40+ Clever Holiday Hacks That Will Make This Festive Time of Year Unforgettable

The Christmas tree is the main attraction of the big day. You may argue that it’s the amazing smell of food wafting through the air on the morning of Christmas or the part where you get to exchange gifts, but the tree will be the first thing that you’ll look at for the entire time.

There are many unique decorations to bedazzle your precious tree, and then there are the handy tricks! Hang two sets of fairy lights with different-sized lamps to highlight all the bits of the tree.

There’s no shame in admitting that many of us have sometimes completely forgotten about Christmas shopping. It’s understandable; amidst the planning, we wouldn’t blame you if you forgot to buy presents for your loved ones.

However, wrapping gifts in a time constraint is anything but a simple task, especially for an amateur. Try this if you don’t have fancy wrapping paper to hide your trash-wrapping skills. Wrap up your gift in regular paper, cut out half of a Christmas tree shape on it, and bend it outwards.

Making snowflakes out of paper is one of the most classic decorations out there. Not only do they fit the theme perfectly, but they’re also super easy to make. How about you spice things up a bit this time and try making decorative snowflakes out of glue?

You can get creative with the shape and details and also color it however you want. Plus, if there are kids, they’re sure to love it. Stimulate kids’ imagination with this fun DIY idea.

Ah, the one with all the leftover wrapping paper. It can be easy to get carried away while buying wrapping paper when you’re not exactly sure how much you’ll need. This is why most people have an excess of wrapping paper after packing their presents.

There is no reason why one can’t get creative and do something fancy with them! These wrapping paper cone trees make excellent abstract pieces for anywhere around the way. Learn how to make them in some simple steps here.

Many people completely refrain from sticking decorations on their walls because they fear ripping out their expensive wallpaper or having paint bits fall off when it’s ripped off.

After years of struggling with whether or not to sacrifice the decor, we’ve found this ingenious hack to get the most out of this situation. Before attaching paper decorations to the walls, stick on a piece of sticky tape and apply some glue to it. Now, the decor won’t cause any significant damage to your wallpaper.

Not everyone wants a legit Christmas tree for their decor. It might be because they’re much more concerned about the environment, or because they want tree bits all over their living room. Regardless, you can always choose an artificial tree that looks equally good.

The only issue might be the thin supporting stick going down the middle, which is somewhat distracting. Conceal the base by putting your tree inside a fancy cardboard box. +Two for decoration, +Five for creativity.

Don’t have any “Christmas” worthy crockery? Well, sure you do; you just haven’t looked in the right place. The spirit of Christmas lies in adding sparkle to everything, so why not do that to the old, forgotten glasses that have been sitting in your cabinet forever?

With some basic craft skills and the help of a few special markers, you can give them the holiday bling everyone loves! Use a Sharpie to decorate your glasses to brighten them up for the dinner table.

We’re used to seeing tree skirts under our Christmas trees, as they’re both cozy and practical (they leave your floor clean and clear of Christmas decorations and needles). But there’s no need to buy a special one when you might already have something perfect at home.

Just look in your closet! A nice circle skirt can be used as a perfect cover under your tree (it even has a hole in the middle for the base). You might want to put an extra blanket underneath to make it more fluffy. But, if it’s purely for aesthetics, there’s no need to add anything.

The entire purpose of hanging up fairy lights is to get all eyes on the dimming lights that light up the night, but everything goes to waste when that darn green power cable runs everywhere to reach the electrical socket.

Hide the cable behind the Christmas tree to avoid drawing unwanted attention. If that’s not possible, pull out a can of gold spray paint and make the cable part of the decor. No one will be able to tell!

No need to spend a ton of money to buy craft materials when you can decorate your Christmas tree just as nicely with things you’ve made with your own hands. This is another DIY that’s super kid-friendly and has satisfying results.

Try making decor from salt dough. This particular texture is quite similar to clay, and it’s incredibly easy to work with. Here’s a recipe for making white salt dough for your convenience.

Christmas decoration doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket and we’re here to reinstate that! If you don’t have the budget to go for fancy wreaths and bows at the supermarket, make one! It’s easy, cheap, and can be transitioned from one season to another by changing the details.

We found this excellent DIY hack for making a bow using jute strips. This decor gives your home the warmth and rustic feeling you would find in the cute homes along the prairie.

Speaking of creative things that really take your Christmas tree decorations to the next level, add a bunch of reflective elements to the tree. This will create the illusion of a brighter tree, and the fairy lights will only look better.

If you want a tree that blinds everyone who walks into the house — not literally — consider this hack. Experiment with mirrors of different shapes to find what looks best.

Christmas trees can be fun, glamorous, and downright over the top, depending on personal preference. However, no matter how you dress up a tiny Christmas tree, it will never stop being adorable. Are you someone who’s extra excited about Christmas and wants to flaunt their holiday spirit?

A large tree isn’t enough; get a mini one for your desk. Simply break off a few branches from a fig tree and neatly place them on a vase. There you have it — your very own miniature Christmas tree to deck up.

Wreaths are the quintessential Christmas element. Ranging from fresh ones made from finely trimmed bushes and leaves to reusable plastic ones, every home hangs one up on their door before the big day.

However, hanging up wreaths can be rather annoying if there’s no built-in hook on your door. Surely it can’t be expected that you drill a screw in your door for this purpose. Get a command hook and stick it upside-down on the door’s back to hang a wreath perfectly every time.

Candles are great to give the house a rustic and warm feel, but a good one isn’t the cheapest. There’s always the problem of the candle melting unevenly, and soon, you’re left with something that can’t sit straight anywhere.

Here’s a hack to solve that. Place your candle in a hurricane vase and put a can under it. This way, the filler is used less, and the candle will sit straight properly.

Fillers are a great way to make your crystal and glass jars look decorative and fancy. On days when there aren’t enough fillers and you need to fill up that apothecary jar, a clever hack is there to save the day!

Place the fillers and fill the jar halfway in. Put an empty tissue paper roll right in the middle and fill the rest of the apothecary jar. It won’t even feel like the jar doesn’t have that many sparkly decorations.

Pictures to decorate the house? Big yes! Is there any picture you wish would deck the walls of your house in this festive season? Doesn’t it really elevate the mood?

Instead of spending extra pounds on buying an actual framed photo, go for the cheap and convenient alternative – print out your favorite holiday image and hang it down from a dowel. Try this with a bunch of small photos to collage into something amazing.

On that note of fluffing up faux trees, artificial garlands aren’t the best decorations on the planet, but they get the job done. If you’re unsatisfied with how thin and unimpressive your faux garlands look, try this smart hack.

Use yard clipping and floral wire to add volume to the garlands. Alternatively, you can look at the stores where you get fresh trees and pick out some evergreens for the job.

Holiday cards are positively adorable, making one heck of a cute and unique decoration. When there is a decent amount of holiday cards in storage, don’t just sit them out. Rather, give them a place to shine by hanging them up.

Display your cards by attaching them to tied-up ribbons around the house. Put them up somewhere where you’ll actually notice them. 100 percent guaranteed to put a smile on your or anyone else’s face.

There’s this perception that all nice Christmas decorations are somewhat expensive, which annoys us. Something doesn’t have to be expensive to show off your holiday spirit; you could do that just as well with a unique DIY project that flaunts your artistic sense.

For a classy yet inexpensive alternative to pricey, fancy tabletop trees, use your card stocks to make a cone and bedazzle it with bead garlands glued onto the body. Try this with your kids, if you have any, and awaken their creative nerves.

Many people find cleaning up therapeutic; all the organizing and sorting can be rather pleasing. However, the majority of us don’t, and we’d do possibly anything to avoid it. How frustrating it is after you’ve laid down a huge meal. Everyone enjoyed it, but now you’re left to clean everything — brush off crumbs, wipe the table, etc.

To avoid this, line your table with brown kraft paper before setting the meals out. After everyone’s done, simply pick them up and discard the bits and chunks.

Pumpkins aren’t only for the fall; they’re perfect for winter and the festivities. While they’re the star of the show in the spooky event of the year, Halloween, they can be used as a great centerpiece when Christmas is around.

During Halloween, we try to make it as ghoulish as possible, but this time, we try to make it elegant. Hollow out the insides of a pumpkin and place a vase in there; you’ve got the perfect fall-inspired mantle decor/centerpiece.

Sometimes, you have to think outside of the box to come up with something that blows everyone’s minds. Kind of like an illusion, which gives us the idea of an illusion vase. Find two vases that are of different sizes but of identical shape and layer them.

Place flowers in the smaller one and fill the larger one with mini dreidels or gelt. Your guests will look multiple times before even beginning to understand what you’ve done.

Curtains are such an underrated part of the whole interior aesthetic that it should be a crime. When styled and picked properly, drapes can add big points to the looks of a house.

You may have special drapes to hang up for the holiday season, or you may be going with your old ones, but there’s nothing wrong with adding fun elements. Reuse your old decorative bows or sparkly necklaces as curtain tie-backs. They can be simple and elegant or shiny enough to blind someone.

Repurposing is a big part of today’s “hack” guide because it’s convenient, costs no money, and is plain genius. Who would have thought you could turn tomato cages into artificial topiaries and actually make them look decent? Flip your tomato cage over and decorate it by wrapping small fairy lights around it.

No one will know what you did, but it’s definitely aligning with the holiday spirit. Fairy lights of multiple colors can easily take something as simple as a tomato cage and turn it into a glorious shelf piece.

Perks if you got the Friends reference! What’s better than Christmas tree decorations? Edible Christmas tree decor, of course. For many of us, this remains a fond childhood memory and now you get to recreate that.

However, since we’re looking at a bit craftier tips for today, here’s a modernized version of the candies where you have to melt hard candy and use cookie cutters to form festive shapes. Check out the detailed instructions here.

Cups probably aren’t the most creative things on the planet, but they’re super practical. With that being said when Christmas is knocking at the door, we are obsessed with making everything give off the ultimate holiday vibe.

With this hack, you can give your cup an awesome festival makeover. Buy a nice pair of festive socks, cut them out to fit the cup, sew around the edges, and voila! You have a cup that’s as Christmas-ready as your tree.

The holiday season has approached, and the wallpaper/color in the room is doing nothing to add to the holiday vibe. We’ve all been there and gotten over the idea super quick. It’s not practical to change your room’s wallpaper into something super bright and fun just for a holiday, and putting up new wallpaper isn’t any better either.

However, if you like a fabric, you can instantly turn it into removable wallpaper by mixing water and cornstarch.

There’s a wide variety of garlands available in the market to suit any holiday theme, but on a budget, they might not be the best option. Why not make your own garland out of ribbons? It’s possible and we approve of the looks.

Cut out strips of ribbons in any color you want and tie them together onto a string of fairy lights. You now have a DIY garland that’s cute enough to be draped anywhere in the house.

Outdoor lights are all sparkly and magical until you have to attach them to the wall. Tape just doesn’t cut it and the string will often get loose, causing it to move of its own free will.

Using glue to tape the lights down when they’re being unruly is a smart hack. Apply hot glue to the light side’s socket and stick it where needed. Hold it like that for a few seconds until the glue dries completely, and you’re done!

Faking enthusiasm for your faux Christmas tree for too long? Of course, you want it to look better, not some cheap plastic tree you picked up at a local supermarket. Give your artificial Christmas tree the look of a real one by making it stand atop a real tree trunk.

Check out your local tree service for a tree stump and carve a hole in the middle to fit the faux’s base. Easily incorporate the goodness of nature with your interior decor.

Just like wreaths, banners are an absolute annoyance to hang up. However, they’re festive and show purpose, so we’ll give them a pass. Banners are perfect for any occasion, not just the holidays.

Available in many colors, patterns, designs, and writings, they’re an affordable way to spruce up the house. Hang them using the same method as wreaths — get mini commander hooks on your mirrors or the top of your door frame.

Art supplies are so yesterday! Normal coffee filters can be transformed into delicate snowflake decorations for your home. For this heart-warming holiday season, make yourself a cup of coffee and keep the filter paper. Flatten it out and fold a few of them.

Bring out a pair of scissors and cut them into any snowflake pattern you like. Your innovative paper creations will be symmetrical and perfectly round each time — but no two will be alike!

Red fabric captures the essence of the holiday season, and red bows are everything we love captured into one giant knot for this time. Deck the doors with this artful idea of DIY bows. We prefer a mixture of dark and light red organza, but you can pick out any festive fabric that you like.

Cut up bed sheets, too! Wrap the fabric around the desired door and staple it in place. Your guests will be pleasantly surprised by the stunningly bright decor.

Why should only a master chef’s home smell the unforgettable aroma of the most delicious festive foods? You can do it, too, and it’s super simple. Fill a pot with juicy oranges and lush cranberries – don’t forget the fragrant herbs and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

Do you have any other ingredients that you adore? Add them right in. Let the combination simmer on the stove, filling the senses with a spiced potpourri. Don’t blame us if everyone on the streets knocks to take a sniff!

A short and sweet twist on table settings, these adorable little candy-cane placeholders are everything you need to make your dinner time the best (and most Instagram-friendly). Candy canes are necessary this season, so most people stock up on them.

Glue together two pieces of upside-down canes and place food labels or name cards inside the two front “hooks.” Your holiday dinner table will be like a photo out of Pinterest.

The most impressive statement-piece wreaths are shockingly expensive, but this shouldn’t curb your holiday excitement by leaving your front door bland. No need to splurge on a wreath when you can DIY a nice one with two old/new ones.

All you have to do is nestle a smaller wreath inside a bigger faux one, tie it with a pretty, decorative ribbon, and hang it as one unit. Will anyone ever be able to tell? Perhaps not.

It’s safe to say that artificial Christmas trees don’t even come close to the original ones unless they’re super expensive. However, since they’re feasible for many homes, they’ve quickly gained popularity.

One of the common complaints with these faux trees is how skinny and underwhelming they look. No fear! Layer two artificial, inexpensive wreaths and give your faux tree the desired volume and fluff. It’ll definitely look much more presentable.

Did you know that pine cones can be used to keep your home secure from all the pesky bugs? During the holiday season, with all the amazing aroma of food filling the air, it’s easy to attract a lot of unwanted guests.

The best part is that you can decorate them to drive bugs away. Clean and dry the pine cones. Cook them in the oven at 200 degrees for half an hour. This also prevents excess moisture from entering the home.

A topper is what completes the Christmas tree. Thanks to a wide array of customized options available in the market, these toppers define the entirety of one’s Christmas decorations, so you can’t skimp out on this step. Finding a tree topper that matches all your requirements isn’t easy.

Too heavy and it burdens the branches; too tall and it hits the ceiling, and the design is one more concern. Make a personalized pipe cleaner topper that’s lightweight, simple, cheap, and fully unique!

The toughest part of any holiday is undoubtedly the post-clean-up session. All the reusable decor needs to be taken out and stored in boxes for the next time.

There’s this common phenomenon when you take something out of a box, use it, and by the time you want to put everything back, it seems like the box has shrunk! Don’t panic. Before taking the decorations out, simply snap a photo of the entire box and use it as a reference for when you need to put it all back.

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, most people focus on the front entrance of their homes, living rooms, or any room where they will be hosting guests. However, one area of the home is often neglected — the stairwell.

As one of the most used parts of a home, the stairwell should be part of any holiday decoration plan. This person turned their stair handrail into a slide for a family of penguins and their friends. This person created a playful winter wonderland using dolls, fake snow, and fairy lights.

Everyone wants to have a perfectly Instagram-worthy house for the holidays, and a big component of that is having a beautiful centerpiece in the middle of your perfectly set table. Thankfully, it’s not actually that difficult to make.

Find some fancy branches and spray-paint them in fun and festive colors — for Halloween, go with black and orange (or more subdued autumnal colors), and for Christmas, you can go all out with red and gold to show off your holiday spirit.

Salt dough is one of the easiest and least expensive crafts to make. The non-toxic ingredients mean you don’t have to worry about your little ones getting hands-on with this dough.

Once the dough has been prepared, gently press the child’s hand or foot into the dough to create an imprint. When finished, bake according to your salt dough recipe’s instructions. Once cool, add paint. These ornaments will help capture those precious moments long after your child has grown.

Another way to celebrate the holidays with your family is by creating a wreath made of paper cutouts of hands. Using a pencil, trace the hands-on green construction paper and then carefully cut them out.

Cut out a ring-shaped piece of paper, which will be the base of the wreath. Layer and glue the cut-out hands around the wreath base, covering it while keeping the circular shape. At this point, you can add additional decorations like sequins, other paper cutouts, or bows.

From elaborate model train sets to popular films like The Polar Express, many people associate trains with the holiday season. Thanks to this clever DIY hack, you can surprise your loved ones with a train full of presents.

Start by painting several milk cartons in festive colors, then add additional train accessories like wheels and lights. Not only is this train a fun way to store gifts, but the boxes can be reused for future purposes.

Building a gingerbread house is one of the most memorable parts of the holiday season. This edible engineering activity can be a great way for families and friends to bond. However, one of the downsides to this activity is that it can get messy.

This holiday hack shows us that gingerbread house construction doesn’t have to be a sticky disaster if you properly organize your workstation. This person gave each builder their own section equipped with frosting “cement” and access to all of the candy decorating supplies.

Decorating costs during the holidays can quickly add up, making it hard to find space in your budget for centerpieces. This clever holiday decorating hack shows that pool noodles are not just for aquatic activities – they can help you create a beautiful centerpiece for very little money.

Simply cut the pool length-wise so that the base is flat. Attach ornaments, fake flowers, lights, and other decorations using wire until the noodle is completely covered. This decoration hack has gone viral because it is easy and inexpensive.

Recycling is always important, especially during the holiday season when many things can be repurposed into holiday decorations. This interesting hack shows us that lightbulbs don’t have to be thrown out once they burn out.

This person took a variety of differently shaped light bulbs and transformed them into adorable ornaments using paint and other crafting materials. These lightbulb ornaments can be made using simple or more elaborate designs. This flexibility ensures that people of all ages and artistic abilities will have fun making them.

For many people, snow globes carry a special significance. Whether a souvenir from a memorable trip or a gift from a loved one, seeing a snow globe on a mantel can fill you with joy.

Simply glue the desired item to the underside of a mason jar lid. Fill the mason jar with water, a drop of glycerin, and glitter. Once the glue has completely dried, carefully screw the lid with the glued item onto the jar. Seal tightly and enjoy!

One of the most exciting parts about holiday decorating is choosing the ornaments to adorn your Christmas tree. Some holiday decorators choose to stick with a specific color scheme, while others reuse ornaments that have sentimental value.

Whichever ornaments you choose, one thing is true – storing these precious baubles can be difficult. Many ornaments are made out of thin glass, metal, or other fragile materials. This holiday hack allows you to safely store your ornaments so that they’ll be the highlight of the holidays for years to come.

There’s nothing like looking outside your window to see the season’s first snowflakes fall. While not everyone has the luxury of seeing this firsthand, painting your snowflakes on your window can be the next best thing.

This hack reminds you of the holiday season every time you look outside your window. Using acrylic paint or other easily removable glass-safe paint, add messages or pictures to your window. Not confident in your artistic abilities? Holiday-themed stencils are readily available and easy to use.

While flashy and expensive gifts are always popular, many would argue that some of the best gifts are actually homemade. This adorably easy gift will leave the recipient smiling while keeping them warm.

Fill a triangular-shaped bag with basic ingredients for hot cocoa, layering the ingredients to resemble a reindeer. Tie the bag shut and add a brown pipe cleaner to serve as the bag’s “antlers.” Add googly eyes and a red pompom for the reindeer’s nose. We’re sure the recipient will think of your kindness with every sip of cocoa.

While many holiday decorations tend to include bold colors or lots of glitter, this one offers a refreshing twist on traditional decor. Using a piece of driftwood or a branch, add natural rope to hang neutral-colored ornaments.

Ornaments made from natural materials like wood, glass, and cotton give this piece of decor a more rustic appeal. For an added touch, string thin fairy lights between the wood and ornaments. This nature-inspired decoration looks so beautiful that you may want to keep it up even after the holiday season.

Even if you’re spending the holiday season in a tropical location, nothing says “holiday season” like a cup of hot chocolate. This warm and chocolatey drink is the perfect way to welcome the winter season.

This holiday season party hack will be a hit with guests as they customize their own cup of hot chocolate. Guests can choose from a variety of toppings, syrups, and flavors. The best part of this hack is that it can be customized according to your own preferences. Guests will love this interactive and customizable beverage bar.

Exchanging greeting cards during the holiday season is a time-honored holiday tradition. However, one of the biggest challenges with receiving cards is deciding where to store them. While some people place these sentimental notes in shoe boxes or drawers, this holiday decorator incorporated them into their Christmas decorations.

Show off your collection of holiday greeting cards by arranging them into the shape of a Christmas tree. Guests will love seeing their touching messages displayed in such a creative way.

Elegant holiday decorations don’t have to be expensive. These DIY decorations can be created using simple stemware, ornaments, or other items. Simply fill the wine glass or other type of stemware with your desired decorations and carefully flip it upside down on a base.

The base of the stemware can support a candle, giving the decoration a sophisticated look perfect for dinner parties. This holiday hack is also a great way to use mismatched or extra stemware you may have lying around the house.

Over the years, Menorahs may have lost popularity in certain homes during Hanukkah, but it still remains one of the most religiously significant bits of the festival. All the candles look incredibly nice standing on any shelf. Cleaning one is a whole different story.

All the bits of melted and cooled wax dispersed around the body – quite annoying. Make your life easier by placing the menorah face down on a baking tray and putting it in the oven at a very low temperature. No scraping is needed!

Cookies can be considered an indispensable part of the holidays (if you ask us, it should be like that every day of the year!) Whether you’re gifting cookies to family and friends or filling sheets of cookies for your daily cravings, make them a bit fancier to complete the overall vibe.

Find a crystal vase with a neat design and use the base as a stamp for the cookie design. You’ll leave everyone wondering where you got it. Plus, it’s simply fun to do, so why not?

It’s all fun and games until the gingerbread house starts collapsing, and the kids start crying their heads off. Or maybe you’re crying because you’re an adult and still fail to assemble a proper gingerbread house. Kind of ruins the entire day, right?

Prevent a massive collapse (and mess) by building the yummy house around a big goldfish box. The shape is great, and the rigid cardboard will make sure building the scrumptious house is a total breeze.

Wreaths, wreaths, wreaths! We absolutely can’t get enough of them during the holiday season, and we know you can’t either.

If you’ve already hung some up on the front (and back) door and now wish to bring the sparkle inside, try hanging the ornaments from your dining room light attachments or, better yet, the chandelier! Use a ribbon to tie the ornaments in place at varying heights to make a distinct decor piece that will entertain you all season long.

Pumpkins are such multipurpose veggies (read ornamental pieces) that we’re confused as to why they’re only Halloween essentials. They’re just as amazing for Christmas or Hanukkah decor, so here’s a fun way to utilize them.

Create bowls by carving out small pumpkins that can be held within the palms of your hand and use them to serve dip, soup, or maybe as an ice chest! These could also be a splendid addition to your Thanksgiving dinner next year, so try it out.

Have you ever wondered how your neighbors perfectly aligned their Christmas decorations on the roof without them falling away or flying off? Look no further. This one, though, might be difficult to create perfectly with stuff you have at home.

Thankfully, you can just buy a roof ridge clip system at most online mass sellers like Amazon for a pretty reasonable price. They’re perfectly designed to hold your lights in place. Plus, if you’re careful, you can save them for next year, too!