There are two types of people in this world… the ones who put up the holiday decorations on November 1st or those who must wait until after Thanksgiving. Whichever camp you fall into, there’s one thing we can all agree on, holiday decorations are a fun family tradition that turns your home into a winter wonderland for a few short weeks. And if doing something fun and craftsy is part of your holiday traditions, then you’re in the right place!
A few months ago, we started sending out new shipping tubes and boxes for our essential oils. They keep your oily goodies safe when they’re in transit and also helped us ditch the plastic bubble wrap for something recyclable or reusable! We started with some fun everyday crafts and now we’ve dreamed up a few fun, festive ways to repurpose our shipping packaging for your holiday decor. So bust out your crafting supplies, put a Christmas movie on, grab some holiday snacks, and get crafting. If you’re crafting with your kiddos, make sure to supervise them (or step in) when using a hot glue gun or Exacto knife.
Christmas Tree Ornaments
What you’ll need:
- Various size shipping tubes or boxes
- Paint, glitter, ribbon, pom poms or other decor
- Ornament hooks, twine or ribbon
- Scissors
- Glue
What you’ll do:
Punch a small hole in the lid of the tube and thread ribbon or twine through (or use two holes for an ornament hook). Glue the lid onto the tube. Decorate the tube with paint, glitter or ribbon, allow it to dry and hang on your tree.
Advent Calendar
What you’ll need:
- 25 shipping tubes
- Hot glue gun
- Paint, glitter, ribbon, pom poms or other decor
- Sheet of cardboard
- 25 candies or fun small gifts
- 25 round, plain stickers
What you’ll do:
Choose, decorate, and number a sticker for each of the 25 tubes. Paint and decorate the tubes, making sure you can still easily remove the lids and affix the sticker to each lid. Choose the shape for your calendar (Christmas trees, wreaths or simple squares are all great options!) and arrange the tubes on the cardboard. Trace the shape, cut your cardboard, and decorate it, make sure to attach a ribbon to the cardboard so you can hang it on your wall later. Using a hot glue gun, attach the tubes to the cardboard in the pattern of your choice. Place a treat inside each tube and replace the lids. Hang the finished project on your wall and check each day for a fun surprise!
Hanukkah Menorah
What you’ll need:
- 9 shipping tubes
- Hot glue gun
- Paint, glitter, ribbon, or other decor
- Strip of cardboard
- Yellow tissue paper or pipe cleaners
What you’ll do:
Cut a long strip of cardboard, leaving enough room for all nine shipping tubes. Paint and/or decorate the cardboard base and each of the tubes. Glue the tubes in a line on the base. Stuff a small amount of the yellow tissue paper, gold pipe cleaner or gold paper into the top of each tube.
Bonus: Decorate a tube for fun, Hanukkah themed match holder (for your real Menorah).
Christmas Village Votive Holder
What you’ll need:
- 100 mL shipping tube or box
- Exacto knife
- Cardstock or construction paper
- Paint, glitter, ribbon, or other decor
- Electric tea lights
What you’ll do:
Cut small windows in the tube or box with an Exacto knife (either before or after decorating depending on the materials used). Insert an electric tea light or small LED lights into the tube or box. Create a small roof using construction paper or cardstock.
Santa Down a Chimney
What you’ll need:
- 1 shipping tube or box
- Black, red and white cardstock or construction paper
- Sharpie
- Hot glue gun
What you’ll do:
Cut out a square of red paper to cover all sides of the box or tube. Use a sharpie to draw a brick design on the paper. Glue the paper around your box or tube. Use white cardstock or ribbon to create a border around the top. Use the remaining paper to cut out Santa legs and feet, a Santa hat, or his gift bag and affix it inside the chimney.
Nesting Holiday Decor
What you’ll need:
- 3-4 different size shipping tubes or boxes
- Paint, glitter, ribbon, or other decor
What you’ll do:
Decorate three to four different size tubes in coordinating colors or designs. Nest the tubes inside each other as fun decor or creative gift giving.
What other fun and festive ways could you repurpose or shipping packaging? Let us know in the comments below!
