Homemade Christmas Ideas - Handmade Crafts for Decorations and Gifts

Homemade Christmas ideas can bring a personalized feel to the Christmas gifts you give as well as your home during the holiday season.

Christmas is often celebrated through the giving of gifts to your friends and families. It is a time to decorate homes, gather with loved ones and celebrate the birth of Christ.

Many people have grown tired of the commercialism surrounding the holiday season. They are weary of the shopping frenzy that accompanies the holiday season and are looking for new, innovative ideas for showing their friends and family how much they care.

Because of this disillusion with the gift ideas found in stores and shopping malls, many people are opting to craft their own gifts for loved ones. Others are also opting to craft their own decorations rather than use the generic, "rubber stamp" decorations found in stores. Here are some great homemade Christmas ideas that you can use for your decorations and your gifts this year.

Pine Cone Wreath

When decorating your home, you can sometimes find wonderful items as close as your backyard. A wonderful homemade Christmas idea is a pine cone wreath. For this, you will need the following: a wire wreath frame (these come in a variety of sizes); florist wire; red, green, gold and silver spray paint; embellishments such as holly berries, acorns, and other small items; and holiday ribbon.

Twist the wire around the base of each pine cone (the largest portion of the cone) with wire protruding from the bottom of the cone. Next, place each cone in boiling water until they close (don't worry, once the pine cones dry, they will open back up). Place the cones on the wire frame securing them with the florist wire at the base of each cone (be sure to wear gloves to keep your hands from getting burned or cut by the wire). After you have covered your frame, set aside until the pine cones open back up.

Now spray paint the wreath with the color of your choosing, and add painted acorns, holly berries or other embellishments. Finish your wreath by adding a bow from the ribbon you have chosen and add wire to the top of the wreath so that you can hang it on your door. Not only will this make a great holiday decoration for your front door, it can also be used as a gift for one of your loved ones.

Victorian Ornaments

Another great decorating craft is Victorian ornaments. You can make this homemade Christmas idea using the following: lids from concentrated juice cans (in other words, flat lids with dull edges), lace or wire ribbon, 1/4 inch holiday ribbon, decorative cord or yarn, hot glue, Victorian type pictures from Christmas cards (or you can download and print pictures from your computer), scissors, pencil, clear varnish, and sandpaper.

Instructions for this homemade Christmas idea - first use the sandpaper to roughen the lid just enough to let the glue stick better, then wash and thoroughly dry the juice lid. Using the lid as a guide, place it over the picture you wish to use and draw a circle, then cut the picture from the card or paper and glue it to the outside of the lid. Coat the picture with clear varnish and allow varnish and glue to dry completely.

Glue cord or yarn around the inside edge of the lid (surrounding the picture). Use the glue to secure the ends of the cord or yard together to keep it from fraying or unraveling (the thinnest macrame cord works great for this step). Glue a piece of cord to the back of the lid so you can hang it on the tree. Finish the ornament with a fringe or lace or wire ribbon and add a small bow to the bottom of the picture. Again, this homemade Christmas idea not only makes a great addition to your tree, it can also be used as a gift or a unique bow on a gift.

Decorative Boxes for Baked Goods

When thinking of homemade Christmas ideas which make great homemade holiday gifts, baked goods or candies are always a great treat during the Christmas season, and you can make a wonderful box in which to place the items. Bake up a batch of your loved ones' favorite holiday cookies and then craft a decorative box in which to present the gift. It's easy to make a decorative box to hold the cookies and candies you have made for your friends and family.

For this homemade Christmas idea, you will need the following to make your boxes: a small box (these come in a variety of sizes and shapes, such as hearts, stars, squares, and other shapes), fabric with a holiday pattern, spray adhesive, scissors, embellishments such as bows, ornaments, and other small items.

Instructions for this homemade Christmas idea - cut your fabric to fit over the lid of your box completely (with approximately one inch of fabric on the inside of the lid (you will want the outside of the lid to be smooth once you secure the fabric) and set aside. Spray the top and sides of the lid with spray adhesive and secure the fabric to the top and sides of the lid. Let dry completely. You should have approximately one inch of fabric hanging down from the lid.

Once the adhesive has secured the fabric to the lid, use scissors to trim the excess fabric. Repeat these steps to cover the other section of the box. Use rhinestones, ribbons or other embellishments to decorate the box. Place your baked goods or candies in plastic baggies and put them inside the box.

Conclusion

Homemade Christmas ideas are a wonderful way to show your loved ones how much you care. By taking the time to craft your own gifts and decorations, you are fully immersing yourself in the holiday season. These homemade Christmas ideas are also a great way for parents and children to enjoy quality time together making crafts and memories.

Have fun!

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