Looking to make your table extra special this time of year?  Check out these 5 simple, beautiful, and budget-friendly Christmas table decor DIY project ideas!

Christmas will be here before we know it and if you’re like me, there are a lot of fun things you want to try and fit in!  We are filling our days from now until Christmas with family day trips, making Christmas treats, hosting family and friends, wrapping the gifts, and enjoying our Christmas shopping!  Who has time for Christmas table decor ideas?!  But we all want and need them, right?!

Big DIY projects are not in the cards for Christmas break!  Goodness knows, simplicity is my sanity during the busy season!  If you are planning your Christmas table and are looking for some quick and simple things you can do to make it unique and special this year, this blog post can help you out!  I am excited to share some really easy and simple DIY things you can create for Christmas table decor ideas this year!

I’ve been playing around with using some different things around my house, budget-friendly or thrifted finds, and easy little crafts.  I’ll share them here and hopefully it will help you with your Christmas table decor ideas and planning too!

If you have kids that are a little bit older, this is a fun way to get them involved too.  After all, aren’t most of us moms looking for some things to keep the kiddos occupied during Christmas break?!

So, let’s get started with some festive DIY napkin rings.  I’ll keep it short and simple since you probably don’t have time at this point in the season to read a long post either!  Am I right?!?!  More time to create, more time to enjoy, and maybe even a minute to put your feet up and enjoy the magic of the season!

Vintage Music Christmas Table Decor Ideas

If you follow along with our family, you know that music is a big part of our lives!  In fact, we’ve added a cello player and a French horn player to the mix this year.  There is always music going and sometimes even an interesting mix of sounds.  Haha!  However, there is something extra nostalgic about music at Christmas time too!

One of my favorite ways to decorate my Christmas tables is by using old, thrifted music!

How do you decorate a Christmas table on a budget?

Thrift stores and flea markets are the perfect place to look for old music for your Christmas table decor ideas.  I found a large music book that was really falling apart for only $2 at a flea market.  I pulled out some of the pages and they make perfect placemats!

This is also a great option if you’re entertaining a large group.  You can get a lot of music out of one book without spending very much money!  Who doesn’t want a pretty, unique, budget-friendly option for the season too?!  Old music is perfect for Christmas table decor ideas and so many other DIY ideas too.

Using old sheet music is also a great time-saver for AFTER Christmas dinner!  No washing or ironing of placemats.  You can simply toss any soiled placemats and pick up more thrifted sheet music!

Sheet music can also make a beautiful and unique table runner!  For the best results, overlap the sheet music, slightly turning it in different directions down the center of the table.

For a dramatic look, you could even glue pieces together and let it cascade down the ends of the table!

Limitless possibilities with only a few dollars spent!

Easy DIY Ornament Place Card Holders

There are lots of ways that you could create ornament place card holders and this is a perfect way to bring in a Christmas theme of some kind!  I took the most simple and easy route by picking up a box of shatter-proof ornaments for these easy DIY holiday napkin rings.

I love these neutral colors because guests can take them home as a little party favor and the neutral color can go with everyone’s Christmas themes!

You can find inexpensive ornaments at any craft store or big-box store.  At the same time, you may even find thrifted ones if you look around!

I am lucky to have a daughter that has spent a lot of time practicing her calligraphy skills!  This was a fun way to involve her (and save myself some time too!).

This calligraphy book is where she started learning!  It would make a great gift for that creative person on your list!

I had Payton write everyone’s names on ornaments and then simply placed them at each place setting.  They are such cute napkin rings and fun Christmas crafts too!  To add an extra little layer and finished look, I took a tiny spring of evergreen to lay under each ornament.

I picked up some branches for free at the Christmas tree stand!  They are usually happy for you to help them with clean up by picking up branches from the ground.  (And this is another way to let the kids help out!)

DIY Napkin Rings for Christmas Table Decor

How do you make easy table decorations?

Tip: Use what is in season and what you already have around your house in different ways!

I love using a variety of different napkin rings, no matter the season.  They are a perfectly simple ways to make tablescapes look different from one another, even when using the same dishes and napkins!

I’m often asked where I store all of my tablescape items and my answer is simple: I don’t have nearly as much “extra” stuff as you’d think!  I just mix and match A LOT!

I do have a lot of napkin rings.  However, they are small and don’t take a lot of space!

How do you style a Christmas table?

For this tablescape, I wanted to create a more eclectic look.  I pulled a few ornaments off of our family tree and used them for napkin rings!  This is another FREE decorating idea that still looks pretty and ties in with my decor without taking much time at all!

Even though I mixed and matched the ornaments, I kept to only white ornaments.  This keeps an overall cohesive look to the table, with each place setting have it’s own unique look!

I added a small piece of twine through each ornament and simply tied it around my napkin!  Easy breezy and it didn’t cost a dime!  Also, a simple ribbon or yarn would be beautiful for a finished look!  However, it couldn’t be a more easy DIY napkin ring to make for your holiday tablescape and add a personal touch at the same time!

This would be really fun for a party too!  You could raid the ornament aisle and choose an ornament for each specific guest!  This simple idea would make a fun party favor as well as add a thoughtful touch to each place setting!

Another fun way to use these for special occasions is to make a game by having the guests figure out their seat, based on the ornament you chose for their festive Christmas napkin rings!

Again, so many possibilities by simply using inexpensive ornaments!  (And keep an eye for these on after-Christmas clearance sales too!)

Rustic DIY Christmas Table Decor

When trying to think about simple DIY Christmas table decor…and especially FREE decor…I couldn’t overlook all the pinecones that fall around our house!  The kids helped me gather up some pinecones and we made little rustic bouquets for each place setting!  I love how this rustic table setting is one of my favorite projects!  Plus, it uses really simple materials that I already mostly had on hand!

I added a cinnamon stick and single sprig of evergreen to each bouquet.  This made the whole dining room smell so inviting and gave all the cozy Christmas vibes!  Using simple materials, the kids enjoyed some Christmas crafts!  They helped me tie together the pinecones, cinnamon stick, and evergreen sprig.  We used small twine.  However, you could also use the hot glue gun to make them a little more secure.  Either way, they make such easy diys for Christmas napkin holders!

If you want to add some color and an extra special touch, you could use a ribbon that matches your theme!  I love this velvet ribbon that comes in a variety of colors!  At the same time, you could also tuck in fresh flowers right before the guests arrive!

My only cost for these fragrant bouquets was the cinnamon sticks, which I found at my grocery store.  If you’re not making a run soon, you can order them here for quick delivery!

What are Christmas table decoration ideas on a budget?

If you don’t have pinecones for free around your house, you can get them very inexpensively HERE!

These are a little extra cost, but I love the variety of shape and the frosted look!  There are also lots of them, so you could make all kinds of crafts or sprinkle them throughout your centerpiece to tie it all together!

DIY Bell Napkin Rings for Christmas Table Decor Ideas

How do you make Christmas decorations for a table?

Of all the DIY’s I tried for my Christmas table decor this year, this might be my favorite!  I love the simplicity, elegance, fragrance, and how easy it was to do!

When making table decorations for different seasons or holidays, I try to look around and see what I have that I can use.  This saves money and also time from a trip to the store.

How to decorate a Christmas table inexpensively?

At the same time, keep an eye out for bulk items in the seasonal sections of the store.  Inexpensive ornaments, tags, ribbon, and small decor can be perfect to work into a budget-friendly Christmas tablescape!

These DIY bell napkin rings tie in so beautifully to my Christmas holidays theme of “Good Tidings”.  I also already had these large jingle bells on hand and they are the perfect size for festive Christmas napkin rings.  I love the matte finish and extra large size!

You can also pick up a pack of 12 smaller jingle bells at the dollar store and they would work just as well!

To create these festive DIY napkin rings, I picked up a pack of fresh rosemary sprigs from my grocery store’s produce section.  I simple wrapped them around the napkin, slid the bell on, and added a dot of hot glue to secure it tightly.

They smell so good too!

I also love that you could use this idea past the holiday season and throughout the winter, since it isn’t really a Christmas theme.  Sleigh bells are used all throughout the winter!

Here are some ideas for favorite napkins to use this season:

*Just use any of these with your own napkin rings that you already have on hand!

• These napkins are my current favorites because they go with everything and are effortlessly elegant!  Plus, they are budget-friendly too!
• Incorporate the winter greens with casual napkins like THESE.  Bonus: They can be used year round too!  I think they would be perfect with a garden tablescape in the spring or a harvest table in the fall!
• You can’t go wrong with a vintage-inspired neutral napkin.  These are a great price point, easy to bleach clean, and use year round!
• This set of napkins is a perfect way to incorporate traditional Christmas colors in a subtle, elegant way!
• Christmas plaids are always fun and I love this set!
• I love the vintage French look of these beautiful napkins.  They would be perfect with the rosemary DIY napkin rings!

Here are my favorite greenery pieces that I use for almost every Thanksgiving and Christmas centerpiece!

• This eucalyptus garland is so realistic.  I have so many strands and I mix them with my pine garlands to get a more full and realistic look.  They also help fill gaps in the pine garland and create a more lush look.
• This is my all-time, favorite of favorites garland!  People literally walk up and touch it to see if it’s real.  It looks that realistic!  It is so easy to lay down the middle of the table and then add some simple candlesticks for a beautiful Christmas or winter tablescape!  I also use it for my Thanksgiving tables!
• If you need the same realistic look but a smaller size, I either cut the garland or use these beautiful, realistic stems!  You can also put a few in a large pitcher or vase for a quick centerpiece too!

Here are a few supplies to keep on hand for Christmas crafts DIY napkin rings:

• Hot glue gun
• Pair of scissors
• Jute twine
• Ribbon
• Pair of wire cutters
• Wire head pins
• Pipe cleaners
• Pom poms
• Faux greenery

What do you put on a table for Christmas?

I love to think of a holiday tablescape as an opportunity to create an experience for a Merry Christmas.  Consider the guests that are coming, the activities of the evening, the feeling you want to create.  Then, look for items that can tell that story.

Are you hosting a Christmas caroling night?  Incorporate music or Christmas carol sheet music into your holiday tablescape.

Are you playing dessert and having games?  Create a Christmas table centerpiece that can quickly slide out of the way for the game night.

Perhaps you are hosting a soup supper and gift exchange with a few friends.  Create thoughtful, individual place settings with a festive touch that invite your friends to linger a little longer.  Make a personalized DIY that shows your intentionality and thoughtfulness!

I hope this helps inspire you to pull of an amazing Christmas holiday tablescape with ease!  A simple little DIY, budget-friendly supplies (or free!), and a few extra minutes is all it takes!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)