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These aren't your average homemade ornaments...
Get hands-on this Christmas with crafty projects suitable for even the most DIY averse. Need a quick but thoughtful gift? Looking for new ways to decorate your tree? Although Christmas shopping can be a thrill, there's something extra special about making it all yourself.
On our list of easy Christmas crafts, you'll find rustic hessian baubles, paper pinwheels, DIY scented candles, plenty of projects to keep little ones busy and even some beginner-proof embroidery.
Read on for 21 crafts to spark your inner DIY-er.
Making your own wreath is a great way to reflect your own personal style. You can start with a pre-made wreath of fresh or faux greenery and just add decorations or wire your own evergreen bundles onto a wreath form. It depends on how much time you have and how detailed you want to be – it's a great activity for a party too.
This DIY garland kit from Cambridge Imprint includes 100 press-out double-sided patterned card stars in a range of cheerful colours and designs. Hang them up individually or string them together to make a garland of up to 20 metres.
Assemble a box of festive treats to accompany your Christmas movie marathons. Hot chocolate with marshmallows, chocolate snowmen, popcorn and candy canes should do the trick.
Bake a batch of your favourite gingerbread cookies, and punch a hole through the middle with a straw before baking. When they're cool, thread through with some yarn or this pretty satin ribbon from Rowen & Wren. Just keep them out of reach of any inquisitive pets...
A DIY project to keep little ones busy in the run-up to Christmas. These lovely articulated characters were made by tracing images from a children's Christmas book onto card, cutting out and fixing together with a split pin. They can perch on picture frames, mirrors and windowsills.
Give the gift of a holiday-scented home with DIY potpourri. Follow the simple step-by-step at Jeans & a Teacup, and pack your creations in festive drawstring bags and twine to for a beautiful presentation.
In the home of artist Molly Mahon, bows fashioned from leftover fabrics are a thrifty yet impactful way to decorate a tree. 'To store, carefully wind them around a kitchen roll tube until next year,' she says.
If you love paper decorations, this craft project by Lia Griffith is for you. Mist a little spray paint at the top for a frosted look, and surround them with fairy lights for a glowing display on a tabletop or mantelpiece.
If you have spindle chairs around your dining table like this House Beautiful Filip Chair at DFS, they can be decorated with abandon. Tie a rainbow of ribbons around the back and arms and let them trail on the floor for added drama.
Glue strips of hessian fabric around a polystyrene ball or any baubles that don't go with your colour scheme – it's a great way to give new life to old ornaments.
These naive folk-art Christmas decorations of angels, stars, hearts, trees and birds (plus the occasional reindeer) are easily pressed out from the sheet of card and can be strung with thread, ribbon or string to hang from your tree.
In this light-filled dining room, a lightweight branch from the garden's magnolia tree is suspended above the Christmas table and hung with baubles and pinwheels for a cheerful but low-effort display.
This wreath looks like it's made of intricate brass leaves, but it's a simple concoction of metallic paper, wire, and a grapevine wreath. Read the step-by-step tutorial by Lia Griffith.
It wouldn't be Christmas without a tree, but in smaller spaces, non-traditional options, such as twig trees, mini Christmas trees or even this clever DIY paper tree make a tasteful alternative to a classic Nordmann fir.
Although this looks impressively intricate, this DIY hand embroidery kit from Etsy is suitable for complete beginners. Each comes with a reusable embroidery hoop, cotton thread, embroidery needles and illustrated linen fabric which is easy to trace.
Not skilled with a paintbrush? This is the Christmas craft for you. All you need is a pack of pretty temporary tattoos and some plain baubles. Lean more at The Crafted Life.
It's not all red and gold. This cheerful living room makes a compelling case for using lots of colour at Christmas. Set an upbeat tone with reams of satin ribbon tied like bows to the branches of your tree.
These DIY scented candles will fill your home with the festive fragrance of cloves, cinnamon and mulled wine. They're a perfect gift for hosts, too.
Bring a little joy into your home with this Molly Mahon tapestry kit. It includes everything you need to stitch your own design, and once finished, you can frame it or have it made into a cushion.
Create your own DIY centrepiece with a cluster of hand-painted candles. An elegant tapered dinner candle will stand proud in the middle of your table, and acrylic paint adheres to its surface.
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