25 Cool and Cheap Christmas Crafts to Try This Season

Christmas crafts don’t have to come with boutique price tags or require an art degree.
With a few dollar-store finds, recyclables, and things you already have at home, you can
turn your space into a cozy, handmade winter wonderland. Many popular home and craft
magazines highlight the same basic truth every year: the best budget Christmas crafts
are simple, repeatable, and meaningful – the kind you’ll actually want to pull out
again next season.

Below are 25 cool and cheap Christmas crafts you can start this weekend. Most can be made
in under an hour, many are kid-friendly, and nearly all cost just a few dollars per project.
Mix and match them for a full season of budget-friendly DIY Christmas fun.

Sentimental & Paper Christmas Crafts

1. Family Photo Garland

Instead of buying another generic garland, print out family photos (or raid your old
albums) and clip them to a ribbon using mini clothespins. Layer in a few paper snowflakes
or gift tags for color. It’s budget-friendly, incredibly personal, and looks like something
straight out of a lifestyle magazine when draped across a mantel or doorway.

2. Paper Bag Star Lanterns

Paper bag stars are all over social media for a reason: they look high-end but cost
almost nothing. Stack and glue together several plain lunch sacks, cut out simple shapes
along the edges, then fan them out into a star. Add a battery-powered tea light in the
center (never a real candle) and hang them in front of a window for instant drama that
rivals pricey store-bought lanterns.

3. Coloring-Page Bunting

Printable coloring pages are an easy way to get kids involved without spending a ton on
supplies. Have kids color Christmas-themed pages, then cut them into triangles and string
them into bunting. Look for free or low-cost holiday coloring sheets and turn them into
ornaments, garlands, or cards. It’s a great way to keep little hands busy and your budget
intact.

4. Upcycled Holiday Card Collage

Don’t toss last year’s Christmas cards. Cut out the illustrations, words, and patterns,
then collage them onto cardstock or a Dollar Tree canvas. You can create framed art,
gift tags, or a “Merry Christmas” banner from pieces you already have, which means
the only new item you might need is glue.

5. Printable Coupon Book for Christmas Favors

For a nearly free gift, design a simple coupon book with promises like “movie night,”
“homemade cookies,” or “one car wash.” Print, cut, and staple or tie with ribbon.
It’s a sweet, budget-conscious craft that doubles as a thoughtful gift for kids,
partners, or friends.

Natural & Pantry-Inspired Ornaments

6. Dried Orange and Cinnamon Stick Ornaments

Natural ornaments feel luxurious but cost surprisingly little. Slice oranges, bake them
on low heat until dry, then thread them with twine and add cinnamon sticks or bay leaves.
Hang them on the tree or drape them on a garland. They give off a subtle, cozy scent and
look like something from a rustic holiday catalog.

7. Salt Dough Handprint Keepsakes

Salt dough ornaments are a timeless budget craft: mix flour, salt, and water into a dough,
roll it out, and cut using cookie cutters. For an extra-sentimental twist, press kids’
hands into the dough before baking and painting. You get personalized ornaments that
cost pennies and become treasured keepsakes year after year.

8. Cinnamon Stick Star Ornaments

Grab a bundle of cinnamon sticks and hot glue them into simple star shapes. Add twine
for hanging and a sprig of faux greenery or a mini bow. The result smells great, looks
rustic, and takes just a few minutes per ornamentperfect for filling in bare spots on
your Christmas tree.

9. Mason Jar Lid Mini Wreaths

Before you toss that box of jar lids, turn them into tiny wreaths. Wrap each ring in
ribbon, yarn, or strips of fabric, then hot glue on buttons, mini bells, or faux berries.
Add a loop of twine and you’ve got adorable, super-cheap ornaments that also upcycle what
you already own.

10. Mason Jar Snow Globes

Mini snow globes look fancy but are simple to DIY. Hot glue a small figurine or tiny tree
to the inside of a jar lid, sprinkle fake snow or glitter into the jar, add water and a
bit of glycerin if desired, then screw on the lid tightly. Turn the jar upside down and
shake – you’ve got a custom snow globe that costs far less than the gift-shop versions.

Cozy Felt, Yarn, and Fabric Crafts

11. Felt Scrap Christmas Tree Ornaments

Felt is one of the most budget-friendly craft supplies you can buy, and many craft stores
sell multipacks for under $10. Cut triangles or simple tree shapes from felt scraps and
decorate them with smaller bits as “ornaments” – think dots, stripes, or tiny stars. Sew
or glue them together and attach a loop of embroidery floss for hanging.

12. No-Sew Felt or Fleece Stockings

Draw a simple stocking shape onto felt or fleece, cut two pieces, and glue the edges
together, leaving the top open. Hot glue on letters, trim, or pom-poms for personalization.
These no-sew stockings are perfect for dorm rooms, small apartments, or kids’ rooms where
you want the fun without the expense.

13. Yarn-Wrapped Cone Trees

Use cardboard or dollar-store foam cones as a base. Starting at the bottom, wrap yarn or
twine tightly around the cone, securing here and there with hot glue. Add buttons, beads,
or mini ornaments as “decorations.” A cluster of these on a mantel looks modern and chic,
and you can match them to any color scheme using yarn you already have.

14. Pom-Pom or Tassel Garland

Yarn pom-poms are classic, cozy, and incredibly cheap to make. Wrap yarn around a piece of
cardboard, slide it off, tie the middle, and cut the loops to fluff into a pom-pom.
String several onto twine for a garland, or make tassels for a more minimal look. Hang on
your tree, your shelves, or across a doorway for instant cheer.

15. Upcycled Sweater Wine Bags

Old sweaters can live a second life as gift bags. Cut off the sleeves, slide a wine bottle
or sparkling cider inside, and tie the top with ribbon or twine. Add a tag and maybe a
little sprig of greenery. You’ve just created a reusable, cozy-looking gift wrap for
almost free.

Kid-Friendly Christmas Crafts on a Budget

16. Cardboard Gingerbread Village

Cardboard is a DIY hero: it’s free, recyclable, and kid-approved. Cut simple house shapes
from shipping boxes, then paint them brown and add “icing” details with white paint pens
or markers. Arrange them on a mantel or sideboard as a gingerbread village that won’t
attract ants or crumble to pieces.

17. Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer Crew

Save your toilet paper rolls and transform them into a herd of reindeer. Paint or wrap
each roll in brown paper, glue on googly eyes, draw a smile, and add pipe cleaner antlers.
A red pom-pom nose turns one into Rudolph. This is the definition of cheap and cheerful,
and kids love playing with them afterward.

18. Paper Plate Holiday Wreaths

Cut the centers out of paper plates to create rings, then let kids glue on tissue paper,
pom-poms, sequins, or construction paper “leaves.” Add a bow made from leftover ribbon and
tape the finished wreaths to bedroom doors or windows. They’re inexpensive, colorful, and
a great classroom or party craft.

19. Fingerprint “Light Bulb” Garland

Using washable paint, help kids stamp their fingerprints along a strip of paper or cardstock.
Once dry, draw little bases and a cord connecting them so each fingerprint becomes a tiny
Christmas light. Hang the finished strip as garland or scan and print copies to use as
cards for grandparents.

20. Tin Can Luminaries

Rinse and dry empty soup or vegetable cans, then fill them with water and freeze. Once the
ice is solid, use a hammer and nail to punch simple star or tree designs into the metal.
When the ice melts, spray-paint or leave them rustic, then add battery-operated tea lights
inside. They look magical on a porch or windowsill and give cans a second life instead of
sending them straight to recycling.

Table Décor, Gifts, and Countdown Crafts

21. Nature-Gathered Place Cards

Take a walk and collect small pinecones, twigs, or leaves. Use a marker to write guests’
names on small pieces of cardstock, then tuck them into the pinecones or tie them to
twigs with twine. Add these to each plate for a natural, essentially free way to dress
up your holiday table.

22. Stovetop Simmer Pot Gifts-in-a-Jar

Simmer pots – those little mixtures of fruit and spices you boil on the stove for a
cozy scent – are popular in home and lifestyle circles and are incredibly easy to gift.
Layer dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and maybe a sprig of dried
rosemary or pine in a mason jar. Add a tag with instructions: “Simmer in a pot of water
for holiday fragrance.” It’s budget-friendly, useful, and smells amazing.

23. Hot Cocoa Ornament Gifts

Clear plastic ornaments (the kind that open) are perfect for gifting hot cocoa. Fill each
ornament with cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, and crushed candy canes. Tie on a little tag
with directions and hang them on a gift bag or tuck them into stockings. They look fancy
but cost only a few dollars for a whole batch.

24. Envelope or Mini-Box Advent Calendar

Instead of a store-bought advent calendar, create your own with small envelopes or
mini boxes. Number each from 1 to 24, then tuck in notes, tiny candies, stickers, or
activity prompts like “watch a holiday movie” or “bake cookies together.” Hang them on a
string with clothespins or arrange them on a shelf for an interactive, low-cost countdown
to Christmas.

25. $10 Craft Night Kit in a Box

Turn the idea of a craft night into a gift. Use a small box or basket and fill it with
affordable basics: a few sheets of felt, mini paints, brushes, a glue stick, and some
blank ornaments or wooden shapes. Add a card with simple project ideas. It’s an experiential
gift that encourages creativity and can be pulled together for about $10 if you shop sales
and dollar sections.

of Real-World Crafting Experience & Tips

After a few seasons of going all-in on DIY Christmas crafts, most people eventually learn
a few universal truths. The first one: you don’t need to make everything. When you scroll
through pages of holiday craft ideas, it can feel like you should create a handmade advent
calendar, custom ornaments for every family member, and an entire cardboard Christmas
village by Friday. In reality, the magic comes from choosing a handful of projects that
fit your budget, your energy, and your life right now.

For families with young kids, the most successful crafts are usually the ones that allow
a slightly chaotic mess and still look cute at the end. Think paper plate wreaths,
fingerprint garlands, and salt dough ornaments. Kids love repetitive tasksstamping,
gluing, sprinkling glitterand they care more about being involved than about perfect
results. Setting up a “craft zone” with a plastic tablecloth, washable paints, and a
box labeled “Christmas supplies” means you can say “yes” more often without stressing
over the cleanup.

If you’re decorating a small space, like a dorm, studio, or first apartment, small-scale
projects give you the most impact. A photo garland strung over your bed, a cluster of
mason jar snow globes on a bookshelf, or a couple of yarn-wrapped trees on a windowsill
can make the whole place feel festive. When every square foot counts, vertical and tabletop
crafts shine: garlands, hanging stars, and tiny ornaments that don’t require big storage
boxes afterward.

One of the smartest things you can do for your wallet is to decide on a color palette
before you shop. A lot of people impulse-buy cute supplies that don’t really go together,
then feel like their decorations look busy instead of intentional. Pick two or three
main colorsmaybe classic red and green with a touch of kraft paper brown, or a cozy
combination of cream, forest green, and gold. Then focus your supplies around that palette.
Suddenly your cardboard houses, paper stars, and handmade ornaments all look like part of
the same curated collection.

Time is another hidden “cost” of Christmas crafting. A project that says “easy” and
“30 minutes” can morph into an all-day event once you factor in drying time or multiple
steps. To keep things fun, divide your crafts into three categories: quick wins (10–20
minutes), medium projects (about an hour), and “once-per-season” projects that take an
afternoon. Do a couple of quick wins on weeknights and save the bigger projects for a
Saturday with good music and a big pot of hot cocoa.

Storage is also worth considering. Ornaments, garlands, and delicate crafts can be
heartbreakingly fragile if you just toss them into a bag. Hang on to shoe boxes,
sturdy gift boxes, and leftover tissue paper, and pack your favorite handmade pieces
away with care. Label each box (“kids’ ornaments,” “mantel garlands,” “table décor”) so
next year you’re not digging through mystery tubs trying to find that one special photo
garland or the tin can luminaries you loved.

Finally, remember that not every Christmas craft needs to be Instagram-perfect to be
worth making. The dried orange ornaments that turned a little too brown, the slightly
lopsided cardboard house, the pom-pom garland where one pom-pom is suspiciously larger
than the othersthose are the pieces that will make you smile in five or ten years.
When you look back, you’ll remember who was at the table with you, what holiday movie
was playing in the background, and how good the house smellednot whether the glitter
was applied in a perfectly even layer. If a craft helps you slow down, laugh, and feel
more present this season, it’s already a success, no matter how much (or how little)
it cost.