12 EASY Dollar Store Christmas DIYs (2024)

Make a trip to the dollar store, and let’s decorate for Christmas!

I’m super excited to be back with another dollar store Christmas tutorial – scratch that – 12 dollar store Christmas DIYS and tutorials. I’ve whipped up 12 super simple and easy craft and DIY decor projects – all made using dollar store supplies. Let’s get making!

Here’s the VIDEO of all 12 dollar store Christmas DIYs, or else you can read about them below.

1. Plastic Bells

First up, we have plastic bells. I absolutely adore these plastic bells, but I don’t entirely love that shiny gold finish. It just makes it so obvious that these are plastic and not real metal. So I gave them a quick makeover.

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Take shiny plastic bells and give them an aged farmhouse look.

Materials

• plastic bells – from Dollar Tree
• scissors
• Waverly chalk paint in color “Mineral” – from WalMart
• paint brush
• twine – from Dollar Tree
• jute rope – from Dollar Tree
• hot glue gun and glue
• silk flowers – from Dollar Tree
• ribbon

Instructions

1. Start by cutting off the topper, ribbon, and the greenery that came on the bell.
2. Grab Waverly chalk paint in the color mineral - it’s basically a light gray that leans a little bit more warm than cool, and I use it on lots of projects. Use a teeny tiny amount of paint on the end of a dry paint brush. Paint all over the surface of the belll, using horizontal strokes back and forth - always in the same direction. You really need the smallest amount of paint, just
   enough to take the shine off the plastic.
3. You will nee both twine and jute rope to attach the bells, because the rope is too thick to fit through the top of the bell.
4. Run the twine through first, and knot it. Then add the rope, and added know the twine again to hold it all together. Double over the rope and wrap it up tightly with the twine - about 20 times or so. Then hot glue down the end of the twine.
5. Add a few silk flowers and a ribbon bow to the top of the rope.
6. To make a simple ribbon: Begin with two lengths of ribbon – one long and one short. Make a figure eight with the longer ribbon and then secure it in the middle with the shorter ribbon and a simple knot.
7. And then you can hang this cute little bunch on a cabinet or a
   doorknob – anywhere you like. I really think these look so much better than they did before with that shiny plastic.

You can hang this cute little bunch on a cabinet or a doorknob – anywhere you like. I really think these look so much better than they did before with that shiny plastic.

Related Dollar Tree Bell Crafts:

• DIY Holiday Bells made from Plastic Shot Cups
• Jute Rope Holiday Bells

2&3. Spray Painted Christmas Village and Door Hanger

The next two projects really demonstrate the power of a couple coats of spray paint. These are so easy to make. I just have before and after pictures to share with you guys, because truly it’s like a one one-step thing.

White Dollar Store Christmas Village

First, this Christmas village. It comes in several different pieces with different buildings and characters and benches and light posts and stuff. All you need to do is give this village a quick coat of white spray paint – any kind will do – and you can completely transform the look.

Grab some matte white spray paint and a Dollar Tree Christmas village. You won't believe how EASY it is to make your own neutral farmhouse-style winter village.

Materials

• dollar store Christmas village pieces
• matte white spray paint - any kind will do, as long as it is a matte or chalky finish

Instructions

1. In a well-ventilated area, set out your Christmas village pieces on a piece of cardboard or scrap wood.
2. Apply a thin coat of spray paint. Let dry.
3. Repeat step 2 until complete coverage is achieved. This may take 4-5 coats, depending on the complexity of the village piece.

I staged my village with some faux boxwood and wood rounds to give it more of a neutral farmhouse look. You can do whatever you want.

Spray painted dollar store door hanger

Another thing I like to paint are these holiday door hangers. This merry Christmas hanger looks just fine in gold – it comes in gold and red glitter – but glitter metallic really just isn’t my thing or my style. So I spray painted right over it.

Transform a dollar store glitter door hanger with a bit of white spray paint. Make a beautiful, neutral, Christmas wreath.

Materials

• Dollar Tree “Merry Christmas” glitter door hanger
• matte white spray paint - any kind will work, but matte or chalky finish is best

Instructions

1. In a well-ventilated area, set out your Christmas door hanger on a piece of cardboard or scrap wood.
2. Apply a thin coat of spray paint. Let dry.
3. Repeat step 2 until complete coverage is achieved - It actually takes more paint than you would think to get full coverage over all of that glitter because there’s quite a bit of texture
   to it. I suppose you could try sanding down some of the glitter first before painting, but I just left the glitter on because I like how it adds a little bit of texture on that hanger.

Notes

I love this basic magnolia leaf wreath for projects like this. It serves as the perfect neutral backdrop as I change out seasonal decor. Boxwood would look beautiful as well. It's all about your personal preference.

Then I just added the Merry Christmas hanger to a plain magnolia wreath that I have.

I love decor pieces that can serve double, triple, quadruple duty throughout the year, so if you just have one basic wreath you can adjust it with the different seasons by adding a different dollar store hanger on the front.

4. Greeting Cards

Project number four is greeting cards. I love to buy greeting cards, birthday cards, everything at the dollar store because you can save a ton of money.

Just grab a couple packs of holiday cards and some of these cute little wooden house frames – they’re from the picture frame section at the dollar store. For this project, instead of buying individual cards I bought the pack of cards. You can use one or two in a craft and then you have a handful left over for sending holiday cards to friends and family.

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Grab a couple of those wooden house frames and a pack of Christmas cards from the dollar store for an easy Christmas DIY decor project.

Materials

• wooden house frames – from Dollar Tree
• greeting cards – from Dollar Tree
• pencil
• scissors
• Mod Podge

Instructions

Since I had two different styles of frames, I had two different
methods for using these cards.

1. Cut out the little house shape onto a greeting card. Trace the shape of the roof, and then trim until the card fits inside the house frame. It just takes a bit of trial and error until the card fits snugly inside the house.

2. The second method is a bit easier. Trace the house shape directly onto the greeting card and then cut it out exactly to size. Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the back of the wooden house. Smooth the card into place. Let dry.

Notes

Can't find those wooden house frames at your Dollar Tree? Try a regular frame or a small canvas instead.

And I think these two little houses are super duper cute, and like I said I used a pack of cards. So now I have, you know, I think I have like 10 cards left over that I can use to send out holiday cards this year.

5&6. Decorating with Gift Bags and Gift Wrap

Number five and number six are gift wrap and gift bags. If you have followed my blog or my YouTube channel you know I’m a big fan of crafting with gift bags already, and I love to buy whatever I can at the dollar store.

You can save so much money, instead of shopping at like a big box retailer. I swear you could spend four dollars on a gift bag at a regular store, and at the dollar store they’re only a buck.

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Save those pretty gift bags to use for holiday wall decor. Grab a few gift bags to frame in your holiday decor and gallery walls.

Materials

• dollar store Christmas gift bags
• dollar store frame in coordinating size
• (optional) gold spray paint

Instructions

1. (optional) disassemble the frames - remove the backing.
2. In a well-ventilated area, set out your empty frame on a piece of cardboard or scrap wood. Apply a thin coat of spray paint. Let dry. Repeat until you have full coverage.
3. Trace the frame backer onto a gift bag and cut out.
4. Place the cut-out gift bag inside the frame. Re-assemble the frame.

The first thing that I did was I framed a couple of gift bags. Every once in a while at my dollar tree I will find 11 by 14 frames. It’s not all that often, so when I find them, I scoop them up. You could also use an 8 by 10 or whatever you find.

Since these frames were originally plain brown, I just gave them a quick coat with gold spray paint to change up the look. And then I cut down the gift bags to size and popped them in the frame. Seriously so easy.

Gift Wrapped Picture Frames

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Transform your wall decor and picture frames by wrapping them with gift wrap. An easy and inexpensive way to decorate for Christmas.

Materials

• gift wrap in color/design of your choice
• scissors
• scotch tape
• picture frames in various sizes

See Also

47 Dollar Store Crafts Ideas -- Thrifty and easy!

Instructions

1. Lay your gift wrap out face-down. Place a picture frame over the smooth paper. Cut the paper a few inches wider than the frame on each side.
2. Wrap like a gift, taping the gift wrap in place on the back of the frame.

I also like to craft with gift wrap. What I did here is: I just took a couple bigger frames that I originally had sitting above my piano. And then I just wrapped them in gift wrap and then staged them on my piano. I think it’s just a fun way to change up your wall decor without having to switch in and out different printables or different pictures at holiday time.

7. Personalized Dollar Store Ornaments

Number seven is personalized ornaments. So this I actually made with my Cricut a couple weeks ago, but I’m going to show you how to do it with and without a Cricut. You want to get these holiday bulbs – you want to get the non-glitter ones. So if it’s in a pack with glitter and non-glitter, just take the glitter ones out. And then you just use your Cricut to cut on vinyl the names of every member of your family.

So every family member, whether it’s your extended family or your immediate family, depending on how big your clan is, gets their own ornament. You just cut their name out on vinyl and then just use transfer tape to smooth it out onto the ornaments.

But if you don’t have a Cricut, you can also do this with a paint marker. At your regular craft store, buy a black paint marker. Then use your best handwriting. My handwriting is not phenomenal, but I did my best here to just write everyone’s name onto an ornament.

I think this is just a sweet way to have everyone feel included, and the kids really love finding their ornament on the tree.

8. Dollar Store Holiday Flowers and Berries

Number eight are silk flowers or fake flowers from the dollar tree.

So this is actually how I decorated my Walmart Christmas tree a couple years ago. I think this was the first Christmas in our new house. I love buying poinsettias and holiday berries. And all you do is stick them in the tree. It’s great for extra filler.

Then you can add ribbon from the craft store or your personalized ornaments.

9. Mini Tree Basket Collar

Next up we have these little mini baskets that I’m going to actually use as a tree collar for a mini dollar store tree.

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Transform a dollar tree Christmas basket into a mini tree collar.

Materials

• mini basket - from Dollar Tree
• scissors
• white spray paint
• mini tree - from Dollar Tree
• evergreen pipe cleaners - from Dollar Tree
• felt scarf - from Dollar Tree
• bells - from Dollar Tree

Instructions

1. Take apart this basket – you’re going to take the little metallic decoration off as well as the felt little collar on it, because all you want is the basket.
2. In a well-ventilated area, set out the basket on a piece of cardboard or scrap wood. Give it a couple of quick coats of white spray paint, until you reach the desired level of coverage. Let dry.
3. Flip the basket over and cut a hole in the center. It’s a little
   bit tricky. I used my heavy duty craft scissors here, but you just want to kind of cut enough of a space that you can fit the base of the mini Christmas tree through the basket.
4. Stick the base of the tree through the basket and assemble the base. To fill out the tree branches a bit, add a few evergreen pipe cleaners. Fold each pipe cleaner in half, and twist it onto a branch at its base. The pipe cleaners added at the top of the tree will need to be trimmed down to size, since those branches are shorter.
5. Cut a 1-inch strip of fabric off the long edge of the scarf. Drape around the tree like a garland.
6. Finish the tree by decorating with a string of mini jingle bells.

Notes

You don’t have to paint the basket, but I went with white because I wanted to do something a little more neutral.

Now I have a cute little Christmas tree that I have on top of my piano with my gift wrapped picture frames.

P.S. – Looking for a full-sized tree skirt that is just as easy and inexpensive to make? Give this burlap tree skirt a try!

10. Crafting and Decorating with Dollar Store Window Clings

Number 10 are dollar store window clings. I like to buy these for the kids all throughout the year. They always have different seasonal window clings that they like to put on our kitchen door. But this also makes a great craft using dollar store glass tumbler jars and pillar candles.

Yield: 3

Active Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Dollar Store Window Cling Candle Tumblers - Easily transform dollar store glass tumblers with Christmas window clings.

Materials

• 1 sheet of window clings
• 3 glass jars
• 3 white pillar candles

Instructions

1. Peel a window cling off the sheet and stick it onto the jar.
2. Then pop a white pillar candle into into the glass jar.

Notes

I like to buy the unscented candles from the dollar store just
because I feel like they burn a little cleaner. I don’t necessarily like
artificial scents, so I just buy the unscented white ones. You could do red candles or really whatever you want. It’s such a super easy craft.

11. Dollar Store Candy Cane Wreath

Project number 11 is a candy cane wreath, which is probably the most involved project that I have made for this tutorial. I’m going to warn you right now – I am not a pro at making wreaths. So please don’t judge my technique or my form here. I just did my best.

The dollar store has cute little candy cane wreath forms, which I think are a little fun – a little something different than just a regular circle wreath.

Yield: 1 wreath

How to make a candy cane wreath using three basic supplies from Dollar Tree. Make a beautiful, neutral Christmas wreath.

Materials

• candy cane wreath form
• scissors
• green wired garland
• white poinsettias

Instructions

1. Wrap the end of the wreath form using the green garland. Cut off the end, and twist the garland around the wreath form to hold in place.
2. Then use the garland to wrap the whole first wreath form section.
3. Continue alternating sections with the garland, until 4 sections have been wrapped.
4. Add the poinsettias to the remaining three wreath form sections.For each section, use two bunches of flowers. Cut all the ends off – just cut the stem away from the base. Then stuff the flowers into an empty section in the wreath form. Flip over the wreath form, and grab all the ends of the flowers. Twist
   the ends together using an extra piece of the green wired garland.
5. Repeat this process with the poinsettias in the two remaining sections.

This wreath seems to be holding up well. Plus, I really like the look of the white and green. It’s just something a little bit different from a classic red and white candy cane.

12. Dollar Store Snow Globe Crafts

Finally, we’re going to talk about dollar store snow globes. I made this project two different ways.

Snow Globe #1 – Supplies Needed:

• snow globe ornament – from Dollar Tree
• figuring and bottle brush tree – from Dollar Tree
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• epsom salt
• holiday twine

Make these cute mini mason jar snow globe ornaments with dollar store supplies.

Materials

• snow globe ornament - from Dollar Tree
• figuring and bottle brush tree - from Dollar Tree
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• epsom salt
• holiday twine or thin ribbon

Instructions

1. Open up the ornament jars. Hot glue one small figurine and one small tree into the lid of the jar.
2. Pour a tiny bit of epsom salt into the jar. Screw the lid back on. Flip the jar over and let the epsom salt settle.
3. If you would like, you can swap out the original hanger with a bit of holiday twine or thin ribbon. Secure with a simple knot.

The first snow globe uses epsom salt and an ornament. The dollar store does have faux snow, but it looks really fake, and you don’t get very much of it for a dollar. I just use regular old epsom salt.

Snow Globe #2

Then a second way to make dollar store snow globes is just with mason jars. These mason jars I found at the dollar store, and they came with glitter-like snow in them. But if you can’t find jars like this, you can just use a regular mason jar instead.

Yield: 2 snow globes

Make these cute little decorative snow globes using glass jars and dollar store ornaments.

Materials

• 2 glass jars
• hot glue and glue gun
• snowman ornaments
• bottle brush trees
• glitter snow

Instructions

1. Remove the lid of the jar.
2. Hot glue one snowman ornaments and one bottle brush tree into the bas of the lid.
3. Add a bit of glitter snow to the jar.
4. Flip the lid upside-down, and carefully screw it back onto the jar.
5. Flip the jar over and shake gently so the snow can settle.

The technique for this is exactly the same as the snow globe ornaments. You just want to hot glue one figurine and one Christmas tree to the lid of the jar. For this, I used a little bit bigger of a figurine. I grabbed these little snowmen ornaments. They were with all the other Christmas tree ornaments at the dollar store. Then I just used a little bit larger of a bottle brush tree.

I ended up not using epsom salt on this one, just because my jars already came with this glitter snow stuff inside of it. But if you’re using just a regular plain mason jar, you can add epsom salt for your snow and then assemble everything back together.

I’m just displaying these little snow globes with my collection of vintage teal mason jars on a shelf in my living room.

So there you have it. Thanks for sticking with me guys! I know this was a long post, but here are 12 super easy dollar store Christmas DIYs and crafts that you guys can make. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Until next time, happy making!

Don’t forget to PIN these dollar store Christmas DIYs and crafts for later: