“Make new from old” has been the motto of many DIY projects in recent years. People who want to live sustainably and also enjoy crafting choose to find new uses for old things instead of simply throwing them away. You can also choose this motto for Christmas crafts. If you also feel like upcycling for Christmas, you can be inspired by our ideas. We'll show you how you can make beautiful upcycling Christmas decorations from everyday things like newspaper, cans and fabric scraps and create a festive atmosphere.
Upcycling for Christmas – Christmas card made from leftover fabric
We'll start with a simple idea for upcycling at Christmas for anyone who likes to during the holiday seasonSend greeting cards. If you still have a few scraps of fabric, you can use them to create a cute Christmas tree. You can sew the fabrics onto the paper as in the example above, but you can also just glue them in place. Of course, fabrics with Christmas colors or motifs are best. But if you prefer to create a modern or minimalist card, other colors are also suitable. By the way, this also works very well with leftover paper. No matter which of the two variants you choose, the pieces do not have to be straight and neatly shaped. This makes the map even more interesting.
Upcycling Christmas decorations with can lids
Turn the can lids into canvases and create beautiful Christmas landscapes and pictures with a 3D effect inside. You are the perfect oneUpcycled Christmas decorations! You can use a variety of decorations and figures to create your own design. As inspiration and basis, we will show you simple instructions with the necessary materials for upcycling at Christmas.
- wide can lid
- Cotton wool
- double-sided tape
- patterned or colored craft paper for the background
- Decorations
- Yarn
- Pencil, scissors, hot glue or other liquid glue
Cool craft ideas for Christmas – instructions
For this Christmas upcycling, trace the inner outline of the lid on the construction paper and cut out the circle. You will receive a beautiful background for the future landscape, which you simply glue into the lid. Then you can start decorating. You'll use the cotton wool for the snow landscape and that's where you should start. You can then distribute the other decorations. Finally, glue a piece of yarn to the back of the lid. With the loop you receive you can do the great thingChristmas decorations made from recycled materialthen hang it up.
Upcycling crafts for Christmas – Christmas decorations from tin cans
Fancy onepretty Christmas bouquetthat can decorate tables and mantelpieces? Then the following Christmas decorations made from cans are exactly the right idea for upcycling for Christmas! It's quick and easy to make and you can change and design it according to your ideas. This is how you upcycle cans for Christmas:
- Lecturer
- Fir green
- Band
- optional: spray paint
- Stein
- Floral foam
- Moos
You can use both artificial and real plants for the project. Sprinklethe cansin the desired colors and let them dry. If necessary, spray another coat. Then place a stone in the can to act as a weight. You can also use other heavy objects. Then put the floral foam in the can and put the pine greenery in it. You can also combine it with twigs with berries. Then cover the opening of the can with moss. This way you also hide the floral foam. Finally, tie decorative ribbons around the cans and you're done upcycling for Christmas!
Make Christmas decorations out of egg cartons
Aren't these Santas really nice? Use thatempty egg cartonsto make them and use them as decoration. The craft idea is also great for upcycling with children at Christmas, as it is a simple craft idea. You are welcome to vary the additional craft materials.
- Eiercarton
- red acrylic paint and brush
- Wooden ball, acorn or hazelnut
- white and red rope or alternatively pipe cleaners
- Cotton wool
- Glue, scissors
- Playdough
For upcycling at Christmas, cut two tips off the egg carton - one large and one long. Poke two opposite holes through the tip of the large piece. Then paint the two cones red, which the children can also do. Thread the red rope (or pipe cleaner) through the two holes and tie a knot at both ends - you get arms and hands. Then glue the head onto the tip. This can consist of a wooden ball, an acorn or a hazelnut, as desired.
Then use the white rope or the white pipe cleaner to make the remaining elements for the body, namely the white fur on the collar, the sleeves and the hem of the coat. Then do some more craftingthe Santa Claus hat. You can easily add white “fur” to these as well. The materials mentioned (rope and pipe cleaners), from which you simply cut a small piece, as well as a small finished pom-pom are suitable for the pom-pom. Make a beard, mustache and hair out of the cotton wool, glue them to the head and then use the modeling clay to form a tiny ball for the nose, which you attach in the same way. Now just stick the hat on your head and the first Santa Claus is ready as an upcycled Christmas for children.
Tipp:Would you likethe Santa ClausesTo hang it up, you can pierce a hole through the lace from below, tie a loop out of yarn or string and then thread it through the hole from below. The knot prevents the cord from slipping completely.
Crafting with PET bottles for Christmas
Most plastic bottlesAlthough they are deposit bottles and have to be returned, there are also those without a deposit. You can use these for your next craft project. Upcycling for Christmas gives you beautiful Christmas decorations that you can use to decorate not only the Christmas tree, but also lamps or windows. You need:
- Plastic bottles of any size
- Ribbons
- Glitter stones or other decorations
- Hot glue
- Scissors or sharp knife
- iron
- Adhesive tape or washi tape
Make your own Christmas balls as upcycling ideas for Christmas
Take a bottle and cut off the middle, straight section. Then cut the resulting cylinder into thin rings. Since this creates very sharp edges, you can melt them with an iron and round them off in this way. Heat the iron and press the ring onto the hot surface several times and only for a short moment.
Then wrap the strips with ribbons and glue any decorations you like. Then place three rings per Christmas tree ball, offset from each other, sticking them together where they touch. Then all you have to do is tie ribbons for hanging and you're done. Design the balls in any colors. You can also use different sized bottles for Christmas upcycling and this way you can use different sized bottlesMaking balls.
Make your own upcycling projects for Christmas – Christmas tree made of cardboard in white
This Christmas tree, which you can make out of cardboard from a box, is extremely elegant and chic. So sometimes it's worth not throwing everything away straight away! Although the tree in the examplea beautiful white colorIf you have one, you can of course also choose any other one and, for example, make the classic green Christmas tree at Christmas time.
- cardboard
- Acrylic paint and brush or spray paint
- Ruler and pencil
- Scissors or sharp craft knife with a suitable base
- Materials for decorating: pompoms, washi tape, stickers, colorful craft paper, etc.
Recycling and crafting for Christmas – instructions
For this creative upcycling for Christmas, first draw a Christmas tree on a piece of cardboard. It's best to start with geometric shapes - 5 equilateral triangles that overlap at the top. You can then convert the side corners and make them more rounded. If you want, you can of course also draw the tree freehand. Cut out the tree and use it as a template for a second one. Now measure the middle of both vertically. Along this line, cut one tree from the top and the other from the bottom to the middle. This gap should be as wide as the thickness of the cardboard. Put both pieces together to check if everything fits.
If so, you can paint the cardboard trees. Allow the paint to dry and apply a second coat if necessary. While the paint dries, you can make the elements to create your design. Garlands, stars and Christmas balls made of paper or cardboard or even onereal fairy lightscan be used. Put the cardboard pieces back together and create the Christmas tree.
Crafting with newspaper for Christmas
Christmas decorations outNewspaper radiates romanceand nostalgia. The material is therefore perfect for the Christmas season and especially for upcycling at Christmas. The same applies to the paper in magazines and the Christmas tree in the picture above is made from exactly that - a magazine. And what woman hasn't stashed magazines at home to use for this project? The minimalist-looking result is simply super impressive and anything but difficult to make. You need:
- a stapled magazine with around 150 pages
- spray paint
Remove the envelope. This is thicker and would later spoil the look of the tree. Then take the top corner of the first page and fold it up to the stapled edge of the magazine. Then fold the bottom corner to about 1/3 of the side length. Fold the page again up to the edge of the booklet. Repeat these steps with all the other sides until the Christmas tree is finished. Then you can color it with spray paint. Let the paint dry and you're ready to goRecycled Christmas decorationsDecorate your home.
The Christmas trees as an idea for upcycling at Christmas look particularly pretty in groups of different sizes and colors. They are also a great gift idea for anyone who loves modern andminimalist Christmas decorationslike. Perfect for displaying on the dining or coffee table as well as on a side table!
Christmas trees made from the hem of jeans
Christmas wreaths made from old bicycle tires
