DIY and Crafts

10 DIY Christmas garlands that will put you in the festive spirit

Article by Homes to Love

Hang them on your wall, door or tree, these 10 DIY Christmas garlands are easy to make and will add a bit of chic festive spirit to your home

1. Christmas pudding garland

Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned Christmas pud? Even if it doesn’t make it onto your Christmas table, this time-honoured festive desert can still make an appearance in your holiday decor.

You’ll need:

  • Rope or twine
  • Hot glue gun
  • Tennis balls or bouncy balls
  • Faux or real holly
  • Beige fabric
  • Optional: mini wooden pegs

How to make:

  • Cut the fabric into squares large enough to wrap around the tennis ball
  • Wrap each ball with fabric. Gather the fabric at the top of the ball and secure with a small piece of twine
  • Attach the holly and red berries to the twine with hot glue
  • Measure out a length of rope and space out each Christmas pudding along it
  • Hot glue the Christmas puddings to the rope
  • If your Christmas puddings are heavy, you might also need to secure them to the rope with a wooden peg or florists wire

2. Citrus Christmas garland

This Christmas garland is simple, chic and a great way to use what you already have in the house.

You’ll need:

  • Oranges and/or lemons
  • Foliage such as mānuka or eucalyptus
  • Wooden beads
  • Rope or drawstring

How to dry citrus slices

  • Slice lemons evenly, 2.5mm-5mm thick, and discard pips.
  • Arrange slices in a single layer on baking paper-lined baking sheets.
  • Bake at your oven’s lowest possible temperature until dry (about 4-5 hours).
  • For even drying, rotate the baking sheets every hour or two.

3. Christmas tinsel garland

Is it really Christmas without a little bit of tinsel? Or in this case, a lot of it?

What you’ll need:

  • Rope (preferably glittery)
  • Tinsel strands (purchase a range of colours to create an ombre effect)
  • Hot glue gun

How to make:

  • Group your tinsel strands into small clusters
  • Attach each cluster to the rope with the hot glue gun, or by looping it around with a hitch knot

4. Felt Fa-La-La-La-La Christmas garland

This festive garland will have you humming this favourite Christmas tune every time you see it.

You’ll need:

  • Twine
  • Red fabric
  • Pillow stuffing
  • Sewing machine

How to make:

  • Cut out each letter twice on the red fabric
  • Pin the two letters together (i.e the two ‘F’s’) and sew around the edges, leaving one side open
  • Fill the letter with the stuffing and then sew up the gap
  • Once all the letters have been sewn and stuffed, attach them to the rope or twine

5. Paper star Christmas garland

These stars are a fun, easy way to make a stylish festive statement

You’ll need:

  • Coloured paper
  • Scissors

How to make:

  • Start with a square piece of paper
  • Fold the bottom of the paper up, so it creates an oblong shape
  • Fold the bottom right corner up, so the edge runs along the middle of the oblong. Unfold
  • Repeat this step with the top right-hand corner (folding it down) – you should now have a cross on the right-hand side of your oblong
  • Make sure the fold of the oblong is at the bottom
  • Now take the bottom left-hand corner and fold it over so the bottom left-hand edge meets the middle of the cross
  • Now, take the right-hand side and fold it so it lines up with the left-hand side
  • Flip your paper over
  • Fold the right-hand side over onto the left-hand side
  • Cut the top of the folded paper off in a diagonal line
  • Open up your star and make sure the creases all go in the right direction

6. Paper decoration Christmas garland

A homemade garland of paper baubles and silky tassels in jewel tones is a fun and festive way to welcome guests.

You’ll need:

  • Paper baubles
  • Tassels
  • Cotton rope

How to make:

  • Attach the paper baubles and silky tassels to your length of rope
  • Knot the two ends of the rope
  • Hang on your front door

7. Christmas bells garland

As the Christmas carol goes: “let the bells ring out for Christmas.”

You’ll need:

  • Bells
  • String

How to make:

  • Thread the bells onto a piece of twine or string and tie a knot to hold them in place

8. Christmas card garland

Whether it’s made up of Christmas cards gifted to you this year, or of cute Christmas cards you’ve found in the shops.

You’ll need:

  • Christmas cards
  • Twine or string
  • Wooden pegs

How to make:

  • Attach the string or twine to the wall.
  • Peg the cards to the string

9. Wooden bead garland

This Christmas garland is perfect for anyone who loves a minimalist, Scandi-style Christmas set-up.

You’ll need:

  • String or twine
  • Wooden beads (large and small)

How to make:

  • Cut the string or twine to the length you want the garland to be (make sure you knot one end so the beads don’t fall off)
  • Thread the beads onto the string or twine. Create a pattern with the large and small beads, or let it be random
  • Once all the beads are on, knot the other end of the string to keep the beads in place

10. Glitter scallop garland

For a little bit of Christmas bling, this glittery scallop garland is the perfect option.

You’ll need:

  • Gold glitter paper
  • String or twine
  • Scissors
  • Glue

How to make:

  • Measure out a length of string or twine
  • Use the glitter paper and cut out circles measuring 10cm in diameter
  • Fold the circles in half to make a scallop shape
  • Spread glue on one half of the inside of the scallop
  • Hang the scallop over the string or twine and press the two halves together
  • Repeat until you have enough scallops on your length of string or twine and then hang it on the wall

Create the home of your dreams with Shop Your Home and Garden

SHOP NOW

FEATURED