How to make wooden Christmas decorations

Make your own wooden decorations this Christmas with foraged twigs from your garden

These natural wooden Christmas decorations are so quick to make and you can even find some of the materials in your own back garden. Have a hunt around your garden for wooden twigs and sticks you can use for this project. Just make sure it’s all completely dried out before you begin.

Looking for more craft projects to get you in the festive flow? Take a look at these simple Christmas paper chains or gingerbread tree decorations. Or for an extra special decoration or personalised gift, have a go at making these air-dry clay alphabet Christmas decorations.

Wooden twig tree decorations

To make wooden twig tree decorations you will need:

• Wooden star decorations
• Hot glue gun
• Drill and 5mm drill bit
• 30cm 4mm thick wooden dowel
• 8cm wide log slice
• 1.5cm thick wooden twigs
• Small coping saw
• Sandpaper
• Ruler

For craft supplies, check out Wilko.

How to make wooden twig tree decorations:

1. Drill a 5mm hole into the base of the log slice. Slip the 4mm thick wooden dowel into the hole.

2. Fill the hole with glue from a hot glue gun and allow to dry. Make sure to hold the dowel upright as the glue sets.

3. Taking the thick wooden twigs and coping saw, chop off a 5cm length piece. Drill a 5mm hole through the very centre lengthways, sand down the ends and slip onto the dowel. Push the twig all the way down to the bottom of the base to create the trunk of the tree.

4. For the horizontal twigs, use the coping saw to cut the thick twigs into smaller and smaller pieces. Start at 15cm and graduate down to 4cm. Sand down the rough edges.

5. Once cut, drill a 5mm hole through the centre widthways. Slip onto the central dowel, stacking up the pieces in size order.

6. At the top, hot glue gun a small wooden star to either side of the empty dowel to hide the raw dowel end.

7. Repeat to create the smaller tree too, cutting the central dowel down to 18cm before gluing to the base.

Wooden star decoration

To make the wooden star decoration you will need:

• Five 1.5cm thick wooden twigs cut to 25cm long
• Hot glue gun
• Red twine
• Bodkin or large tapestry needle
• Jingle bells
• Scissors

How to make a wooden star decoration:

1. Using our photograph as a guide, position the five branches into a star shape.

2. Heat up the glue gun and stick the ends together with a small amount of glue. Allow to dry completely.

3. Wrap the twine over the top of the glue to secure the joins. Thread the bodkin or needle with the twine and slip in between the wrappings to secure the ends. Trim off the excess.

4. Cut three short lengths of twine and thread the jingle bells onto the ends. Knot to secure. Use the bodkin or needle again to slip the twine through the wrapped joint and hold the bells in place.

5. Wrap a short length of twine around the top and knot to create a hanging loop.

Wooden beaded garland decoration

To make a wooden beaded garland decoration you will need:

• Red twine
• Two sizes of wooden beads
• Wooden star decorations with hanging hole in top
• Bodkin or large tapestry needle
• Scissors

How to make a wooden beaded garland decoration:

1. Cut the red twine to your chosen garland length. Knot one end to create a hanging loop.

2. Thread the other end through the bodkin or needle and begin pushing the beads onto the twine.

3. Once you’ve threaded on three beads, continue with a star, then another three beads, then another star, and then six beads. Continue in this pattern until you reach the last 15cm of the twine.

4. Knot the end to form a hanging loop and spread out the beads and stars evenly along the garland.