Christmas is a wonderful time of the year. Not only do we get to spend time with our loved ones and enjoy a well-deserved break, but the delightful decorations and presents liven up the spirit even more. If you’re wanting to brighten up the holiday period with some different activities or thinking of gifting a present that is personalised and different, Christmas DIY is the way to go!

There are endless options and possibilities when it comes to Christmas DIY. Here are a couple of our favourites.

Christmas ornaments

Christmas ornaments come in all shapes and sizes but making them yourself can make them even more special than they already are. They can be made from all manners of materials, but we recommend trying cardboard or coloured paper! Use paper or cardboard to cut out shapes such as stars, Christmas trees, or even angels. You can then use some glue and ribbon to create a loop and hang it on your tree. For the more adventurous crafter, there are plenty of more detailed paper designs that can be used to create ornaments, such as this one. Another added benefit of these style of ornaments is that paper and cardboard are smash proof, making these the perfect addition to any tree with younger children or pets around. No more cat-proofing or baby-proofing the tree! Try adding some paint, glitter glue, stickers, or other materials to make the handmade ornaments truly unique and special.

Christmas cards

Perhaps one of the most popular forms of Christmas DIY are Christmas cards, as they are very easy to make yourself and they can be as simple or as detailed as you would like. Try printing your own images and using these for the cards or sticking them inside the front cover of an existing card. This can be wonderful to give a personalised message to a loved one with an image of something special inside.

Candy cane decorations

Candy canes are not only a sweet treat but can be great to decorate with as well. They can be glued together to make Christmas tree ornaments, arranged to be a Christmas wreath, used as table decorations for Christmas dinner, or even made into fun decorative items such as candy cane sleighs. Candy canes come in lots of different shapes and sizes, meaning the possibilities of this DIY are never ending! If you need some inspiration for this Christmas craft, here are some ideas to get those creative ideas flowing.

Snow globes

This DIY is a great option for decorations but also as a unique and exciting gift. A snow globe is always exciting around Christmas time, but a personalised one made with love is even better. You can customise everything from the shape of the jar, the type of glitter (or ‘snow’), the scene inside the jar, and even how the ‘snow’ falls! If you haven’t made a snow globe before, here are some very simple steps to achieving this DIY:

1.     Gather the necessities: a jar, glitter, glue, decorations for inside the jar, water, and most importantly- glycerin. Glycerin is the key ingredient, that when added to the water inside the globe, will make the water thicker and create the illusion of the snow ‘falling’. If you don’t have access to glycerin, PVA craft glue can do in a pinch.

2.     Start by gluing the decorations inside the jar lid. These will be the centre of the snow globe, so take your time and try and personalise them if you’re giving it as a gift!

3.     Fill the jar with water, add a few drops of glycerin or glue (add more or less depending on how thick you want the water to be), and 1-2 teaspoons of glitter. Stir the mixture to make sure it’s all incorporated fully.

4.     Screw the lid of the jar on and flip the jar over. It’s as easy as that! If you’re concerned about the jar leaking or it being opened, you can glue the lid in place to prevent this.

5.     That’s it! You’ve made a wonderful DIY snow globe. Keep it as a Christmas decoration, or gift it as a wonderful homemade present.

These Christmas DIYs are a fun, easy, and inexpensive way to get into the Christmas spirit. They can be done in your own time, or with friends or family as an activity for everyone! Give some of these ideas a try, or let your creative juices go wild and explore the endless possibilities of Christmas DIY this holiday season.