If you believe holiday decorations shouldn’t be limited to Christmas, you’re in the right place!
From Valentine’s Day to Halloween and Hanukkah, we have a DIY to help you spruce up your windows for every holiday. These are simple enough that your children can get in on the fun, but you can also have a craft night all to yourself!
Grab your craft supplies and let’s get started.
Paper Heart Garlands for Valentine’s Day
Paper garlands are a classic decoration, and for good reason! They’re easy to make and look festive, no matter the occasion. It’s also the perfect craft to do with your kids! To make a paper heart garland, you’ll need:
- Construction paper or thick scrapbook paper in Valentine’s colors and patterns
- Scissors or a heart craft punch
- String (yarn or baker’s twine works well)
- Glue
To create the garland, simply cut or punch hearts out of the paper. Cut your string to the length you want, and glue the hearts together with the string running between the pieces of paper. Glue your hearts as close together or far apart as you like. Once your glue is dry, hang it in your window and enjoy!
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a craft punch, create a heart template to trace to ensure your hearts are the same size. You can use this trick for the other garlands on our list, too!
Patriotic Banner or Pennants for the Fourth of July
Is there anything more patriotic than red, white, and blue pennants for Independence Day? We don’t think so! This is another simple paper craft that is perfect for doing with children. It’s also very customizable: you can make stars, triangles, or half circles for a retro look. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Construction paper or thick scrapbook paper in red, white, and blue (get creative with patterns!)
- Scissors
- String (yarn, jute, or baker’s twine work well)
- Glue
The process is similar to the instructions for the heart garland. Simply cut out your shapes and glue two of them together with the string between the pieces near the top. Hang the banner across the inside of your windows using tape or removable hooks.
If you prefer to sew, you can create a fabric banner with ribbon. To create a fabric banner, cut your fabric into triangles, leaving a half inch seam allowance to fold over the ribbon. Sandwich the ribbon between the folded-over seam allowance and the main portion of the pennant and sew across.
Boarded Windows for Halloween
Transform your home into a spooky haunted house with these easy decorations! Using cardboard and paint, you can create “boards” that will make your home among the scariest on the block. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cardboard (deconstructed cardboard boxes work perfectly)
- Black, brown, and/or gray acrylic paint
- A large paintbrush
- Heavy scissors or a box cutter
Start by cutting your cardboard into pieces roughly the size of a plank of wood, making sure they’re long enough to go across your windows. Rough edges and uneven cuts will look the most authentic. Using your acrylic paint, paint your “boards” to look like wood, making them as spooky and run-down as you like. Once the paint is dry, attach the boards to the exterior of your windows using duct tape or packing tape (do not put tape on painted window frames as it may strip the paint off.) Complete the look with faux spiderwebs and other haunted house decorations!
Paper Leaf Wreath for Thanksgiving
Wreaths are a staple of fall decor, but if you don’t have the skills to create one with greenery, you’re not alone. Luckily, creating one with paper is simple enough that anyone can do it! Here is what you need to create your own autumn paper wreath:
- Thick scrapbook paper/cardstock in fall colors like yellow, red, orange, brown, and maroon
- A wreath form (available at any craft store)
- A hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
- Scissors or a leaf craft punch
Using your scissors or craft punch, cut leaves out of your cardstock. Once you have your leaves cut out, you can begin gluing them on your wreath form. Place a pea-sized drop of hot glue on the back of your leaf and place it on one side of the wreath form. Continue gluing the leaves on this way, staggering them so they cover the front and sides of the wreath. Once they are glued on, you can hang them on the inside of your windows using a suction cup hook.
Christmas Ornament Wreath
Another wreath that anyone can create! This project is simple, but the finished product looks so elegant. The best part? You only need these four things:
- Bulb ornaments in different sizes and colors
- A wreath form
- A hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
- Wide ribbon for hanging
Start by taking the metal hanger part out of your bulb ornaments. From there, it’s as easy as using your hot glue gun to attach the bulbs to the wreath form so it covers the entire form. Be sure to position them so that the hole where the metal hanger was isn’t visible. Cut a length of ribbon long enough to loop through the middle of the wreath and use the ribbon to hang it on your window or door.
Star of David Garland for Hanukkah
We have one last garland for Hanukkah! Using paper, you can create a festive garland your family will enjoy for all 8 nights. Here’s what you need:
- Cardstock or thick scrapbook paper in shades of blue, white, and silver
- String, such as yarn or baker’s twine
- Scissors or a Star of David craft punch
- A hole punch
Simply cut your Stars of David out of paper (cutting two triangles is an easy way to create the star) and punch a hole through the top point. Simply string the stars on your twine or yarn, tying a knot on each one to secure them. Hang your garland on the inside of your windows or anywhere that you want to make more festive!
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