Festive, Homemade Christmas Holiday Decorations

When I was a child, my siblings and I would fill our home with homemade Christmas decorations. It created a festive and homey touch while at the same time creating memories that will last a lifetime. Here are several ideas for homemade Christmas decorations that will fill your home and your Christmas tree with warmth.

Cinnamon Ornaments: Homemade cinnamon ornaments fill your home with the spicy scents that are associated with Christmas. They are easy to make and require ingredients that most people already have in their home.

To make them, you need:

¼ cup ground cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp ground cloves

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup applesauce

drinking straw

festive ribbon

This recipe will make two to four ornaments, depending on size.

Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Once the dry ingredients are combined, add the applesauce. Mix well and roll out on a smooth, flat surface. Take Christmas cookie cutters and cut out your designs. Make a hole in the top of the design using a drinking straw.

Allow them to dry for a couple days. When they are dry you can either leave them as is, or paint the surface to decorate them. Thread the ribbon through the hole and hang them on your Christmas tree or at various places in your home.

Decorative Presents: To give your home a festive look, wrap empty boxes in Christmas wrapping paper and ribbon and place them around your home. They make great table decorations and will may arouse the curiosity of any guests that decide to drop by during the holiday season.

To make your present decorations, you will need:

small, empty boxes

Christmas-themed wrapping paper

ribbon

tape or glue

Simply wrap the boxes like you would a regular present. The more flair you add to it, the better. For a floor decoration, wrap three larger boxes of graduating sizes. Stack them together using glue or tape. Once they are all stacked together, wrap a ribbon around all three boxes.

Candy Cane/Wreath Beaded Ornaments: Here is an idea you can do with young children. For smaller children, adult supervision is required. I first made these types of ornaments when I was in grade school and continued to make them with my own children.

To make them, you'll need:

Pipe cleaners

red, white and clear green beads

ribbon

To make the beaded candy canes, cut a pipe cleaner in half and crimp one end. Alternate two red beads with two white beads. When the pipe cleaner is filled with beads, crimp the other end to keep the beads in place.

Bend the pipe cleaner so it has a hook on one end and it resembles a candy cane. You can either tie a ribbon to it and hang it on your Christmas tree with the ribbon, or simply hang it by the hook.

To make the wreath ornament, use a half pipe cleaner or a whole pipe cleaner, depending on the size of wreath you want. Place six clear green beads on the pipe cleaner, then place a red bead for the holly berry.

Continue alternating like this until the pipe cleaner is filled, leaving only a small piece exposed at the ends. Twist the two ends together and from a circle. Tie the ribbon at the top to hide the exposed pipe cleaner. You now have a wreath ornament to hang on your tree.

By making your own Christmas decorations for the holidays you can save money, create memories with your children and create a festive feeling throughout your home.