Let's make New Year’s decorations by hand! A collection of ideas you can create with everyday materials.
As the New Year approaches, are you thinking about brightening up your space with handmade New Year’s decorations? Store-bought pieces are lovely, but decorations you craft yourself carry a special warmth and sense of attachment.
In this article, we’ll share easy, DIY New Year’s decoration ideas you can try using familiar materials.
From yarn and felt to origami paper, you can create a wide variety of projects with items that are easy to find.
Try making them with your children, or finish them with your own favorite designs for decorations full of originality.
How about preparing for the New Year with heartfelt, handmade items?
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Let's handcraft New Year decorations! A collection of ideas using everyday materials (81–90)
shimenawa wreath
Many people decorate their front doors with shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) for the New Year.
Precisely because they’re so commonly displayed, using a stylish-looking shimenawa to express your individuality could be a fun idea.
The base is made by braiding paper yarn into a rope-like form.
Its soft material gives it a gentle look, and you can make it in a variety of colors—that’s a key point.
After that, just add decorations like artificial flowers to finish it off.
Using nandina berries or mizuhiki will give it a traditional Japanese feel, but it might be even more enjoyable to think beyond that and create a decoration that reflects your own style.
Daruma ornament
Let’s make simple and cute handmade daruma ornaments to welcome a lucky New Year.
All you need are an empty milk carton, tissue paper, and a paper tube.
Since you can make them with everyday items, give it a try.
The steps are easy, so everyone from young children to seniors can enjoy making them.
The finished daruma are three-dimensional with unique expressions, adding a cozy touch to any room.
You can also arrange them into animals and other designs.
Use red-and-white or gold origami paper, or make lots in your favorite colors for a lively and festive New Year’s decoration.
art flower arrangement
When you hear “flower arrangement,” it might not conjure up a New Year’s image—if that’s you, we’ve got some New Year decoration ideas you should definitely try.
Using shallow bowls and artificial flowers from 100-yen shops like Daiso, we create decorations perfect for the season.
It’s fun how simply adding things like chiyogami paper instantly shifts the look to a traditional Japanese style.
There is some cutting involved for the base and faux flowers, but the steps aren’t too complicated, so please give it a try!
Felt ornamental cabbage
Ornamental cabbages, which you often see at florists as New Year’s approaches, are also commonly used in New Year’s flower arrangements.
Here’s an idea to craft and display them cutely using felt.
You make the cabbage leaves from felt and roll them up carefully; however, trimming the fine serrations along the leaf edges with scissors might take time and patience.
If you draw in the veins with pastel chalk and add gradients as you assemble it—and decorate with nandina berries and pine needles—it will instantly feel much more like New Year’s!
Frame arrangement
Photo frames that you can easily pick up for a low price at 100-yen shops are, of course, great for displaying pictures—but with a little arranging using faux flowers and Japanese-patterned fabric, they can be transformed into stunning New Year’s decorations.
The method is very simple: place a piece of chirimen scrap fabric with a New Year’s feel on the backing where the photo would go, then decorate the frame with faux flowers while checking the overall balance.
The great thing about photo frames is how easy they are to display.
You can hang them on the wall or set them directly on a shelf or table.
Decorate your space and enjoy a festive New Year!
