Thrift Store Christmas: 12 Cute and Easy DIY Decoration Ideas

Do you have a hard time coming up with new and unique ideas for Christmas decor every year? I’m embarking on a thrift store Christmas this year. Using items found at a Goodwill outlet, I am making DIY Christmas decorations.

Follow along for thrift store Christmas decor ideas that will inspire you to complete a thrift store Christmas decor challenge of your own.

Thrift store Christmas decor ideas

1. Placemat Christmas tree

I used a seam ripper to cut the stitching of this placemat.

I pulled the placemat apart by hand.

Then, I pulled out all the loose threads.

I rolled a poster board into the shape of a cone and then used tape to hold it together.

I put packing tape around the top of the cone.

I cut the bottom of the cone to make it stand upright.

Then, I began adhering the strip of placemat around the cone using hot glue.

I trimmed off the bottom of the cone to make it a little shorter.

I stuck a small piece of placemat at the top of the cone and hot glued it to make a point.

Next, I stuffed the cone with packing paper.

Then, I cut a circle of cardboard from a cereal box and hot glued it to the base.

2. Wire ring wreath

I used my angle grinder to remove the inner piece from the outer ring.

Then, I touched it up with black paint.

Next, I hot-glued a piece of driftwood to the ring.

Then, I drilled a hole through each end of the driftwood and ran wire through it.

I began wiring faux greenery stems, berries, and curly sticks to the lower half of the wire ring.

Then, I attached pine cones with floral wire.

Lastly, I added a small deer.

3. Sugar bowl arrangement

I tore a few pages from a vintage hymnal, rolled up the sheets, tied them with twine, and then put them in the bowl.

I cut the elastic bands off of some plastic antlers and added them to the bowl.

I drilled a small hole in the wood base of a bottle brush tree.

Next, I glued in a small dowel rod.

Then, I added pine cones and gold berries.

Finally, I filled all the empty spaces with Spanish moss.

4. Christmas book cover

I printed out a vintage Christmas book cover and attached it to an old book using a glue stick.

I trimmed up the edges with scissors.

Then, I took some branches from my yard, cut them to length, and wired them together.

After that, I stuck greenery stems and berries into the wire.

I used twine to attach the stick bundle to the book then hot glued small pine cones and a bow.

5. Drawer nativity scene

I found a little angled drawer and a broken music box, so I decided to turn them into a nativity scene.

I broke off the ceramic stable so I could use the figurines only.

I hot glued Spanish moss around the figurines.

I painted around the figurines.

I printed the lyrics to “Old Holy Night,” using Mod Podge to adhere it.

Lastly, I glued a small plastic star ornament in the center of the drawer.

6. Brass flower bowl

I added flowers to the bowl, sprayed them with adhesive, and sprinkled on iridescent glitter.

I tied a couple of bows onto skewer sticks and then stuck those into the arrangement as well.

7. Cork Santa scene

I left in the existing dried flowers and added in my handmade mushrooms.

Then, I hot glued a rustic Santa ornament inside the frame.

Next, I glued a wooden snowflake to the burlap background and added some berries and greenery to the cork frame itself.

8. Vintage glass vase

I printed out a green and red mint syrup label and adhered it to the side of the vase with Mod Podge.

Then, I applied a second coat of Mod Podge to protect the label.

I added in greenery stems sprayed with fake snow.

I covered the succulent with spray adhesive and sprinkled Buffalo Snow on it before adding it to the vase.

To finish it off, I tied a little ribbon around the neck of the vase.

9. Vintage wood level

I drilled small holes into the level, removed the bottoms of several bottle brush trees, and inserted the wire ends into the drilled holes.

Then, I glued on a plastic deer and some little wood skis.

I hot glued a Santa ornament onto the level too.

Then, I glued Styrofoam snowballs and fake snow to the top of the level.

Lastly, I glued a little bell and bow over the hole and pom-pom ribbon along the edge.

10. Blue velvet star

I cut out a star pattern from a piece of foam board, traced it, and then cut out the shape from a blue velvet pillow sham.

I hot glued foam board to the velvet star, folding the edges over the back, and gluing them in place.

I traced out another star, cut it out, and adhered it.

I hot glued silver pipe cleaner around the edges.

Finally, I hot glued on an old Christmas ornament that said, “Believe.”

11. Cardstock Christmas tree

I made a cone out of cardstock paper. Then, I wrapped it in a velvet pillowcase, hot gluing it in place.

I folded the top edge of fabric and glued it.

I cut away the extra fabric, tucked the rest inside, and secured it with hot glue.

I stuffed the cone tightly with old packing paper and then glued cardboard to the bottom.

12. Alphabet block snowman ornament

I wood glued three blocks together then hot glued a Styrofoam hat to the top.

I cut a strip of fabric to create a scarf.

I drilled a small hole then glued on the carrot nose.

I used a paint pen to draw on eyes and a mouth.

Then, I drilled a hole on each side of the middle block and glued in two small pegs for arms.

I glued a small pipe cleaner wreath to one of the arms.

Thrift store Christmas challenge

Which DIY Christmas decorations were your favorite on the list? Share your preferences down below.