DIY Holiday Crafts
- Soraya Ladjili
- Nov 25, 2025
- 3 min read
What better way to get in the mood for the holidays than decorating? I have always loved to decorate my room according to the seasons – orange blankets in the fall and fairy lights for winter. While scrolling on TikTok, as one does, I came across a video of old-fashioned Christmas decor, and it has taken over my FYP. So, to get in the Holiday spirit, I thought I’d share some of my favorite crafts I found to have your house looking like a cozy cottage from Little Women.
Cardboard Gingerbread House
Gingerbread houses are infuriating to make. The walls never stay together, no matter how much icing you put. So, the perfect solution is making them out of cardboard! All you need is cardboard, some white paint markers, puffy paint, or regular acrylic paint, and a hot glue gun!
First, flatten out your cardboard box and draw outlines of the four walls and two roof pieces.
Then, cut out the pieces using scissors or a craft knife, also cutting out any windows or doors.
Once you have all your pieces, you can decorate them with the white paint for a snowy look! You can even glue wax paper to the inside of the windows for a frosted pane.
Finally, glue together the walls, put a light in the house, and voila!
Orange garland
December is orange season, and dried orange garlands have a warm, citrusy energy perfect for Christmas.
First, you’ll need about 4 oranges, with more required for a longer garland.
Cut your oranges into 1/8” slices, lay them out on a baking rack, and pat them dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess juice.
Place your oranges into the oven for about 2 ½ to 3 hours, depending on the thickness of your slices, at 250 degrees, and flip them over halfway through.
Once they’re out of the oven, let them cool before using a large sewing needle and some string or twine to hang them. If you don’t have a sewing needle, you can simply poke a hole and thread the twine through by hand. I also recommend trying a knot at each orange or gluing them down, so they don’t slide along the string once hanging.
To spice things up, you can also add other citrus fruits like lemons, lime, or grapefruit to the garland for a more colorful look. Another option could be wooden beads, pinecones, dried cranberries, cinnamon, or bows for a cute and homey decoration.
Paper garland
The final craft is paper garlands! Whether you cut them out into stars, gingerbread men, or a classic chain, this timeless craft is something anyone can make themselves and only requires paper and glue!
Construction paper is best for a sturdier result, but you can also repurpose any paper you have in your home, like paper bags or scrap paper.
Choose your desired paper/colors and cut them into strips, about 8.5 inches long by 1 inch wide.
Then, to assemble them into a chain, apply glue on the bottom half inch of your strip, then bend it over and connect both ends to make a ring. Repeat this process by threading each new strip to the last loop until it reaches your desired length.
You can hang these chains on the wall, doorways, or even on your Christmas tree for a fun and festive activity.
Source: DIY Paper Chain Garland for Christmas by Uzma Parveen on YouTube
Comments