60 Festive Christmas Crafts for Adults

Air-dry clay and a tea light are all you need to create this sophisticated take on holiday decor. I have to say I’m a huge fan of the minimalist aesthetic (and the fact that the crafting process is practically foolproof).

Back in the day, I remember using wrapping paper to make beads. Here’s a similarly clever way to upcycle the holiday staple. Twist the tiny strips of festive paper up, hot glue them down, and ta-da—that snoozy ball ornament just got a spiffy new look.

The intricacy of these Scandinavian-inspired wooden deer might look intimidating, but fear not—this is a totally beginner-friendly project. That said, there is some special equipment required, so those who don’t own and know how to use a Cricut Maker might want to pick another craft.

Here, another craft that’s remarkably easy to accomplish with some help from a Cricut machine. And we’d be remiss not to mention that the finished product is so much cuter than an ugly Christmas sweater. Plus, once you master the technique, you’ll be able to craft leather ear candy you can rock all year long.

Pom pom crafts are the bee’s knees—namely because they are super budget friendly, reliably easy and full of colorful cheer. This particular craft doubles as holiday decor and gift wrapping, so it’s a multi-purpose project that you can complete with minimal effort.

This quaint DIY Christmas village has a minimalist aesthetic that’s sure to mesh well with any other decor. There are three different design styles included in the tutorial (paper mache, shadow boxes, cone trees) but all of them are blessedly easy to accomplish and budget-friendly to boot.

Traditionally crafted Danish hearts are beautifully presented here alongside Christmas cookies. The baking is optional, but the paper hearts—a tradition in Scandinavia—can be used to decorate the tree or add a festive touch to pretty much any other place in your home. Best of all, the crafting process is exceedingly simple and requires nothing more than red and white paper, a glue stick and a pair of scissors.

I love the modern take on shabby chic decor and festive twist that these farmhouse signs deliver. They’re not hard to make, either. That said, it’s unlikely that you will have the required materials (wood frame, Krazy Glue, canvas, cow ornaments) on hand, so definitely pencil a craft store visit into your schedule for this one.

This gorgeous DIY advent calendar is a project best tackled by a more experienced crafter—it requires a special design software to complete and the process is pretty involved—but if you’re looking for a challenge, the finished product is well worth the extra effort.

Who knew a paper lunch bag could be so beautiful? Here, the kitchen staple is transformed into a beautiful, illuminated snowflake using a technique you might remember from grade school (with a few updates). The end result is a simple, elegant piece of seasonal decor that costs very little to make.

I love a good mason jar craft and there are plenty to pick from. This one is just right for the holiday season, though, and the festive finished product requires precious few materials and very minimal effort to achieve.

This charming leather and flannel wreath is a Pinterest-worthy project that requires no sewing whatsoever and is guaranteed to impress your family and friends. Grab your hot glue gun and get started.

If you’re confident using a power tool (there’s a jigsaw involved) this seriously cool marquee is surprisingly easy to accomplish, thanks to a free printable and a very detailed tutorial.

Add some boho flair to your Christmas decor this year with macrame ornaments that require only three materials (fabric scissors, macrame cord and wooden beads) and are so easy to make even a kid could do it.

The weather outside is frightful…and your home wasn’t blessed with a real fireplace. The solution? Score some spackle, raid the recycling bin for cardboard and get started on a statement-making project that yields the next best thing.

The Christmas tree is great, but your couch isn’t looking particularly festive. Fix that problem with some whimsical, oversized ornament pillows that anyone who knows how to use a sewing machine (and has a few hours to spare) can make.

If you’re seeking a seasonal craft that’s simple and relaxing, look no further than these zentangle ornaments. These aesthetically appealing ornaments allow for plenty of creativity and, as the name suggests, the process is truly meditative.

These festive luminaries are a cinch to make with glass beads and a store-bought candle holder, and the simple technique is one you will likely want to return to for crafting year-round decor, too.

Bottle brush trees, dollar store holiday trinkets and artificial snow come together to make a festive Christmas-in-a-jar in this uncomplicated and highly customizable craft. If you have kids, I highly recommend you get them involved in the creative process because assembling the scene is a whole lot of fun.

Put your gift wrapping surplus to good use with this colorful and customizable holiday wreath. The effort involved is next to nothing and the finished product will fill your home with festive cheer.

Some special equipment—an Heirloom Ornament E-Book—is required for this ornament-making project. Still, the end result is so full of vintage charm that it’s worth investing in the materials required to pull it off.

Check out the tutorial and you will find several different coffee filter crafts that fit the Christmas theme. That said, I think the most impressive of them all is this gorgeous angel figurine, which can be and should be used as a tree-topper, too.

These larger-than-life ornaments are relatively straightforward to put together with a few critical supplies from your local craft store (metal hoops, christmas floral and fluffy yarn, to name a few) and promise to make quite a statement at any holiday party you host.

I’ve already shared my fondness for mason jar crafts, and here’s another one that should definitely be on your craft project to-do list for the holiday season. These snow-dusted luminaries are so elegant and pretty, and they come together with little more than epsom salt and (you guessed it) Mod Podge.

Candy canes are much better for decorating than for eating. Case in point: this eye-pleasing and ridiculously cute candy cane wreath, which can be assembled with nothing more than red ribbon and a dollar store ornament, along with the signature holiday candy and a hot glue gun. Easy peasy.

This DIY is a somewhat laborious project, but still a fairly straightforward one that anyone who can work with power tools can tackle. Needless to say, it’s also sure to impress every holiday guest.

Bring the winter aesthetic of sparkling snow indoors with this easy mason jar luminary craft. Like another craft on the list, this one uses epsom salt and hot glue to great effect; the pinecone and lace embellishments yield a particularly pretty finished product that would look good in any home all winter long.

It could be a Santa or a gnome—that’s for you to decide—but either way, this easy-to-assemble wreath is just brimming with Christmas cheer.

Yep, that’s right—more leather and flannel. And why not? After all, the combination is oh-so cozy and festive. Plus the banner would look good strung across the mantle of any fireplace, be it the real deal or a DIY cardboard construction. (See #15.)

I adore the organic design of this DIY advent calendar, which features eco-friendly recycled materials, plus dangling bundles filled with any candy or trinket you choose. You’d be hard-pressed to find a countdown calendar with more whimsy and charm.

Introduce some homey seasonal decor to your pad with his hand painted wooden peace sign. The materials are few and easy to find and the finished craft will look lovely on your mantle all winter long.

A hot glue gun finds a whole new purpose in this craft, which yields beautiful icicle ornaments and makes the most of any leftover glue stick in that glue gun you’ve been heating up for other projects.

Stripey straws, scissors and felt is all you need to craft the perfect cocktail stirrer for your upcoming holiday party. (Happy hosting!)

The process is a little involved, but this sophisticated ode to Frosty the Snowman and his famous tophat is a centerpiece that will complement any holiday spread.

Gingerbread houses are great…but the traditional ones have a shorter shelf life than these popsicle stick beauties, which will look darling dangling from your tree for many Christmases to come.

Turn family game night into a crafting opportunity with this cute ornament-making idea, which makes brilliant use of scrabble tiles to spell out any holiday phrase you fancy.

Sew together some stockings for a customized advent calendar that’s special enough to pass down to posterity. The handmade touch is so much more meaningful than any of the throwaway candy calendars and the crafting process is easy enough for sewing beginners to complete.

The vintage vibe of this festive mason jar snow globe makes it a winning craft. It’s also exceedingly simple to assemble with just a few store-bought props and some faux plastic snow.

If you prefer a minimal aesthetic (and minimal work) lean into the embroidery hoop trend with this simple DIY, which requires nothing more than a few supplies you can find at your local dollar store.

If you're looking for a beginner’s sewing project, this one fits the bill. To accomplish the festive ‘fa-la-la’ you will need a Cricut machine but, beyond that, this cheery throw pillow can be stitched up with a sewing machine in the blink of an eye.

Sparkly cardstock, scissors and glue (preferably the hot variety) are the only materials you need to make your very own tree topper. Plus, the crafting process is a breeze from start to finish.

Take a trip back in time with this oh-so retro candy Christmas tree. It’s easy to make, easy on the eyes and requires nothing more than convenience store candies, pins and a foam cone.

Poinsettias are a Christmastime staple…but if you don’t have a good track record with potted plants, there’s a fair chance yours might wilt before the holiday party begins. Enter the crepe paper imposter—a wonderfully simple crafting endeavor that’s just as beautiful and festive as the real thing.

A craft that involves ripping pages out of a book is admittedly not for everyone. That said, if you don’t have a horrible aversion to the idea we strongly suggest you find some recycled material or battered Christmas books (your toddler did the damage first!) and go to town with a straightforward decoupage project that yields some pretty cool-looking collage-style Christmas trees.

If you have not yet discovered Ruffles and Rain Boots, you’re missing out. It’s a crafting site that’s completely devoted to gnomes and once you start exploring, you will likely be just as enthusiastic about incorporating this theme into your own Christmas decor. My advice? Start with this tutorial for gnome napkin holders, which boasts an easy SVG pattern; then, sit back and bask in all that dinner party glory.

These DIY paper angels are another Scandinavian tradition and a really cute one at that. Best of all, they’re super easy to make with just a little basic folding (no complicated origami, friends) and some help from a hot glue gun.

I think we can all agree that Christmas (and every holiday) needs more rainbow magic. After all, the red and green business gets a little boring after a while. If you agree, and are also in possession of a sewing machine, you should absolutely stitch together this undeniably attractive rainbow snowflake pillow.

Calling all Cricut fans. This festive leather banner is an absolute breeze to make with your favorite cutting machine and the tutorial comes with a downloadable ‘let it snow’ file so the project is completely foolproof.

You can use a sewing machine or even hand-sew this reindeer plushie by following the very easy pattern provided in the tutorial. When the stitching is done, you’ll be rewarded with something that looks way cuter on the wall than, say, a taxidermy moose head.

Easy to assemble and easy on the eyes, this Christmas vignette is essentially a craft-free craft. In other words, if you don’t have crafting skills you can still succeed at this, since you basically just have to tie a bow and use a hot glue gun to pull it together.

Donning an ugly holiday sweater might not be your cup of tea. Fortunately, you can participate in the tradition without committing a crime against fashion—just pay homage to it with an easy mason jar painting craft instead.

Bigger is better, and this larger than life Christmas light display is proof. This festive outdoor display is no small feat to accomplish (there’s drilling, spray painting, wood gluing, etc.) but the end result is so fun and whimsical, it’s worth the effort if you’re up to the task.

Purchase the wooden figurines and the DIY nativity scene will spring to life with little more than some painting and gluing. If you’re looking for an exceedingly easy project that still leaves room for creativity, this one fits the bill.

You’ll need a Cricut maker for these pretty paper flowers. If you have one, put it to use for a startlingly realistic Christmas bouquet that comes together in the blink of an eye.

Even the kids can get in on this simple and beginner-friendly decoupage craft. Just score some plain glass ornaments, tear some festive strips of confetti from tissue paper and let the Mod Podge do the rest.

Here, a playful holiday party decoration that’s easy to do using nothing more than the strings of some balloons. Use any material you like for the lights, hot glue them to the string and ta-da, you’re done.

Only beginner sewing skills are required to accomplish these DIY stockings, and the best part is that they’re so fun to customize. In other words, head straight to the fabric store and feel free to get carried away.

Get a head start on holiday merrymaking by popping a few bottles of vino (for the sake of art, of course) and putting the corks to good use. These adorable candy cane ornaments can be made with just some paint, hot glue and ribbon—once you’ve procured the corks, that is.

If you know how to crochet you can make a delicate and oh-so pretty snowflake with that skill. The tutorial comes with a free crochet pattern and the resulting ornament makes for a great Christmas gift.

This minimalist geometric wreath is perfect holiday decor and sleek enough that you can hang it year-round. Best of all, it comes together in just 15 minutes with precious few materials required.