It's nearly our favourite time of year, and soon many of us will be pulling out our Christmas decorations from hidden corners of the house, only to realise half are broken and the rest look a bit sad. And so off we head to stock up on more.
But what if we did it a little differently this time? What if we made our own eco-friendly DIY Christmas decorations and cut down on all that waste and plastic? Not only is it cheaper and better for the environment, making your own decorations is fun, cosy and festive!
Here are are top five eco-friendly DIY Christmas decorations to give you some inspo:
Pic by Apartment Therapy
Dried oranges and apples
Probably one of the most obvious and traditional, oranges and apples give a warm, rustic look to any tree or wreath. Thinly slice your chosen fruit, and then dehydrate them in a dehydrator or in an oven on the lowest heat for about four hours or until dry.
Candles Decorations
First things first - please be careful with this one! Don't leave candles unattended, especially if you've wrapped them in decorations. Make sure you move the decorations down as the candles melts. Now the important stuff is out the way - candles decorations are super simple, quick and fun.
Just choose the natural decorations you would like to use, maybe it's cinnamon sticks, some foliage that you picked or perhaps it's winter berries or a little bit of holly. Then, using some twine (for a rustic look) or ribbon for something a bit more special, position the foliage or whatever it is you've chosen to use, and secure it by wrapping the twine or ribbon neatly around the candle base over and over, and finish with a bow.
Pic from Pinterest
Homemade Wreath
There really are some beautiful DIY wreath tutorials out there now. All you need is a wreath ring, some green wire and foliage like holly, eucalyptus or small branches of pine. We really love this tutorial or this one for something more traditional.
Pic by Nordic Design
Scandi Table Decorations
Guys. This could not be simpler. Go out with your loved ones for a wintery walk, and pick some of your favourite foliage. Grab some acorns from the ground, maybe pick up some cinnamon sticks from a package free shop and get a few branches of holly, pine or fir. Then arrange around a few candles on your dining room table, or if you're lucky enough to have a fireplace, adorn the mantle piece with your natural treasures. Simple, yet beautiful.
Pic by Peter Anderson
Tree Ornaments
We love baubles too, but we also love to mix our tree up with inspiration from nature. Try grouping a few cinnamon sticks together, horizontally, and tie with a ribbon that also forms a loop, to hook onto the tree. Or get some florist wire and attach to the base of a pine cone, then wrap the wire to a branch, so your pine cone is sitting happily on top. You can also use your dried oranges and apples as baubles!
That's our list for DIY sustainable Christmas decorations. What other decorations do you like to make? Tag us in your pics on Instagram!