Decorating for the winter holidays in a way that does not break the bank and does not have you going out to the shops to buy a bunch of plastic glittery stuff to strewn around your house has to be appealing, right?
If you could decorate for the holidays in a way that has you and your family using your imaginations, showing off your creativity, and spending a little fun time together, wouldn’t you go for it?
Well, with these OGP articles, you can get a whole bunch of ideas for ways to decorate your home using natural, foraged, and recycled materials.
1. Upcycled Christmas Crafts
Kids love making stuff. They love that feeling of completion, of accomplishment. It helps them build confidence. Equally, they love to make a difference, to believe what they are doing makes some sort of difference, to share that story with their grandparents, their friends, and anyone. It gives them perspective. And, they love spending time with mom, with dad, with mom and dad. What if there were a way to get that as an all-in-one special? Read on for some great ideas on How to Make Upcycled Christmas Crafts (Not Just for the Kids).
2. DIY Wreath
Christmas wreaths are one of the most recognized and utilized symbols of the holiday season. DIY wreaths can be stunning, unique, and super festive, and they can also kick-start a wonderful march down memory lane. Plus, they can make brilliant use of all those decorations that rarely make it out of the attic or the spare strips of fabric at the bottom of the sewing bag. Take a look at these ideas on How to DIY Your Own Wreath for a Personal Touch.
3. Christmas Tree Decorations
We’ve all gone the route of shiny baubles and twinkly lights, stars, and tinsel, but holiday times are changing. While we don’t want to forego our traditions altogether, most of us know that Christmas is ever more commercial and disposable. We throw away a host of cheap decorations every year and buy them anew the next. Instead of doing that, why not make the tradition something more wholesome, something memorable and cozy and fun? Waiting in a check-out line isn’t the fun part of the holiday. It’s the sharing, the creating of spirit, the things that cost nothing. Check out these 10 Easy DIY Christmas Tree Decorations.
4. Poinsettias
Poinsettias start to show up in supermarkets and nurseries around the beginning of November and are enjoyed throughout December. Come January, though, the decorations come down, and much like autumn chrysanthemums, this seasonal pot plant gets tossed out with the unwanted gifts and wrapping paper. However, it doesn’t need to be this way. If you have a little time and will, you can keep your poinsettia year-round and have it ready to fulfill its holiday destiny next December. Read on to learn How to Care for Your Holiday Poinsettia Year Round.
5. Festive Plants
Instead of (or as well as) trimming with inanimate objects, there are lots of fun and stunning ways to decorate using seasonal plants. Foraged fronds of ivy, holly, and mistletoe make their way indoors this time of year and are tossed out in early January. If you have a green thumb or aspire to have one, you could adorn your place this winter with potted plants that bring joy, festive color, and life. There are plants, some traditional, others experimental, that could easily have a place amongst the most festive of decorations. Take a look at these 3 Live Plants to Brighten Your Home for the Holidays.
6. Natural Materials
The holidays, other than being great for food, are a wonderful time for decorations and meaningful symbols, whether it’s a full-on light display outside, a menorah on the table, or any other assortment of candles to be lit, extinguished, and simply enjoyed for candle’s sake. It’s a time for festivities across religions, or lack thereof, and there is just something about fixing the place up with seasonal garb that brings us all closer together, makes a home feel a smidge warmer, and gets everyone excited. Check out these Holiday Decorations You Can Make from Natural Materials.
7. Eco-Friendly Tree Ornaments
As we move into a greener world, so too will our approach to holidays. We’ll start lighting up the night with colorful bulbs run on renewable energy. We’ll focus on local ingredients and seasonal harvests that fit the time. And, gone will be the days of disposable, plastic decorations that we buy year after year. For ideas on decorating your tree with eco-conscientious ornaments, take a look at this article all about DIY Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree Ornaments & Decorations.
8. DIY Christmas Trees
For many, Christmas trees aren’t Christmas trees unless they are the real thing: (once) living trees are cut down for the holiday season. Others hate the clean-up and opt for artificial trees, often plastic and more or less disposable. Real Christmas trees, of course, mean that we’ve cut down a tree, not to mention that said tree was usually raised in a monoculture with lots of agro-chemicals. With artificial trees, we are feeding the petroleum industry yet again, as well as creating ultimately feeding the landfill. So, perhaps it’s time to come up with some unconventional trees that are eco-friendly but still supply that fashionable, yuletide feeling. Have a look at these 7 DIY Eco-Friendly Unconventional Trees for Xmas.
9. Pine Cone Crafts
It may sound a bit daft, but pine cones have been a big part of humanity. We’ve decorated with them. We’ve eaten them. We’ve used them for weather forecasts. We’ve made toys out of them. We’ve even included them in our religious symbols. For that matter, Ancient Celtic women put them under their pillows in hopes of getting pregnant. The state of Maine has made them the state flower, even though pine cones are not flowers. For whatever reason, and there are a myriad, pine cones have captured our imaginations. So, for those who’d like to have them around a little more, here are some creative ways to put them to good use. Take a look at these 8 Creative Ways to Use Pine Cones!
10. Herb Wreath
Decorating with natural materials, such as pumpkins, pinecones, holy, and ivy is a long-standing tradition during the colder months, and wreaths are one way in which people like to display their foraged foliage. Creating a culinary herb wreath is wonderful on many levels. First of all, you will have a stunning wreath to hang on your door or in your kitchen. You can use cuttings from your garden, so you don’t need to spend any money on foliage. You can have fresh herbs on hand if you don’t mind harvesting from your creation, or if you leave them be, you have a very decorative way to dry your garden herbs for a later date. Read on to learn How to Make a Culinary Herb Wreath.
Related Content:
Easy Ways to Help the Planet:
- Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
- Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take the initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade repeatedly.
- Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
- Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
- Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in typical household and personal care products!
