How To: Easy DIY Christmas Decorations

Christmas is the best time to get creative and what better way to get crafty than ideas to trim the tree. It’s the perfect at home festive pass time to get the whole family involved, a lovely way to add rustic charm and to personalise your Christmas tree. Here are 3 of our favourite festive ideas to transform your tree to make your home merry and bright.

Salt Dough Ornaments

All you need to make these festive themed shapes is:

4 cups plain flour, 1 cup salt and 1.5 cups water, festive cookie cutters, ribbon, PVA glue and glitter.

1. Mix the flour, salt and water together to make the dough. The mixture should not be sticky, so add more flour if needed.
2. Roll out the dough and cut out your chosen shapes using the cookie cutters.
3. Using a pencil, make a hole towards the top of the shape for threading your ribbon through.
4. Place on a baking sheet and cook at around 100 degrees for about 2 hours. Once baked leave to cool completely.
5. Paint and decorate as you wish. We suggest gluing on sequins, beads or glitter to add a bit of sparkle. Thread through the ribbon once dry.

3D Paper Ornaments

You’ll need coloured or embellished card, ribbon or decorative string, a hole punch and a stapler.

1. Cut out 5 strips of paper: 2 x 1.25” x 10”, 2 x 1.25” x 7” and 1 x 1.25” x 5”.
2. Punch a hole about quarter inch from the top and bottom (use a pencil to do this if you don’t have a hole punch).
3. Stack the papers together with the smallest in the middle sandwiched by the medium strips, and followed by the larger strips.
4. Line up all the strips on one end and thread a piece of string or ribbon through the hole and tie it off to secure the strips (use wire if you prefer).
5. Repeat this step on the other end of the strips, and then fan out to create the beautiful 3D shape.

Add tassels, beads or glitter for extra festive sparkle.

Dried Orange Slices

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without oranges and spice. Traditional, fragrant and super simple to make. They’ll look like natural glowing stained-glass windows.

All you need are some oranges, star anise or cinnamon sticks, needle and thread or super glue.

1. Start by slicing oranges into 1cm thick pieces and lay on a baking tray. Dry out in a 100 degree oven for around 2-3 hours, until dry. Leave to cool.
2. Attach a star anise or cinnamon stick to the centre of the orange with a needle or thread or use super glue. Embellish as you wish.
3. Thread ribbon through the top of each slice when ready to hang.

Don’t worry if the slices are not 100% dry, they’ll continue to dry out over the next couple of days.