20 Genius DIY Recycled and Repurposed Christmas Crafts

Do your bit for the environment—and your wallet—by making your own Christmas crafts from recycled materials instead of going out to buy something new. Sure, it is the season to be jolly, but it’s also the season to be frugal and mindful of all the trash we create!

These crafts can be made with items that you already have in your home, and they’ll leave you feeling proud of the incredible decorations you've created with stuff that may otherwise just be wasting space or be dumped in the garbage.

Jump to:

• 1. DIY Plastic Spoon Snowmen
• 2. Plastic Bottle Penguins
• 3. Cardboard Owl
• 4. Tin Can Lanterns
• 5. Paper Snowflakes
• 6. Plastic Bottle Tree
• 7. Bottle Cap Snowmen
• 8. Wine Cork Trees
• 9. Clothespin Snowflake
• 10. Christmas Card Garland
• 11. Christmas Card Star
• 12. Sweater Stocking
• 13. Paper Tree
• 14. Puzzle Piece Ornaments
• 15. Magazine Cross
• 16. Paper Towel Roll Candelabra
• 17. Toilet Paper Roll Lights
• 18. CD Decorations
• 19. CD Ornaments
• 20. Milk Jug Votives
• Extra Tip: Paper Bow

1. DIY Plastic Spoon Snowmen

If you’re looking for a fun Christmas craft that you can do with the kids, then we’ve found the perfect one: cheerful little snowmen. Apart from the plastic spoons and small clay pots, you’re likely to have the rest of the materials among your box of crafts: craft paint, sealer, little scraps of felt, floral foam, tissue paper, ribbon, pom poms (you can make your own), and a hot glue gun (although regular craft glue should work just fine).

And if you don’t have clay pots or don’t want to buy them, take the kids out for a quick ice cream treat and save the spoons and polystyrene cups to use instead!

You can get as creative as you want with these, for example, make one for each member of the family to use a name tag around the table – you can use each person’s favorite color, or decoratively add their name to the pot. You could also just add them to any gifts that you’re giving to spread some additional holiday cheer.

2. Plastic Bottle Penguins

Cute little penguins have become a Christmas staple, so here’s an easy way to incorporate them into your festivities using empty plastic 2L bottles. Some glue and a bit of paint are all you need to add.

3. Cardboard Owl

What’s cuter than a few owls sitting in your Christmas tree? These are so easy to make with a bit of leftover cardboard and little black beads for the eyes.

4. Tin Can Lanterns

When you’re done with that soup or dog food tin, don’t throw it away! You can make beautiful lanterns to light up your home, dining table, or garden. This tutorial shows how to make a star, heart, and snowflake, but use your imagination to create whichever patterns you want – and feel free to paint the cans for added effect.

5. Paper Snowflakes

Here’s a little something to drum up the nostalgia – paper snowflakes like you used to make in school! You can hang each one on the tree individually, or even connect a few to make a garland to hang up elsewhere. If you’re one for a bit of sparkle, add a bit of glitter or silver paint.

6. Plastic Bottle Tree

With a 2l green plastic bottle (like 7Up for example) you can make a really cool, modern Christmas tree for your home in no time. It’s pretty and a great way to keep your waste down. If you’re not a fan of anything that comes in a green bottle, simply spray paint a clear one.

7. Bottle Cap Snowmen

When hubby is done with beer, collect his bottle caps to make these adorable snowmen. I like the idea of customizing them slightly to suit each of your children and hanging them on their doors – you can even get them to help with the crafting. If you don’t have any metal bottle caps, use plastic caps instead.

8. Wine Cork Trees

For some reason, I like to save up my wine corks as if I know one day I’ll have a great use for them. Today is that day! You can make adorable tree ornaments to hang on your actual tree, and if you really have a lot saved up, like I do, make one massive tree as a home decoration. I actually love the rustic look you get from the cork’s original color, but of course, you can paint them to suit your own style.

9. Clothespin Snowflake

I hate wooden clothespins because they seem to break a lot quicker than their plastic counterparts. Thanks to my hoarding tendencies, though, I never actually throw them away. Here’s a quick and easy way to transform those unused pins into cute snowflakes to further Christmas-ify your home.

10. Christmas Card Garland

Have a ton of old Christmas cards that you’ve received over the years stacked in a drawer? Give them a new lease on life by making this beautiful multicolored garland that can drape around your tree or hang across the mantelpiece.

11. Christmas Card Star

If you’re not keen on the garland but still want to do something with all those cards, print out the easy template to make this stunning themed star. It’ll look incredible on top of your tree, or wherever else you decide to put it.

12. Sweater Stocking

Have an old sweater that you’re never planning on wearing again? Instead of tossing it, turn it into a Christmas stocking with just a bit of snipping and sewing.

13. Paper Tree

I just love the simplistic yet delicate look of this paper Christmas tree. You don’t have to hack up a beloved book – just use any paper that you may have lying around, such as junk mail or old newspapers.

14. Puzzle Piece Ornaments

There is nothing more frustrating than an incomplete puzzle; rather than letting those missing pieces get under your skin, put them to good use by making a wreath or candy cane ornament for your tree. If you have a lot to use, make one massive wreath to adorn your front door.

15. Magazine Cross

This project will take up quite a chunk of your time, but the end result is so stunning, and it’s just such a creative way to reuse old magazines! I love the cross, but you can actually use this method to create any shape you want, from Christmas trees to stars.

16. Paper Towel Roll Candelabra

I just love the look of big candles dripping wax, but eventually they just melt and burn out, leaving you with a puny piece of wax. This holiday candelabra made from paper towel rolls is ingenious: it gives you the same effect but with lasting “candles” and allows you to turn trash into something beautiful.

17. Toilet Paper Roll Lights

With just some toilet paper rolls, scrap colored paper, twine, and glue, you can channel your inner MacGyver to make these awesome faux Christmas lights. They’re bold, require no electricity, and are made from materials that would otherwise end up in the trash. What’s not to love about them?

18. CD Decorations

I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember the last time I actually listened to a CD, yet I have so many piled up somewhere simply collecting dust. This is such a clever way to repurpose them, and since you only need a small CD-sized circle of scrapbooking paper, you can probably just rummage through your things to find some leftover scraps.

19. CD Ornaments

If you still have CDs left after making the previous decoration, you can use them to spruce up your old, weathered ball ornaments. I just love the sparkly, disco-ball effect! If you’re not so keen on this shiny effect, though, simply give it a paint job.

20. Milk Jug Votives

I go through a lot of milk during the holiday season – a lot of coffee, tea, and hot chocolate is consumed around the fireplace to keep warm. Rather than throwing away all the empty jugs, knuckle down to make these beautiful floral votives that will look beautiful just about anywhere in your home. Elegant simplicity at its finest!

Extra Tip: Paper Bow

You can use just about any scrap paper that you have lying around—from newspapers to magazines—to create this lovely handmade origami bow. Use it to decorate your walls, tree, or gifts! At first glanc,e the tutorial may seem rather complicated, but the images make it really easy to follow.