50+ Christmas Decorations to Make From Recycled Materials

Christmas is a season that unites family, friends, and even foes. The joy of meeting family and friends after a long time cannot be replicated. If you plan on hosting a Christmas party this year, you must clad your house in fancy Christmas decorations.

I am not telling you to drive down to your local store and buy new stuff; instead, you can just upcycle old and unused items and give them a brand new shape. In a bid to save the planet and also your pockets, try and make these Christmas decorations from things usually found at home.

Making Christmas Decorations from Plastic Cups

We all have an abundance of plastic cups at home that we have been using to chug beers. Instead of throwing the leftover plastic cups, why not use them for decoration purposes? This may sound like an old school idea but it is still very effective. Setting a trend by upcycling plastic cups into Christmas wreaths or bells can be the cover page story for a newspaper.

Homemade K-Cup Snowman Hat Ornaments

Paper Cup Bell

Red Solo Cup Christmas Wreath

Melted Plastic Cup Ornaments

Bottle Caps for Making Christmas Decorations

Show your creativity to family and friends by adorning your house with little bottle caps. It may sound absurd in the beginning but these bottle caps can be used to make great decoration items like toppers and ornaments for your Christmas trees. It is then totally up to you whether you want to hang these items in your entrance or in the living area.

Bottle Cap Snowman Ornament

Macaron Ornaments

Crafting Paper into Christmas Decorations

A little flashback to my childhood days and I can reminisce how I used to make airplanes, boats, and balls out of a piece of paper. We cannot let the inner child die and this is a golden opportunity to revive the memories by converting paper into homemade Christmas stars and trees.

Origami Star Ornament

Recycled Paper Christmas Tree

Paper Tree Garland

Using Cupcake Liner to Make Christmas Decor

If you are finished having a delicious dessert and want to get rid of cupcake liners, stop before disposing them off because they can be further used for home decoration. If not you, then let your children go artistic with them and make a Christmas tree out of cupcake liners.

Cupcake Liner Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Ornament

Also Read: Pine Cone Crafts for Christmas Decoration

Christmas Decorations Using Wine Corks

What’s winter without wine and the web of words we weave at Homecrux? With snow falling and Christmas approaching, it is the perfect time to open up a few bottles of wine and start sipping the spirit sitting comfortably next to the fireplace. However, don’t just throw out the wine corks into the dustbin, rather turn them into a home decoration feature.

Key Ring Wine Cork Ornament

Rudolph Reindeer Wine Cork Craft Ornament

Wine Cork Trees

Stacked Wine Cork Christmas Tree

Wine Bottles for Christmas Decorations

Once you are done with wine corks, shift your focus to wine bottles. With a little creativity, empty wine bottles add to the aesthetic of the house and function as a great recyclable item of decor. Moreover, you can color and decorate them as candle holders or vases.

Wine Bottle ‘JOY’ Centerpiece

Wine Bottle Candle Holder

La Crema Candle Holder

Decorating with Socks

Pull up your socks before beginning your Christmas decorations to ward off the cold. In fact, involve the socks in the home decoration as well. With basic supplies like socks, scissors, scrap fabric and buttons you can make a cute little Santa, snowman, and gnomes to enhance your home decor.

No-Sew Santa Craft from Sock

No-Sew Sock Snowman

DIY Sock Gnomes

Putting Wool to use

We are in a habit of disposing of clothes that don’t fit us anymore. However, instead of throwing off your woolen clothing into the trash, you can simply turn them into a decorative article for holidays. A sweater ornament won’t be a bad idea and you can hang it on your front wall with the help of loops.

Christmas Tree Star Ornament from Wool

Sweater Ornament

Wrapped Yarn Christmas Tree Ornaments

Cardboard for Christmas Decorations

I bet you have pieces of cardboard in your house that you are willing to burn sooner or later. I will recommend you reuse those cardboards for home decoration on Christmas. Be it Christmas trees, stars, or tabletop decorations; cardboard decor can bring life to your party.

Hand Drawn Recycled Cardboard Stars

Cereal Box Christmas Tree

Cardboard Tabletop Christmas Tree

Using old CDs

With the advancement of the internet, OTT and light storage devices like flash drives, the dependability on CDs has decreased. You can spot kids playing with CDs and rolling them on the floor like they are some toy tires. If you have such a collection of CDs at home that is no longer in use, why not turn it into a recyclable Christmas decoration material.

CD and DVD Candle Holder

Broken CD Christmas Ornament

 Paint and Glitter Christmas CD Ornament

Plastic Bottles for Decoration

I am sure you all have useless plastic bottles lying around at the house. With them being no longer in use, the dilemma is whether to throw them or burn them. However, both burning and throwing out are hazardous for the environment. One fancy alternative to save the environment is to upcycle these bottles into home décor items.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Baubles

Plastic Bottle Hanging Christmas Decoration

Plastic Bottle Christmas Tree

Light Bulb for Decoration

If you are wondering what to do with a fused light bulb, don’t worry we have got you covered here as well. Turn your light bulb into a snowman or a reindeer ornament. You can also color your bulb with glitters and paint to bring an artistic flick to your house.

Light Bulb Snowman Ornament

Ombre-Colored Light Bulb

Reindeer Light Bulb Ornament

Also Read: DIY Christmas Wreath Ideas to Try This Festive Season

Using Waste Tin Cans

Turn your old tin can into a smooth and beautiful hanging candle holder. Hang the cans on your wall and light them up on Christmas Eve. If your home has tin cans that you once used to paint your house and are no longer in use, this is your best chance to put them into use again – be it as a candle holder or anything that you can craft for the Christmas season.

Tin Can Candle Holder

Hanging Tin Can Holder

Tin Can Christmas Tree

Tin Can Snowman

Using Egg Cartons

With Christmas around the corner you can expect kids to have their naughty quotient wagging. Give little kids a chance to show their talent and creativity with egg cartons. Turning cartons into decorative items not only pumps their creativity but also makes them conscious of sustainability and recycling.

Egg Carton Snowman and Reindeer

Egg Carton Christmas Tree

Tires for Decoration

Tires are the last object that will come to your mind while doing home decorations but believe it or not, these rubber items will add aesthetic charm to your place if used properly. You can either use them as a planter or as a Christmas tree stand.

Recycled Tire Christmas Planter

Christmas Tire Ornament

Also Read: DIY Christmas Tree Alternatives to Try

Old Fabric Strips can be Reused

Old fabric strips can be used to beautify your home. Your old shirts lend a well-dressed touch to your holiday tree. The scrap fabric ornament can be placed on a Christmas tree and make your evening even more special.

Old Shirts Christmas Tree Ornament

Primitive Scrap Fabric Ornament

Scrap Fabric Twine Christmas Ornament

Toilet Paper Rolls are Useful

Do you remember the DIY tutorial on how to make a pumpkin out of toilet paper? Well, there is more to toilet paper than just making pumpkins. You can make tassel garlands or calendars using toilet paper rolls.

Toilet Paper Roll Tassel Garland

Toilet Paper Roll Christmas Trees

Advent Calendar Boxes

Mason Jars

Suitable for bedside table, dining room and any shelf, mason jars make a perfect Christmas decoration. Moreover, the usage of tea lights inside mason jars will make them stand tall among the rest. It is finally time to upcycle your mason jars into candle holders or convert them into a snowman.

Christmas Mason Jar Snowman

Mason Jar Lid Tree Ornament

Painted Mason Jar Votive Holders

Autumn Mason Jar Candle Holder

Spare Wire Decoration

While making the base of your Christmas tree topper, consider using a wire this time. A hanger used for holding clothes can be a good alternative as your Christmas tree topper star. Fold and mold the wire in such a way that it looks decent on your Christmas tree.

Upcycled Wire Hanger

Wire and Bead Christmas Decoration

Wood and Tree Branches for Decoration

Speakers made from recycled wood and lampshades made from disposable wooden chopsticks are some examples of how wood can be utilized into beautiful items. Christmas trees, candle holders and ornaments are no exception and can be made using leftover wood pieces and tree branches.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Tree Stump Candle Holder

Twig Christmas Tree

DIY Branch Christmas Tree