Originally published in print December 2020.

Illustrations by Oona Kauppi.

With Christmas day just gone, if you’re anything like us, you may have recently come to the deeply distressing realisation that you do not even know where to begin when it comes to homemade gifts. Well, lucky for you, we art editors decided to give the gift of nothing last year, and have opted to create a list of DIY crafts that you yourself will have to expend time and energy upon. After many hours spent foraging on Pinterest, we have compiled for you a selection of easy, cosy, and very fun crafts that your nearest and dearest will love just as much as your wallet will. 

 

ORIGAMI SNOWFLAKES

 

These origami snowflakes are just a grown-up version of the paper doilies you used to hack out of a refill pad page in primary school, but are actually pretty and much more likely to be greeted with genuine enthusiasm when gifted to a family member.

 

Materials:

• Thick but flexible paper
• Scissors
• String
• Needle
• Strong glue
• Cute little beads

 

Instructions:

1. Cut a rectangular (65×10) piece of plain, colored and patterned paper.
2. Fold 1 cm accordion pleats starting from the narrow side of the paper. If you want the snowflake to have cutouts or a non-circular shape, cut these out now the way you would for a traditional paper snowflake. Leave space at the long edge of the accordion. 
3. Glue the narrow sides of the accordion together. Thread two strings near the edge of an accordion pleat, repeating through all the folds. Leave a lot of string between the folds. Pull the snowflake into shape and tie the string firmly.
4. You can glue a smaller ‘snowflake’ in the middle of the bigger one. Put beads in the centre if you wish! 
5. Attach a piece of beaded string to the top of the snowflake. Hang it wherever you want!

 

BENDY CANDLES

 

These candles are minimal effort for maximum reward, look truly incredible, and are just the thing to make when you need an excuse to guzzle some wine. 

 

Materials:

• Long tapered candles
• A basin of warm water
• Candle holders/wine bottles
• A lighter

 

Instructions:

1. Place the candles in a basin of warm water for around 15 minutes, or until they’re malleable (you may need to place something heavy, like a dish, on top of them to keep them submerged).
2. Begin shaping them! You can make a spiral shape, twist the candle, etc.
3. Place in a candle holder/bottle, and run the lighter over the candle to get some wax to drip down.

 

DRIED ORANGE GARLAND

 

Incredibly festive, fragrant, and a handy snack to have on standby for when something inevitably goes wrong with Christmas dinner, these dried orange garlands are so simple to make, and yet hugely effective. 

 

Materials:

• Large oranges/grapefruit/any citrus fruit 
• Baking tray lined with baking paper
• Twine
• Small branches of pine/holly
• Ribbon
• Beads
• Cinnamon sticks
• Cloves

 

Instructions:

1. Cut the oranges into thin slices, and place on the tray. Bake on low heat (75-100 degrees celsius) for 2-3 hours, until dry – make sure not to burn them!
2. When cool, poke small holes in the oranges. You can also push cloves into the slices! They’ll probably still be a little bit sticky.
3. At this point, go wild – start stringing the slices, alternating between the orange and whatever else you choose to put on your garland. Pine and cinnamon sticks are especially great as they smell very Christmassy. 
4. When you’re happy with your garland, hang or drape it somewhere!

 

SWEDISH CLAY DALA HORSES

 

These Scandinavian ornaments make for great Christmas tree decorations to bestow upon family, trinkets to gift to your friends, or ‘biscuits’ to give to your worst enemy.

 

Materials:

• Oven bake polymer clay
• Rolling pin
• A small knife
• A toothpick/skewer
• Baking tray lined with baking paper
• Acrylic paint
• String/ribbon

 

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 140 degrees celsius.
2. Roll out clay to about ½ inch thick, and carve out the shape of a Dala horse (see illustration!) using a knife.
3. Use a toothpick/skewer to poke a small hole somewhere on the horse’s back.
4. Lay out on the tray, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
5. Once cool, paint however you like!! Once the paint is dry, loop some string/ribbon through the hole.