10 Gorgeous Handmade Holiday Decorations

There are so many reasons why creating handmade decorations make the holidays sparkle. For me, the most important reason is to reduce holiday waste. Let’s take a quick look at the holiday statistics (adapted from Recycleworks):

From Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. It all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills.

In the U.S., annual trash from gift-wrap and shopping bags totals 4 million tons.

The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year in the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we’d save 50,000 cubic yards of paper.

If every family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

Half of the paper America consumes is used to wrap and decorate consumer products.

Each year, 50 million Christmas trees are purchased in the U.S. Of those, about 30 million go to the landfill.

The average American spends $800 on gifts over the holiday season.

Yikes! Making holiday decorations creates meaningful heirlooms, saves money, treads lightly on our precious planet…and with these gorgeous decorations there’s no need to trade style for sustainability!

10 Gorgeous Handmade Holiday Decorations

1. Tree Place Card Holders from Family Chic

2. Chickadee Ornament from Design Sponge

3. Hanukkah Tealight Menorah from Curbly

4. DIY Snow Globes from Econesting

5. Falling Stars Advent Calendar from Design Sponge

6. Chandelier Crystal Twig Tree from HomeShoppingSpy

7. Burlap Stocking from Holly Mathis for HGTV

8. Fabric Chain from CRAFT

9. Music Garland from Eco Craft

10. Holiday Scents from Care2 and me!

Photo: HGTV

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Gita S.

6:24AM PST on Jan 14, 2012

What an eye opener! Thanks.

send a green star

Waltraud U.

9:49AM PST on Dec 27, 2011

HANDMADE HOLIDAYDECORATION AND -GIFTS ARE A MUST. AS I´M AN ADVERTISINGDESIGNER DON´T LIKE RUBBISH AND WASTE. VERY NICE WORKS - I LIKE IT AND GOT ENOUGH AS WELL & ALWAYS THINK ABOUT HOW NICE ALL THIS PLACES WERE WHEN I BOUGHT THESE ITEMS. GOOD TIP: THAI HANDICRAFTS

Joe R.

4:26AM PST on Dec 25, 2011

Thanks.

Bob P.

5:15AM PST on Dec 24, 2011

thanks

greenplanet e.

11:27PM PST on Dec 18, 2011

good thinking.

we don't need more junk in landfills.

Carole K.

1:04AM PST on Dec 18, 2011

TY 4 the nice DIY suggestions! Remember to recycle the cards & gift wrap in use through craft projects @ home, school, daycare, preschool, or after-school programs. Other local programs like Boy/ Girl Scouts, churches might also be able to re-use some of these holiday leftovers. It does not ALL have to go directly to the landfill!