Create Your Own Magic of the Season

I love the holidays! ❄️ It’s a wonderful time to fill your home with warmth, cheer, and little creative touches that make it feel extra special. And because it’s seasonal, it’s a great time to experiment and try out decor you might not normally include year-round. And while store-bought decorations are lovely, and the right ones can be treasured year after year, there’s something magical about handmade and gathered holiday home decor—pieces crafted with love, found in unexpected places, infused with personal style, and filled with memories. Ready to add a bit of holiday wonder to your home? Read on! I’m sharing my favorite ideas to bring magic to your holiday home in a way that’s perfectly yours. 💕

Start by Taking Inventory

Before gathering, buying, or planning your holiday crafts, take a moment to inventory the decor and supplies you already own. This can save you time, money, and space while inspiring new ideas! Pull out your holiday storage boxes and note what you used in previous years (unless you’re more organized than I am and you already know what you have!). Are you sticking with the same theme, or are you ready for a change? Check your craft supplies—paint, ribbons, fabric, and even leftover wrapping paper might offer perfect accents for this year’s decor. Look around and shop your home, too—everyday items like vases, trays, or glass jars can become part of your holiday display with a bit of seasonal flair. Once you stock of what you already have, you can focus on creating new items that blend with your existing style or fill in any gaps for a refreshed and blended look this season. Unless eclectic is your goal, in which case, the more the merrier!

Go with Nature: Gather & Display Natural Elements

Nature is my favorite place to start with holiday decor. There is much seasonal beauty outdoors *and it’s often free, that can blend with any style, especially in winter! Look for natural elements you can bring indoors to create a holiday atmosphere. Pine cones, holly, grape vines, evergreen sprigs, dried flowers, branches, and berries can be styled as garlands, wreaths, or simple tabletop displays. They are a timeless foundation for your decor and can be used in countless ways:

• Create a rustic wreath with gathered pine cones, grapevines, herbs (like rosemary), and fresh evergreen branches. Tie them together with wire and twine for a beautifully imperfect look.
• Fill bowls or vases with pine cones and dried citrus slices for a scented centerpiece that brings in the beauty of the outdoors and the coziness of holiday gatherings. For tips on drying orange slices, check out this post! I also love painting pinecones for a fun and festive touch!
• Drape branches and garlands over mantels, doorways, or around picture frames for a lush, layered look. (If they’re live garlands, you can use this spray to help keep them fresher, or commit to sweeping up pine needles throughout the season :).

Make Memories with Handmade Ornaments

Handmade ornaments add a personal touch to holiday decor and have a double benefit: You make memories while you make the ornaments and you remember them each year you bring them out of storage. They might become keepsakes or funny memories, depending on your style. From painted wooden twig shapes or ceramic ornaments, to air dry clay ornaments or even dried oranges strung with ribbon, there are endless options to create ornaments that reflect your unique style.

Some other ideas to get you started:

• Simple clay ornaments: Roll out air-dry clay, cut out holiday shapes with cookie cutters, and add a hole at the top to thread ribbon. Let them dry, then paint or leave them white for a minimalist vibe. If you have little kids, you can add their handprint each year as a keepsake.
• Dried citrus garlands or ornaments: Thinly slice oranges and bake at a low temperature until dry. These add a burst of color to your decor and smell amazing!
• Fabric scraps, or ribbon tassels: Gather remnants of fabric in colors that suit your holiday theme, tie them with twine, and trim the edges for an easy, rustic ornament.
• Felt mittens: One of my favorite holiday memories involves making felt mitten ornaments on clips and adding bits of ribbon or rickrack for decoration. I found a similar tutorial here.

Cut Paper Snowflakes

Remember the days when you could spend hours cutting paper snowflakes? (And the paper mess that it made?) It’s time to relive the memories! Cut out a variety of paper snowflakes, I found a couple of templates for you here and here, if you need ideas – or make up your own as you go! Then tape up the snowflakes over your windows or fill a wall with them for a magical, wintery holiday look.

Garden Magic at Home with Handmade Holiday Paper Flowers

I love my flower garden, and I miss it in the winter! To add a beautiful, handmade touch to your holiday decor while your garden is dormant, try making a few paper flowers! If you need a template, you can download my free PDF guide and make your own paper flowers out of watercolor paper (or other colorful papers)! These simple flowers can be made into a garland, displayed on your tree, used in a centerpiece, or given as gifts.

Click here to get free Holiday Paper Flower Templates!

Repurpose Thrifted Finds

Another fun way to create holiday magic is by incorporating vintage or thrifted pieces into your decor. Look for glass jars, brass candlesticks, vintage ornaments, or anything with a bit of age, character and charm to mix in with your other decorations. Vintage finds add a beautiful patina and make your home feel collected and layered.

• Layer in vintage books with red, green, or gold covers on mantels or tabletops for additional holiday color.
• Use mismatched glass jars as candle holders or fill them with fairy lights or ornaments for a cozy glow.
• Repurpose an old sled, pair of skates, or basket for a charming display by the front door or fireplace (I’m on the hunt for an old sled for our home!).

Embrace Textiles & Cozy Touches

Nothing says “holiday warmth” quite like soft, layered textiles. Mix in holiday-themed fabrics, blankets, or pillows that add festive flair to your living spaces. Plaids are one of my favorites to add! To keep it simple, focus on a few versatile pieces:

• Throw blankets in rich colors or holiday patterns (like plaid, red velvet, or faux fur) add warmth and texture. You can also buy holiday plaid flannel fabric and leave the edges raw for extra texture.
• DIY holiday pillows: If you have extra fabric or old pillow covers, consider stenciling or painting a holiday phrase or image for an easy update. Freezer paper makes a great stencil – you can cut out a stencil and use a warm iron to adhere the plastic coated side to your fabric and fill in with fabric paints.
• Make fabric garlands: Cut fabric scraps or felt into triangles or strips, string them on twine or stitch them together with your sewing machine, and drape them around windows or mantels for a handmade touch.

Style a Handmade Centerpiece or Table Runner

Make a unique centerpiece for your dining table using items you already have. This could be as simple as gathering a few candles of varying heights and arranging them with some gathered greenery and berries. You could also use vintage bowls or trays filled with pine cones, cranberries, and sprigs of rosemary or eucalyptus. I like to keep our centerpiece contained in a tray or large bowl so it can be easily moved to make room for a family game night (or to easily clear the table after dinner).

Another option is to roll out craft paper along the length of the table as a runner and place pens and markers for a DIY holiday centerpiece and let your kids get in on the fun!

The centerpiece below was our Thanksgiving table last year. I combined fresh flowers and evergreens, candles and a painted paper runner. I think tablescapes are one of the best ways to add extra holiday cheer! You can see more here!

Make It a Tradition

The beauty of handmade and gathered holiday decor is that it invites us to slow down and savor the season. Start a tradition of creating holiday decor with your family or by yourself. One our our traditions is to create a gingerbread house together every year. Each year, we pick a new theme for our ‘house’ (so far we’ve created a gingerbread barn, RV, greenhouse (my favorite), my childhood home, and several others.

It’s time-consuming and messy, but the memories made are so worth it!

This is your invitation to lean into your creativity this season and see how you can add an extra personal touch to your holiday decor. By sprinkling in handmade & gathered holiday home decor, not only will your holiday home feel uniquely you, but it will also create a welcoming space for loved ones to make memories with you.

Happy creating and gathering this holiday season! May your home be filled with warmth, wonder, and magic that only you can bring. And please share your holiday creations with me so I can see what you’re up to! You can find me on Instagram at @Toboggan_Avenue 💕