10 Dollar Tree Christmas Crafts for Small Apartments (All Under $5 Each)
10 Dollar Tree Christmas crafts for small apartments, from an ornament wreath to snow globe jars, with budget DIY ideas that cost under $5 each.
Small apartment table with Dollar Tree Christmas crafts, an ornament wreath, snow globe jars, and pinecone ornaments
In This Guide
Dollar Tree Christmas crafts are the best-kept secret of budget Christmas decorating. The store sells ornaments, wreaths, garlands, jars, candles, and craft supplies for 1 to 5 dollars each, and with a little glue and paint, those supplies become decorations that look like they came from a boutique. The search for Dollar Tree Christmas crafts is up 400 percent this month, and the reason is simple: people want a beautiful Christmas without a big budget.
These 10 Dollar Tree Christmas crafts for small apartments each cost under 5 dollars in supplies, and each one is built for a small space, which means it is small, it is contained, and it stores flat in January. Every craft uses supplies you can buy at Dollar Tree in one trip, and most of them take under an hour to make. For the rest of the budget Christmas look, see the small apartment Christmas decor ideas, and for the crafts that go on the desk, the office Christmas decorations.
1. The Ornament Wreath
An ornament wreath is a wreath made from Dollar Tree ornaments on a wire frame, and it is the most impressive Dollar Tree craft there is. Thread 20 to 30 small ornaments onto a wire wreath frame, in two colors, and the wreath looks like it cost 50 dollars. It costs under 5 dollars in supplies.
The wreath works because it is dense. Twenty ornaments packed onto a wire frame look like a solid wreath, not a craft project. A wire wreath frame costs 1 dollar at Dollar Tree, and a bag of small ornaments costs 1 to 2 dollars. Thread the ornaments onto the wire frame with the ornament hooks, not glue, since the hooks hold better. The ornament wreath is the Dollar Tree version of the Whimsy Christmas wreath, with store-bought supplies instead of boutique ones.
How to make it work
Thread the largest ornaments on first, then fill the gaps with smaller ones, so the wreath looks full. Keep the wreath balanced, with the same weight on each side, or it will hang crooked. Hang it with a removable over-door hook, not a nail, so the door stays deposit-safe.
2. The Snow Globe Jars
Snow globe jars are mason jars filled with fake snow and a mini tree, and they are the most charming Dollar Tree craft there is. Fill three mason jars of different heights with fake snow, put a mini bottle-brush tree inside each one, and close the lids. The jars look like snow globes, they glow when you put a battery candle behind them, and the whole set costs under 5 dollars.
The jars work because they are contained. A mason jar is a display case, a candle holder, and a storage container all at once. Mason jars cost 1 dollar each at Dollar Tree, fake snow costs 1 dollar a bag, and mini bottle-brush trees cost 1 dollar each. Use battery candles behind the jars, not inside them, since the jars are sealed. The snow globe jars are the Dollar Tree version of the battery fairy lights in jars, with snow instead of lights.
How to make it work
Put the fake snow in the jar first, then the tree, so the tree stands upright in the snow. Keep the jars on a shelf, not on the table edge, since glass jars break when they fall. If the jars are sealed, do not put a real candle inside them, since the heat will crack the glass.
3. The Pinecone Ornaments
Pinecone ornaments are pinecones painted gold, white, or red, with a ribbon for hanging, and they are the easiest Dollar Tree craft there is. Buy a bag of pinecones for 1 dollar, paint the tips with gold or white paint, tie a ribbon around the top, and hang them on the tree. The whole project takes thirty minutes and costs under 3 dollars.
The pinecones work because they are natural. A painted pinecone looks like a boutique ornament, not a craft project, and the paint makes it look intentional. Pinecones cost 1 dollar a bag at Dollar Tree, paint costs 1 dollar a bottle, and ribbon costs 1 dollar a spool. Use acrylic paint, not spray paint, since spray paint is messy in a small apartment. The pinecone ornaments are the Dollar Tree version of the natural mantel decor, with paint instead of eucalyptus.
How to make it work
Paint the pinecones outside or on newspaper, since paint stains. Let the paint dry completely before you tie the ribbon, or the ribbon will stick to the wet paint. Hang the pinecones with a short ribbon, 4 to 6 inches, so they hang close to the branch and do not swing.
4. The Gift Tag Garland
A gift tag garland is a garland made from paper gift tags and twine, and it is the most personal Dollar Tree craft there is. Write a word on each tag, like joy, peace, Noel, or a family member’s name, and string 15 to 20 tags onto a length of twine. Drape the garland along a shelf, a mantel, or a doorway, and the room feels like Christmas.
The tags work because they are words, not decorations. A garland of words is a message, and the message makes the room feel personal. Paper gift tags cost 1 dollar for a pack of 20 at Dollar Tree, and twine costs 1 dollar a spool. Use a marker, not a pen, to write the words, since marker is bolder and reads from across the room. The gift tag garland is the Dollar Tree version of the pom-pom garland, with words instead of yarn.
How to make it work
Write the words before you string the tags, since it is easier to write on a flat surface. Space the tags 2 inches apart, so the garland looks full. Hang it with removable hooks, not tape, since tape peels paint.
5. The Candle Holders
Candle holders are Dollar Tree glass jars painted with gold paint, and they are the most elegant Dollar Tree craft there is. Paint the outside of three glass jars with gold acrylic paint, put a battery candle inside each one, and the jars glow like boutique candle holders. The whole set costs under 5 dollars.
The candle holders work because the paint diffuses the light. Gold paint on glass makes the candlelight warm and soft, and the jars look like they cost 20 dollars each. Glass jars cost 1 dollar each at Dollar Tree, gold paint costs 1 dollar a bottle, and battery candles cost 1 dollar each. Use battery candles, not real candles, inside painted jars, since the paint is flammable. The candle holders are the Dollar Tree version of the Christmas candle cluster, with paint instead of plain glass.
How to make it work
Paint the outside of the jars, not the inside, since paint on the inside will peel when the candle heats it. Let the paint dry completely before you put the candle inside, or the paint will stick to the candle. Put the jars on a heat-proof tray, not directly on the table, since the jars still get warm.
6. The Mini Village
A mini village is a village made from Dollar Tree houses and fake snow, and it is the most delightful Dollar Tree craft there is. Buy three or four miniature houses for 1 dollar each, put them on a tray or a mantel, and sprinkle fake snow around them. The village looks like a tiny world, and the whole display costs under 5 dollars.
The village works because it is a scene, not a decoration. A village tells a story, and the story makes the room feel magical. Miniature houses cost 1 dollar each at Dollar Tree, fake snow costs 1 dollar a bag, and a tray costs 1 dollar. Put the tallest house in the middle and the shorter ones on the sides, so the village has a skyline. The mini village is the Dollar Tree version of the Christmas mantel village scene, with store-bought houses instead of craft-store ones.
How to make it work
Put the houses on a tray, not directly on the mantel, so the village lifts off in one piece. Keep the houses at least 1 inch from the tray edge so they cannot fall. Add the fake snow last, in a thin layer, so it looks like a dusting and not a blizzard.
7. The Stocking Holders
Stocking holders are Dollar Tree wooden blocks painted and decorated to hold stockings, and they are the most practical Dollar Tree craft there is. Buy wooden blocks for 1 dollar each, paint them red, green, or gold, glue a hook to the top, and set them on the mantel. Hang the stockings from the hooks, and the mantel looks like it was made for stockings.
The holders work because they are heavy. A wooden block is heavy enough to hold a filled stocking without tipping, and the paint makes it look like a boutique holder. Wooden blocks cost 1 dollar each at Dollar Tree, paint costs 1 dollar a bottle, and hooks cost 1 dollar for a pack. Use a strong glue, like hot glue, to attach the hooks, and let the glue dry completely before you hang the stockings. The stocking holders are the Dollar Tree version of the Christmas mantel stocking lineup, with craft supplies instead of store-bought hooks.
How to make it work
Paint the blocks before you glue the hooks, since paint on the hooks looks messy. Let the glue dry for at least an hour before you hang the stockings, or the hooks will pull off. Put the heaviest stocking on the heaviest block, so the holder does not tip.
8. The Table Scatter
A table scatter is Dollar Tree confetti, mini ornaments, and pinecones scattered on the dining table, and it is the easiest Dollar Tree craft there is. Scatter a handful of gold confetti, five or six mini ornaments, and three or four pinecones down the center of the table. The table looks festive, the scatter costs under 3 dollars, and it takes two minutes to set up.
The scatter works because it is loose. A tight, symmetrical centerpiece looks formal, while a loose scatter looks relaxed and lets the table breathe. Confetti costs 1 dollar a bag at Dollar Tree, mini ornaments cost 1 dollar for a bag, and pinecones cost 1 dollar a bag. The table scatter is the Dollar Tree version of the Thanksgiving candle and leaf scatter, with Christmas materials instead of autumn ones.
How to make it work
Scatter the confetti first, then the ornaments, so you can see where the gaps are and fill them. Keep the scatter away from the plates, since confetti gets into food. Use a paper towel under the scatter for easy cleanup, and sweep the confetti into your hand when dinner starts.
9. The Door Hanger
A door hanger is a Dollar Tree wreath form covered in ornaments, and it is the most visible Dollar Tree craft there is. Buy a wire wreath form for 1 dollar, wire 15 to 20 small ornaments onto it, and hang it on the front door with a removable over-door hook. The door looks like a party, and the whole hanger costs under 5 dollars.
The door hanger works because it is the first thing guests see. A wreath on the door says Christmas before anyone walks in, and a Dollar Tree wreath says it for 5 dollars. A wire wreath form costs 1 dollar at Dollar Tree, and a bag of small ornaments costs 1 to 2 dollars. Wire the ornaments onto the form with the ornament hooks, not glue, since the hooks hold better. The door hanger is the Dollar Tree version of the Whimsy Christmas wreath, with store-bought supplies instead of boutique ones.
How to make it work
Wire the largest ornaments on first, then fill the gaps with smaller ones, so the hanger looks full. Keep the hanger balanced, with the same weight on each side, or it will hang crooked. Use an over-door hook, not a nail, so the door stays deposit-safe.
10. The Craft Storage
The last Dollar Tree idea is the craft storage, and it is the one that makes all the others possible in a small apartment. Before December, buy a small plastic box for 1 dollar at Dollar Tree, and put all your craft supplies in it: the paint, the glue, the ribbon, the twine, and the leftover ornaments. The box becomes your Christmas craft kit, and it lives on a shelf or under the bed.
The storage works because Dollar Tree crafts are small, and small supplies get lost. A box keeps the paint from leaking, the ribbon from tangling, and the ornaments from breaking. Label the box “Christmas Crafts” and keep it with the rest of the holiday decor, so next December you open one box instead of shopping again. The same storage rule drives the Christmas decor storage ideas after the holiday.
How to make it work
Put the paint bottles upright, with the lids tight, so they do not leak. Wrap the ribbon around a piece of cardboard, so it does not tangle. Keep the box to one shoebox size. If it does not fit, something in it is not earning its space.
