Our resident crafter, Susie Rugg, has created these DIY Christmas craft projects that the whole family can enjoy. And she’s enlisted some handy household materials so you don’t have to spend a small fortune.
Paper Bag Stars
These stunning 3D stars are so simple and fun, you’ll want to make a whole galaxy.
We’ve even spotted a royal who also made them, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh.
What you’ll need:
- Paper bags (brown or coloured with a flat square base; you will need 10–12 per star)
- Glue stick or craft glue
- Scissors
- String or ribbon for hanging
How to make:
- Cover the base square of a bag with glue, then add a line of glue up the centre.
- Stack the next bag on top, press it in place, and repeat until you have a stack of 10–12 bags.
- Trim the tops of the stacked bags into points or your chosen star shape. (If the stack is thick, make two smaller stacks, cut separately, then glue together.)
- Open each bag carefully so the ends meet and create a 3D star.
- Glue or tape the ends together, or secure with clips or punched holes and string so you can fold it down to store and reuse next year.
- Hang and make a wish!
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Paper Fan Garland
Turn simple paper and ribbon into a quick, cheerful garland — a fun little upgrade from the old-school paper chain.
What you’ll need:
- Thin paper
- Stapler
- Glue stick or double-sided tape
- Ribbon
How to make:
- Take a sheet of paper and fold it back and forth like an accordion until it is fully pleated.
- Staple the folded strip along the centre to hold it together.
- Bring the two ends together, fan it out, and secure with glue, staples or double-sided tape at the inner folds to hold the fan shape.
- Stick the flat edge of the fan onto your ribbon (double-sided tape or staples work best).
- Repeat with as many fans as needed to create your paper fan garland.
Christmas Village
What you’ll need:
- Empty cardboard food boxes (e.g., cereal, pasta)
- Craft knife (adults only)
- Glue or tape
- Extra cardboard for roofs
- White paint pen
- Battery-operated candles
How to make:
- Gently peel open the cardboard box and lay it flat with the printed side facing up.
- Draw windows and doors on the printed side, then carefully cut them out with a craft knife (adults only).
- Cut the front and back panels into a peaked roof shape, leaving the sides straight.
- Turn the box so the plain brown side faces out, then glue or tape it closed again to form the house shape.
- Cut and fold a rectangle of extra cardboard to fit the top and glue it in place.
- Use a white paint pen to draw windows, snow, roof tiles or other decorative details.
- Pop a battery-operated candle inside for a warm glow.
Pasta garlands
What you’ll need:
- Bowls for dye
- Food colourings
- White vinegar
- A variety of dried pasta shapes suitable for threading
- Baking paper for drying
- Gold paint pen or gold spray paint (optional)
- Cord for threading
- Large blunt needle
- Wooden beads (optional)
How to make:
- In a few bowls, combine food colouring and vinegar in equal parts. Experiment with different colour mixes.
- Dip pasta into the dye — try half dipping, double dipping or layering colours for variety. See the video below for details.
- Lay pasta on baking paper and leave in a sunny spot until completely dry.
- Highlight a few pieces with a gold paint pen or a light mist of gold spray paint.
- Experiment with repeating patterns and use a blunt needle to thread pasta and beads onto your cord.
- Tie loops at each end for hanging.
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Coffee filter blooms
Turn forgotten coffee filters into soft, dreamy paper flowers with just a little folding, dipping and glueing. Use them to decorate gifts, string into garlands, or hang on a Christmas tree.
What you’ll need:
- Paper coffee filters (six per bloom)
- Scissors
- Food colouring and water
- Bowls for dye
- Baking paper for drying
- Glue stick
- Small cardboard circles for backing
How to make:
- Take one coffee filter and fold it back and forth accordion-style until fully pleated.
- Repeat until you have six pleated filters per bloom.
- Round the top of each folded segment with scissors.
- In bowls, mix food colouring with a little water. Dip the edges of each folded filter into the dye. (For an ombré effect, experiment with double dipping.)
- Gently unfold filters and lay them flat on baking paper to dry.
- Once dry, refold and glue six filters together in a stack.
- Bend into a circle so the first and last filters meet and secure with glue.
- Glue a small cardboard circle to the back to help the flower hold its shape.
Christmas Trees and Santa Hats
Nothing says Christmas like a bunch of toilet rolls! Gather up as many as you can and turn them into the cutest Yuletide decorations.
What you’ll need:
- Empty toilet rolls (two per tree; one per hat)
- Scissors
- Hot glue or tape
- Paint and brushes
- Beads and string for hanging
How to make:
The Trees:
- Cut a toilet roll lengthwise and wrap it into a cone. Secure with glue or tape, then trim the bottom to make it even.
- Take another roll, trim it shorter for the stump, and attach it to the cone.
- Paint the tree green and allow it to dry completely.
- Use hot glue to attach a bead and string to the top for hanging.
The Hats:
- Follow the same steps as for the trees, but paint the cones red and omit the base.
- Add a white trim or attach fluffy material to finish.
A version of this feature originally appeared in the 2025 Christmas Issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. Subscribe so you never miss an issue.
