22 DIY Christmas Garlands Made From Oranges, Popcorn, Felt Balls and Other Pantry-Shelf Treasures

A garland does more work per dollar than almost anything else on the holiday list. It fills a window, a banister or a doorway in one long gesture, and it never asks you to find a vase. Every idea below starts in the kitchen drawer, the craft bin or the produce bowl, not at a decor shop.

Twenty two garlands follow, grouped by what they are made of: dried and natural, paper, yarn and fabric, beads and clay, candy colored trims, and a pair that double as keepsakes. Pick two or three that suit the rooms you actually use, not all twenty two for one hallway.

None of these need a hot glue habit or a Pinterest-level craft table. A needle, some twine, scissors and an evening in front of a movie covers most of them.

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Natural And Dried Garlands

These five smell like the season before they even go up, and most of the work happens in the oven or on the counter while you do something else. Oranges, popcorn, cranberries, cinnamon and apples are the backbone of a pantry-shelf Christmas, and none of them need a craft store run.

If you like this direction, the same restraint shows up in 21 DIY Christmas Projects Where the Material Is the Whole Joke, built on the same idea of using what is already in the house.

Dried Orange Slices Garland

Slice oranges thin, lay them on a rack and dry them low and slow in the oven until they stiffen and darken at the edges. Thread them onto twine with a large needle, letting a few curl and a few lie flat for texture.

The whole kitchen smells like Christmas while they dry, which is half the reason to make this one at all.

Popcorn and Cranberry Garland

This is the oldest trick in the book for a reason: popped corn and fresh cranberries threaded on sturdy thread, draped loosely rather than pulled taut. Alternate a few popcorn pieces to one cranberry so the red actually shows against the cream.

A larger needle and heavier thread keep it from snapping halfway through the job.

Cinnamon Sticks and Bay Leaves Garland

Wire whole cinnamon sticks to a length of twine, alternating with dried bay leaves for a bit of green against the brown. A hot glue dot at each join keeps everything from sliding into one end.

It carries real scent, which makes it a good pick for somewhere people actually sit near.

Pinecones on Twine Garland

Small pinecones wired at even intervals along a length of twine make the simplest outdoor-friendly garland on this list. Gathered ones from the yard work as well as a craft store bag.

It holds up to weather, which makes it the one entry built for a porch rather than a shelf.

Dried Apple Slice Garland

Thin apple slices dry to a dusty rose and soft brown in a low oven, then string onto twine the same way as the orange version. A light cinnamon dust before drying adds scent without adding a single extra material.

It reads softer and a little more muted than the orange version, which suits a mantel better than a tree.

Paper Garlands You Can Make Tonight

Paper is the cheapest material on this whole list and the fastest to turn into something hung. These three use nothing but cardstock, scissors and a length of thread, and all three can be finished between dinner and bedtime.

Paper Chain Rings Garland

Strips of lemon, turquoise and hot pink construction paper looped and glued into a chain turn this into a candy colored update on a classroom classic. Kids can help with the looping while you handle the stapler.

It costs almost nothing and takes up almost no storage space after the season ends.

Folded Paper Stars Garland

Simple folded stars in white and silver cardstock thread onto clear fishing line for a garland that catches light without needing an outlet. Vary the sizes slightly so the strand has a bit of rhythm.

It suits a window better than almost anywhere else, since daylight carries it.

Paper Snowflake Garland

Folded and cut paper snowflakes in white and pale blue, strung at varying heights, give a bedroom wall a soft winter look without a single ornament. Vary the fold pattern slightly so no two snowflakes match exactly.

It is forgiving of uneven cutting, which is most of the appeal.

Yarn, Felt And Fabric Garlands

Soft materials make the softest looking garlands, and they are forgiving of wobbly cutting and uneven knots. Felt balls, fabric scraps, pom poms, tassels and crochet stars all forgive a beginner’s hand, which is exactly why they show up so often in nurseries and reading nooks.

For more ways to put felt to unexpected use, 28 Felt Christmas Ornaments Shaped Like Things That Are Not Usually Felt is worth a look.

Felt Ball Candy Garland

Pre-made wool felt balls in bubblegum pink, mint and cherry red thread onto cotton cord in minutes, with no sewing and no drying time. Space them loosely so each color reads as its own bead rather than a blur.

This is the easiest entry on the whole list for a nursery or playroom wall.

Fabric Scrap Strips on Twine

Torn strips of cranberry red, forest green and cream calico fabric knot straight onto a length of twine, no sewing machine required. Uneven widths and frayed edges only make it look more intentional.

This is the garland to make from a scrap bin that has been sitting untouched since last spring.

Yarn Pom Pom Garland

Lemon, bubblegum pink and sky blue pom poms made with a simple pom pom maker string onto cotton cord for a garland with real dimension. It uses up odd leftover yarn balls better than almost any other project.

The candy colors keep it from reading as a winter garland at all, which suits a craft room that gets used year round.

Yarn Tassel Garland

Forest green and cream yarn wound around cardboard and tied off makes a tassel in a couple of minutes, and a row of them along cord reads soft and a little bohemian. Trim the ends even once they are all hung.

It suits a window seat where it can move slightly in the draft.

Crochet Star Garland

Small crochet stars in cream and red work up quickly even for a beginner, since each one uses only a few rows. String them loosely along cord so each star can turn slightly and catch the light.

It belongs near a reading chair where the handmade detail gets noticed up close.

Bead And Clay Garlands

These three have more weight and a bit more structure, which makes them read as intentional rather than thrown together. Wooden beads, air dry clay and salt dough all come from the craft aisle or the baking cupboard, and all three keep from one holiday to the next if stored flat.

Wooden Bead Garland

Honey toned wooden beads strung on jute with a handful painted barn red give a natural garland just enough color without tipping into candy territory. String them in a loose pattern so the plain wood still shows through.

It hangs well along an open shelf where the texture has room to read.

Air Dry Clay Star Garland

Rolled and cut air dry clay stars in plain white with a light gold rub-on finish keep this one restrained rather than crafty looking. Punch a hole before the clay fully dries, not after.

It suits a console table or hallway where the texture can sit at eye level.

Salt Dough Ornament Garland

Flour, salt and water roll into a dough that cuts into trees, hearts and moons, bakes low and slow, then takes paint in cream with simple red and green hand painted details. It is the cheapest clay project on this list by far.

Hang it somewhere low traffic since baked dough stays a little fragile.

Candy And Sparkle Garlands

This group leans playful on purpose, built from bells, ribbon, pipe cleaners and faux cookies rather than anything that needs to survive weather or a long shelf life. They suit a kitchen, a kid’s room or a party corner more than a formal mantel.

Faux Sugar Cookie Garland

Cookie shapes cut from air dry clay or heavy cardstock, painted cream with red and green icing details, look convincing from across a room without any risk of crumbs. Seal them with a light coat of varnish so the paint holds.

It is the one garland on this list that genuinely confuses guests on first glance.

Jingle Bells on Ribbon Garland

Small silver jingle bells tied at intervals along red grosgrain ribbon make a garland with sound as well as sparkle. A small screw eye through each bell cap keeps the knot from slipping.

It belongs somewhere people brush past, since the whole point is the jingle.

Mini Ribbon Bows Garland

Small bows in cherry red and white candy stripe ribbon tie directly onto a length of cord at even spacing, no bow-making skill beyond a basic loop. Keep the tails short so the strand reads as bows, not streamers.

It dresses up a plain banister faster than almost anything store bought.

Pipe Cleaner Candy Cane Garland

Red and white chenille stems twist together and bend into candy cane shapes in under a minute each, then string onto twine with a dab of glue at the hook. It is simple enough for a child to finish most of alone.

The bright white against red keeps it squarely in candy territory rather than classic Christmas red and green.

Garlands That Double As Keepsakes

The last two are not decor so much as they are a small family archive hung up for a month. Both take almost no skill and almost no money, and both get taken down slower than anything else on this list because nobody wants to pack them away.

Clothespin and Photo Garland

Plain wooden clothespins clip printed family photos directly onto a length of twine, no frames and no wall holes needed. Mix a few holiday snapshots with a few ordinary ones for a strand that feels lived in rather than staged.

It is the one garland people stand in front of the longest.

Mini Stockings on Twine Garland

Small felt or knit stockings in red, cream and forest green clip or tie along a length of twine for a garland that doubles as a tiny advent-style display. Tuck a folded note or a wrapped candy into each one if the strand hangs somewhere people pass daily.

It works well on a door since the stockings swing slightly with every open and close.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use to make a DIY Christmas garland?

Almost anything in the kitchen or craft bin works: dried citrus, popcorn, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, felt scraps, yarn, cardstock, wooden beads and leftover ribbon all string onto twine or cord without any special tools beyond a needle and scissors.

How do you keep a popcorn and cranberry garland from going bad?

Fresh cranberries soften within about a week indoors, so these are best strung close to the date you actually want them hanging rather than weeks in advance, and they are generally treated as a one-season, throw-away garland rather than a keepsake.

How far ahead can you make a dried orange slice garland?

Once the orange slices are fully dried and cooled, the strung garland keeps for the whole season and often longer if stored flat in a box between years, since the fruit itself has no moisture left to spoil.

How do you hang a garland without damaging the wall?

Removable adhesive hooks, small nails pushed into existing picture frame wire, or simply looping the ends over an existing curtain rod, mirror edge or banister post all avoid new holes for a garland that only stays up a few weeks.

Do homemade Christmas garlands last from year to year?

The dried, clay, wooden bead, felt and fabric versions on this list store flat in a box and come back out looking the same, while anything involving fresh fruit or popped corn is realistically a one-season project.

How long should a garland be for a mantel or staircase?

A common rule of thumb is one and a half to two times the length of the mantel or railing it will drape along, which gives enough slack for a soft swag rather than a straight, stretched line.