Before you buy another box of Christmas decorations, have a little rummage through the house. The ribbon drawer, recycling pile, kitchen cupboards, and last year’s decorations have a lot to offer.
These easy Christmas decor ideas turn everyday things into something festive: gift bows on a mirror, a wreath on the dining table, and even a stack of books dressed as a snowman. Start with what you have and use the photos as inspiration, rather than a shopping list. Some ideas need basic craft supplies; others are mostly a case of moving things around and adding a bow.
Want the quickest wins? Start with the wreath centerpiece, cutting-board bows, or ribbon on oil bottles. The painting and sewing projects are there for when you feel like making an afternoon of it.
1. Turn a Wreath Into a Candle Centerpiece
What you’ll need: A wreath, a tray or plate, and battery-operated pillar candles.
That wreath doesn’t have to go on a door…
Lay one you already own flat on the table, set a few electric candles in the middle, and tuck in a leftover ribbon bow. Voila! A beautiful DIY Christmas centerpiece.
Different candle heights make it feel a little more styled without adding much work.
Put a tray underneath so the whole centerpiece lifts away when dinner is ready.
2. Dress Up a Mirror With Leftover Gift Bows
What you’ll need: Gift bows and removable adhesive suitable for your mirror.
Finally, a job for that bag of gift bows!
Cluster them across the top of a mirror for a playful burst of color, or cover the whole border with red and patterned bows like the second photo.
Mix sizes to fill the gaps and let a few little bows trail down the glass.
Test your adhesive first, especially on a painted or delicate frame.
3. Make a Gingerbread Wall With Foam or Cardboard
What you’ll need: Styrofoam or cardboard, brown paint, a white paint pen, and removable wall adhesive.
These little gingerbread people turn a plain dining corner into the cutest Christmas backdrop.
The shapes pictured are styrofoam, but a delivery/cardboard box works too: trace one gingerbread template, cut out a little crowd, and add simple white icing lines.
Dots for buttons and a tiny smile complete the gingerbread look.
Space them loosely across the wall so you don’t have to measure a perfect grid.
4. Wrap Your Kitchen Cabinets Like Presents
What you’ll need: Wide ribbon, bows, and removable adhesive.
Your cabinets are already shaped like gift boxes, so why not give them a Christmas moment?
Run ribbon vertically and horizontally across each individual door, then add a bow where the strips meet.
Secure the ends on the inside and keep the hinges and handles clear so everything still opens.
Do a few doors for an easy Christmas kitchen look; the little wreaths are a cute extra if you already have them.
5. Bring Back the Paper Chain Garland
What you’ll need: Paper, scissors, and a glue stick or tape.
A paper chain is still ridiculously charming, and it’s so easy to do! Not to mention they’re a fun Christmas activity for kids too.
Cut paper into strips, close the first strip into a loop, then thread the next strip through before joining its ends.
Keep going until it’s long enough to drape across a door frame.
Red and green give you the classic Christmas look in the photo, but leftover wrapping paper, magazine pages, or plain white paper all work.
6. Tie Little Bows Around Your Cutting Boards
What you’ll need: Cutting boards with handles and scraps of ribbon.
This is the easiest way to dress up your kitchen counters for Christmas.
Tie a bow through each board’s handle, lean the boards against your backsplash, and you’re done!
A cookie jar or Christmas mug makes a sweet finishing touch if you have one.
7. Use a Pitcher as a Christmas Vase
What you’ll need: A pitcher, greenery, and a piece of ribbon.
Pull a pitcher out of the cupboard and fill it with a few evergreen stems or branches from your decoration box. You can use real evergreen stems too if you’d like.
Tie a ribbon around the neck of the pitcher, then sit it on a serving board with one or two little things you already love.
A regular rectangular board works just as well as the tree-shaped one pictured.
8. Make Cranberry Candle Jars
What you’ll need: Heat-safe canning jars, greenery, water, cranberries, and floating candles.
Rustic glass jars can absolutely be the prettiest thing on the table.
Add a small evergreen sprig, pour in water, scatter cranberries on top, and finish with a floating candle. How simple and beautiful is that?
Keep the greenery below the water and leave room around the candle.
For a flameless version, choose waterproof floating LED candles – ordinary battery tea lights aren’t made to sit in water.
9. Fill a Vase With Candy Canes and Fairy Lights
What you’ll need: A tall glass or vase, candy canes, a ribbon, and battery fairy lights.
Take a vase you already own, hook candy canes around the rim, and tie a generous bow around the middle.
A strand of tiny battery lights makes the whole thing glow.
If people will be helping themselves to the candy canes, leave the wrappers on and wind the lights around the outside instead.
10. Frame a Doorway With Bows and Lights
What you’ll need: Ribbon bows, an indoor LED light strand, and suitable removable clips.
A plain closet door suddenly feels festive with bows dotted around the trim.
Put up your light strand first, then attach bows separately along the frame so they sit between the bulbs.
Alternate ribbon colors like the photo or use whatever material you have.
This is a space-saving Christmas decor hack because you add so much holiday vibes without losing any floor space.
11. Draw Christmas Lights Around a Mirror
What you’ll need: Glass-suitable removable markers and a cleaning cloth.
No actual wiring required for these Christmas lights! Literally all you need are acrylic pens. The best part? You can easily remove with windex after the holidays.
Draw a loose, looping line around the mirror, then add little colored bulb shapes along it.
Wobbly lines are part of the charm, so this doesn’t need artist-level precision.
The original example uses POSCA paint markers; check the marker’s glass instructions and don’t forget to test a small corner first, especially if you have a vintage mirror.
12. Turn White Doors Into Snowmen
What you’ll need: Black and orange paper, red ribbon, and removable adhesive.
Why not use doors to add Christmas charm?
Here’s what you need to do: cut black circles for eyes, a dotted smile, and buttons, then add an orange triangle nose and a ribbon scarf.
Arrange everything before sticking it down so the face sits at a height you like.
Colorful lights around the trim are optional – the paper snowman is already plenty cute on its own!
13. Give Your Front Door a Rudolph Face
What you’ll need: Cardboard, two paper plates, black paper, and red paper or felt.
A pair of paper-plate eyes is all it takes to give a door some personality.
Add black paper pupils, cut antlers from a flattened cardboard box, and finish with a big red nose.
Use your door’s shape as the guide rather than worrying about perfect symmetry.
This works best on an indoor door or a sheltered porch where the paper won’t get soaked.
There are way more Christmas door options in our Christmas door decorating ideas post.
14. Dress the Fridge as a Snowman
What you’ll need: Colored paper or craft foam and surface-safe removable attachments.
Even the fridge can join in on Christmas! Cut out eyes, a carrot nose, a smile, and a big scarf; add a hat and mittens if you want the full look pictured here.
Plain colored paper works if you don’t have glitter foam or a lot of crafting materials.
Keep the pieces on individual doors and away from seals, handles, and the dispenser so getting a snack doesn’t undo your festive decorating.
15. Wrap Stair Spindles Like Candy Canes
What you’ll need: Red ribbon and removable tape.
White stair spindles plus red ribbon equals instant candy-cane stairs.
Wind the ribbon diagonally down each spindle, leaving similar gaps as you go, and secure the ends where they’re least visible. The result is so festive!
You can do every other spindle if you want a subtle look, or go full North Pole candy cane vibes and do each one.
Add last year’s garland and bows if you like, while keeping the handrail easy to grip.
16. Add Bows to Your Kitchen Pendant Lights
What you’ll need: Ribbon and, optionally, a small piece of faux greenery.
A bow on each pendant gives the kitchen a festive lift without taking over the counter.
The first photo keeps it simple with velvet ribbon; the second adds little swags of greenery.
Only attach decorations where the fixture manufacturer allows them, clear of bulbs, ventilation, and hot surfaces.
If your lights aren’t suitable, use the same bows on nearby cabinet handles for a similar feel.
17. Tie Bows to Your Shower Curtain Rings
What you’ll need: Ribbon and your existing shower curtain rings.
The bathroom deserves a little Christmas moment too.
Tie small satin bows to the outside of the curtain rings and let the tails hang down over the curtain.
Use every ring for the look in the photo, or every second ring if you want it simpler.
Keep the ribbon on the dry side of the liner, and take it off before washing the curtain.
Definitely check out these Christmas bathroom decor ideas for more holiday bathroom inspo.
18. Put Tiny Bows on Your Oil Bottles
What you’ll need: Your oil or vinegar bottles and narrow ribbon.
This one looks so subtle and cute and is so easy to recreate!
Tie a small bow around the neck of each bottle and group them on a tray or board you already use. That’s the whole idea.
Keep ribbon below the pour spout so it stays clean, and park the bottles away from stovetop heat.
You don’t need the extra artwork or tree decoration to get the effect, but you can style Christmas decor you already have for that extra festive touch.
19. Hang a Little Greenery Bundle From a Door Handle
What you’ll need: A small greenery sprig, ribbon, string, and an optional bell.
Gather a few small evergreen sprigs, tie the stems together, and cover the tie with a bow.
Loop the bundle loosely over a door handle and add a spare bell ornament if you have one.
Keep it light and short enough that it won’t get caught in the latch or make the handle awkward to use.
Tiny detail, very festive entrance!
20. Tie Ribbon Around Flameless Pillar Candles
What you’ll need: Battery-operated pillar candles and leftover ribbon.
Give plain electric candles a little outfit with a dainty narrow ribbon bow around each one.
Group a few heights on a shelf or tray and leave the tails slightly different lengths so it feels relaxed.
Use flameless candles for this idea: ribbon and a burning candle are not a good pairing.
If your candles are real wax with wicks, keep them unlit while they’re dressed up.
21. Make One Festive Corner With a Tray
What you’ll need: A tray, a vase, greenery, and a small Christmas decoration.
You don’t have to decorate every inch of the kitchen. Sometimes a small corner is all you need to make your kitchen feel more Christmas-y.
Put a vase of greenery, a favorite little ornament, and a candle on one tray, then call that corner finished.
The tray makes a few mismatched things feel like an arrangement and keeps the rest of the counter useful.
Leave the candle unlit under cabinets, or swap in a battery candle for the glow.
22. Gather Your Little Trees on a Serving Tray
What you’ll need: Miniature trees, a long tray, and battery fairy lights.
If your little Christmas trees usually end up scattered everywhere, try putting them together in a doughbowl.
Arrange the tallest at the back, tuck smaller trees in front, and weave a light strand around the bases.
Don’t have a doughbowl? You can style them on a serving platter or baking tray too.
Set it in front of a mirror and the tiny forest suddenly looks twice as full.
23. Hang Pinecones From Branches in a Vase
What you’ll need: Dry branches, a sturdy vase, pinecones, and twine.
A few fallen branches can make a lovely little Christmas tree.
Let them dry, check them for hitchhiking bugs, and arrange them in a sturdy vase.
Tie twine around the tops of pinecones and hang them from the smaller branches.
A light brush of white paint gives the snowy look in the photo, but plain pinecones look good too.
This one is so low maintenance, you don’t even need to replenish it with water.
24. Style a Dresser With Greenery and Paper Bunting
What you’ll need: A vase, evergreen cuttings, paper scraps, and string.
Give the top of a dresser a wintry holiday look with a vase of branches and a little paper bunting.
To make the bunting, cut triangles from paper you already have, fold or glue their tops over string, and hang the strand above the arrangement.
A Christmas card can stand in for seasonal art, and if you have any scandi ceramic houses, feel free to use them here.
25. String Up a Dried Orange Garland
What you’ll need: Oranges, string, and an optional ribbon bow.
Those oranges in the fruit bowl can become the prettiest window garland.
Cut them into thin, even slices and dry them fully in a very low oven before threading string through the flesh near the rind.
Hang the strand where daylight can shine through the slices, then add a bow at the corners.
I love this one for it’s homemade Christmas decor vibe – and it’s great to do with friends and family!
26. Make a Bowl of Clove-Studded Oranges
What you’ll need: Oranges, whole cloves, and a bowl.
A fruit bowl, but make it Christmas with a vintage flair.
Press whole cloves into oranges in stripes, dots, or little swirls, then pile them in a bowl you already own.
Poke starter holes with a skewer if the peel is tough.
A ribbon around a few oranges adds a sweet finishing touch.
Display them somewhere cool and check them regularly; replace any that start to soften or mold.
27. Cover a Wall With Oversized Bows
What you’ll need: Large sheets of tissue paper, leftover wrapping paper, or a spare lightweight tablecloth.
Big bows make a plain wall feel ready for a Christmas party.
For a simple version, fold a large rectangle into loose pleats, pinch the middle, and wrap a narrow strip around it. Add two long tails and fluff out the sides.
You can use tissue paper, extra material you have, or even a lightweight tablecloth for the bows. Just remember to keep them well away from any candle flames.
28. Turn Egg Cartons Into a Tiny Tree Garland
What you’ll need: Clean paper egg cartons, green paint, twigs, glue, and string.
If you love upcycling Christmas decor, this one’s for you! Save the pointed sections of a paper egg carton and turn them into mini Christmas trees.
Trim a few pieces to different sizes, paint them green, then nest and glue them around a short twig.
Add a paper star and a string loop to the top.
The glittery edges are optional; a little white paint gives you a snowy version with less sparkle cleanup.
29. Make Santa Hats From an Egg Carton
What you’ll need: A clean paper egg carton, red and white paint, cotton swabs, and twine.
The tall dividers inside an egg carton are basically tiny Santa hats waiting to happen.
Cut them out, paint them red, and add a white band around each bottom edge.
Snip the cotton ends from q-tips and glue one onto each tip for a little pom-pom.
Once dry, thread the hats onto twine and drape them over a mirror or shelf.
30. Thread Beads Into Candy Cane Ornaments
What you’ll need: Large-hole beads, pipe cleaners, and small ribbon scraps.
Put on a Christmas movie and make a little batch of these. These are great for a family night, friends gathering, or even a girl’s night.
Thread beads onto a pipe cleaner, bend the top into a candy-cane hook, and fold the ends back so the beads stay put.
Stick with red and white or use colors you might already have in your craft suppy.
Tie on a little bow and hang them on the tree, from cabinet knobs, or on wrapped gifts.
31. Build a Snowman From a Stack of Books
What you’ll need: Books, a strip of fabric or ribbon, and paper facial features.
Book lovers, this one is adorable, and almost too easy to do.
Stack mostly light-colored books for the snowman’s body, then add a smaller pile of dark books on top for the hat.
Wrap a red fabric scrap around the middle and add a paper face and buttons.
Keep adhesive off precious book covers: attach the features to mutty putty or something non-damaging instead.
32. Make an Advent Calendar in a Shoe Organizer
What you’ll need: A clear over-door organizer, small bags, paper numbers, and tissue paper.
Before you spend a fortune on an advent calendar, check your closet for an old shoe organizer.
Just tuck a numbered gift bag into each pocket, add a little tissue paper, and suddenly you’ve got a wall of 24 mini presents.
Fill them with candy, small surprises, handwritten notes, or fun holiday activities like a hot chocolate night or Christmas movie marathon.
It’s an easy, budget-friendly way to make the countdown to Christmas feel a little more special. Plus it absolutely doubles as festive decor!
33. Use a Laundry Basket as a Christmas Tree Base
What you’ll need: An unused open-grid basket, long craft sticks or dowels, zip ties, and spare garland.
Whether you need a makeshift Christmas tree or just want to dress up an empty corner, this DIY garland tree is such a clever way to add a little extra holiday decor without spending much.
Flip the basket upside down, secure the sticks around it, and bring the tops together to create a cone-shaped frame.
Once everything is tied firmly in place, wrap your garland around the frame from the bottom up.
Make sure the tree stands securely, then finish it off with a few spare ornaments, berry strands, or whatever Christmas decorations you have lying around.
34. Use a Throw and a Wreath for the Bedroom
What you’ll need: A throw, a couple of cushions, and a lightweight wreath.
Your bedroom doesn’t need a whole second set of Christmas bedding, just some pops of holiday colors.
Fold a red or green throw across the foot of the bed, swap in a couple of cushions, and add a wreath above the headboard (on a properly secured hook).
The gingerbread pillow is a cute extra, but cream, red, or green pillows look cute on their own too.
Borrow pieces from another room before buying anything.
35. Use a Blanket Ladder to Hang Stockings
What you’ll need: A decorative ladder, stockings, and ribbon or hooks.
No mantel? Your blanket ladder can take the job.
Tie stockings to the rungs at staggered heights and wind a little leftover garland down one side. Add handwritten name tags if you like.
Secure the ladder so it can’t tip, and keep the stockings mostly decorative rather than loading them with heavy gifts.
A basket at the bottom is perfect for your displaced throw blanket.
36. Wrap Spare Toilet Rolls in Christmas Tissue Paper
What you’ll need: Spare toilet paper, Christmas tissue paper, a basket, and ribbon.
Yes, even the spare toilet paper rolls can look festive on the back of a toilet.
Wrap each roll in Christmas tissue paper and tuck the loose ends into the cardboard tube.
Put them in a basket, then add a small greenery sprig and a bow to the basket’s edge.
The red-and-white print in the photo looks lovely, but you can use whatever tissue paper is already in your wrapping stash.
37. Dress Spare Toilet Rolls With Ribbon and Bells
What you’ll need: Spare toilet rolls, ribbon, red, green, and white pom-poms, foam or cardstock cones, craft glue, and optional little bells.
If you want something more colorful than tissue paper, these are 2 ideas that are crazy colorful and you can easily DIY!
Glue pom-poms onto cone-shaped bases, starting at the bottom and working your way up. Mix the colors and make trees in two different heights for a playful little display.
Wrap ribbon around your spare toilet rolls, add bows, and tie on a few bells for extra Christmas charm.
Arrange the trees and decorated rolls together on the toilet tank or a bathroom shelf.
38. Stack Spare Toilet Rolls Into a Christmas Tree
What you’ll need: Spare toilet rolls, small shatterproof baubles, and optional battery lights.
This is definitely the cheeky one of the bunch.
Stack spare toilet rolls in a little triangle against a wall, with the cardboard openings facing forward, and rest a small bauble in each opening.
A bit of garland along the base finishes the look. Easy peasy!
39. Hang Oversized Candy Canes on Cabinet Doors
What you’ll need: Candy cane decorations you already own, or cardboard and striped paper.
Bring a few big candy cane decorations off the tree and onto the kitchen cabinets.
One per door is plenty, and the whole room suddenly has that candy-shop Christmas feel.
The photo uses candy cane balloons; for a flat homemade version, cut the shape from cardboard or styrofoam, then cover it with striped paper, or white paper and diagonal red ribbon.
Keep handles clear and decorations away from cooking heat.
Want to use the space higher up too? Try these Christmas decor ideas for above kitchen cabinets.
40. Sew a Fabric “Ho Ho Ho” Garland
What you’ll need: Fabric scraps, thread, stuffing, and a length of ribbon or twine.
Love sewing? This one’s for you! Turn leftover fabric into padded H and O letters, then string them together for a soft, squishy “Ho Ho Ho” garland.
Draw chunky letter templates, cut a front and back for each, sew around the edges leaving a gap, then stuff and close.
The gingham is adorable, but an old shirt or leftover fabric works too.
Save this one for a cozy afternoon rather than a five-minute decorating sprint!
A Few Basics, If Your Craft Drawer Is Running Low
Check your stash first. If you’re missing a basic supply, these can cover several of the paper, painting, and small-bow ideas above.
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Pick One Little Corner and Start There
You don’t have to make all 40 ideas—or decorate every room. A wreath on the table, a bow on a pitcher, and a few paper decorations can be plenty. Pick the ideas that suit the things you already have, put on something festive, and see where you end up.
Working with limited space? These small-apartment Christmas decor ideas have more ways to make room for the holiday feeling.
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