5 Fun Ways to Repurpose Old Christmas Ornaments

Don't throw away old or broken tree ornaments, use them in a new way to create novel festive decorations, and save money.

If you prefer a more rustic style of décor, use a combination of natural materials and shiny ornaments to create holiday decorations.

If you enjoy giving your Christmas tree a new look each year, you probably have quite a few baubles and ornaments lying around. Save some money and dress up your tree in fun ways or let the kids craft some colourful décor accessories.

Here’s some inspiration to help you create unique and affordable Christmas décor…

1. Frame it

An old window or picture frame is just the thing for displaying an arrangement of cast off Christmas tree ornaments. Have your local glass merchant cut some glass to size and then, use a hot glue gun to arrangement old ornaments and baubles into a tree shape. Give your display even more festive flair by adding LED fairy lights.

Alternatively, you could dress up your coffee or dining room table using an assortment if ornaments and baubles placed loosely in a frame or tray. Add a bit of glitz by sprinkling a light dusting of glitter over the ornaments and frame.

Add a dose of Christmas cheer to other rooms in your home with small picture frames and a collection of colourful baubles. Use hot glue to attach the baubles to the glass in the frames.

2. String them up

Festive wreaths are another easy way to repurpose old or broken baubles, and there are hundreds of ideas to be found on the Internet.

Hang colourful baubles over your festive decorations. If you don't have a light fitting above the table, use embroidery hoops that have been fastened together with wire or nylon line to hang up the baubles, and a length of line to hang them from a hook in the ceiling.

3. Go rustic

If you prefer a more rustic style of décor, use a combination of natural materials and shiny ornaments to create holiday decorations. All you need is a galvanised bucket, a selection of branches and twigs, and a few pine cones. Pop in some old baubles and weave in some fairy lights for a completely different take on Christmas décor.

4. Create a festive arrangement

Festive wreaths are another easy way to repurpose old or broken baubles, and there are hundreds of ideas to be found on the Internet.

You could dress up your coffee or dining room table using an assortment if ornaments and baubles placed loosely in a frame or tray. Add a bit of glitz by sprinkling a light dusting of glitter over the ornaments and frame.

Use last year's tree decorations and a picture frame or cardboard cut-out, and some hot glue to create your own unique door wreath, or decorations to hang in the home. Keep it simple with a few baubles in a single colour and then dress this up with ribbons and lace for a beautiful arrangement that can be hung on a wall or door to welcome guests into your home over the festive season.

5. Use some greenery

For those homes with a staircase, use greenery from the garden (or faux greenery) to add colour and Christmas cheer to an entrance hall or staircase.

And don't forget to add some holiday magic to your front door. Turn an old pot plant and broken ornaments into a welcoming display.

Gather your supplies and get crafting this Christmas - you’ll find almost everything you need at your local Builders store.