagosy)

3 tablescape designs for under $25

A sugared fruit centrepiece that's a scene-stealing still life

a table with a white tablecloth on it. sugared fruit sits in the centre as a centrepiece, along with taper candles in old wine bottles. a hand holding chopsticks is reaching into one of the dishes on the table.
(Photography by Cindy Chau; styling by Cindy Chau and Denny Ancheta)

A winter wonderland design that combines fresh and faux elements 

overhead shot of a wooden dinner table with 6 place settings. evergreen branches and silver pinecones, pomegranates and candles are in the middle of the table as a table runner. on top of each white plate is a silver twig wreath and the front of a gingerbread house with white icing.
(Photography by Debi Traub)

A clementine design that's pretty as a present

two images of the same table decorated for a dinner party. left: closeup on a centrepiece of small turquoise bud vases with dried florals in them, next to Christmas tree ornaments painted orange to look like clementines, on top of an orange floral tablecloth. right: a closeup on the place setting on the same table. A white cloth napkin sits on a black plate on top of a round placemat with pom poms.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

A 4-step upcycled centrepiece

Overhead shot of a table decorated with a white lace tablecloth and white dishes. The centrepiece is made of pink candle holders, white tapers, winter greenery and clementines.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

An aromatic shower bouquet 

two illustrations on a white background. left: a bouquet of eucalyptus, juniper branches and other fragrant greenery in brown paper wrapping. right: a claw-foot tub with bubbles in it. water is flowing from a shower head. a bundle of greenery is wrapped around the top of the shower head.
(Illustration: Katie Flohr)

A fully foraged holiday sunburst wreath

A wreath made of small sticks glued to a wreath form. The bottom half is decorated with greenery, a ribbon bow and pine cones.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Magical winterland terrariums

YouTuber ALB standing in front of a DIY holiday terrarium made with a glass cloche and pastel trees inside it.

A no-sew DIY table runner

A dinner table set with a white tablerunner that has a fringe detail and floral appliqué patches on it.
(Photography by Wade Muir)

A candy cane vase

A bouquet of red carnations in a vase that is decorated with red and white candy canes around it.
(Photography by Rachel Simpson)

A faux floral wreath

A holiday wreath made with faux eucalyptus, light pink and white flowers, and gold accents.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Outdoor urns made with evergreen or everlasting materials

2 holiday planters made with real and faux greenery and florals.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

Little world ornaments

Canadian YouTuber ALB holding a homemade Christmas tree ball that is painted light green and has mini deer and trees inside.

DIY charger plates

A white plate on a table set for the holidays. The plate is on a charger plate that has mini candy canes and purple, blue and silver decorations glued around the edge.
(Photography by Lady Hayes)

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