Christmas Tree Alternatives: 14 Clever DIY Trees Made From Things You Already Own

Christmas tree alternatives are a gift for anyone with a tiny apartment, a curious cat or a budget that is already stretched thin this year. Maybe you have stood in a tree lot and felt your heart sink at the price tag. Or maybe there is simply no corner left for a big tree. The good news is that some of the most charming trees are made from things already sitting in your home, like a ladder, a stack of books, a laundry basket or a few bare branches. These 14 ideas are clever, cheap and fun to build together. Gather your family, look around the house with fresh eyes, and let us build a tree that is all your own..

Christmas Tree Alternatives for Small Spaces

Before you pick one, picture how different these trees can look side by side. A ladder tree leans in a corner, a stacked bowl tree sits on a dresser, a branch tree hangs flat on the wall and a book tree stands where a side table used to be. Each one takes up far less room than a real tree and costs a lot less, too. Choose the one that fits your space and your style best..

You will need: A good look around your home, a measuring tape, warm white LED lights, a few favorite ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Measure the spot where your tree will go, floor or wall. 2. Pick the idea in this list that fits that space. 3. Gather lights and ornaments you already own before buying anything new.

Christmas Tree Alternatives That Went Viral: Laundry Basket Tree

This one went viral for a reason. A round laundry basket turned upside down makes a sturdy base, wooden skewers form the cone, and pine garland wraps around it all. Fill it with lights and ornaments and nobody would guess what is underneath. Ideas like this keep popping up in budget Christmas DIY videos on Facebook, with thousands of shares. Could your laundry basket take a holiday break?

You will need: A round plastic laundry basket, 20 long wooden skewers or dowels, a 9 foot pine garland, zip ties, LED lights, ornaments, a star.

How to make it: 1. Turn the basket upside down and push the skewers through the holes, leaning them in to meet at the top. 2. Zip tie the tips together to form a cone. 3. Wrap the garland from bottom to top, then add lights, ornaments and the star.

Stacked Silver Bowl Tree

Thrift stores are full of old silver plated bowls, and stacked upside down from big to small they make a shiny tabletop tree. Hang tiny ornaments from the rims and top it with a star. Of all the tabletop Christmas tree alternatives, this one sparkles most. It is perfect for a sideboard, an entry table or a kitchen counter. The mix of old silver and bright ornaments looks like a vintage treasure. How many bowls do you think you could find?

You will need: 5 to 7 silver or metal bowls in graduated sizes, museum putty or strong glue dots, small ornaments with hooks, a star topper.

How to make it: 1. Turn the biggest bowl upside down and stack the next size on top. 2. Hold each layer with putty or glue dots so it does not slide. 3. Hang small ornaments from the rims and set a star on the top bowl.

Wooden Ladder Christmas Tree

An old step ladder already has a tree shape, so it is one of the easiest Christmas tree alternatives to make. Wrap it in garland, tuck lights in, and use the steps as shelves for little gifts and ornaments. A big bow on top finishes it off. It works great in an entryway or next to the stairs. When the season ends, the ladder goes right back to the garage. Do you have one hiding out there?

You will need: A wooden step ladder, two 9 foot pine garlands, LED lights, zip ties, ornaments, small wrapped boxes, a big bow.

How to make it: 1. Open the ladder and lock it so it stands steady. 2. Zip tie the garland down both sides and across the steps, then add lights. 3. Hang ornaments, set small gifts on the steps and tie a bow on top.

Tomato Cage Porch Tree

A metal tomato cage from the garden shed is the secret behind this slim porch tree. Flip it upside down, tie the legs together at the top, and wrap it in garland and lights. It is light, cheap and perfect for flanking a front door. Make two and your porch looks like a grand hotel entrance. These Christmas tree alternatives also work well on a small balcony. Ready to raid the garden shed?

You will need: A metal tomato cage, a 9 foot pine garland, outdoor LED lights, zip ties, shatterproof ornaments, a star.

How to make it: 1. Turn the cage upside down and zip tie the legs together at the top. 2. Wrap the garland around the cage from bottom to top, tying it as you go. 3. Add the lights, ornaments and star, and set it by the door.

Book Stack Christmas Tree

Book lovers, this is one of the coziest Christmas tree alternatives you can make. Stack hardcover books in a spiral, wide at the bottom and smaller toward the top, and wrap them with fairy lights. It looks so cozy in a reading nook or on a big desk. Use old thrifted books if you do not want to tie up your favorites. It is a fun weekend project with kids, too. Which books would you put at the base?

You will need: 25 to 40 hardcover books, battery LED fairy lights, a small star.

How to make it: 1. Make a wide ring of books on the floor as the base. 2. Stack each new layer slightly smaller and turned a little to the side. 3. Wrap the fairy lights around the outside and set the star on top.

Christmas Tree Alternatives on the Wall: Washi Tape

Washi tape trees are perfect for renters, dorm rooms and homes with pets who love to climb trees. Make a big triangle with green tape, add zigzag branches, then tape on paper ornaments. It peels right off when the season ends. Kids can draw and cut their own ornaments, so it changes every day. Isn’t it nice to have a tree that a cat cannot knock over?

You will need: 2 or 3 rolls of green washi tape, colored paper, scissors, a yellow paper star, a pencil.

How to make it: 1. Lightly mark the top point and two bottom corners of a triangle on the wall. 2. Run tape along the outline, then add zigzag lines inside for branches. 3. Tape on paper ornaments and the star at the top.

Picture Frame Wall Tree

Old picture frames hung in a triangle make an elegant wall tree. Paint them gold or white so they match, then hang a little ornament or a small greenery ring inside each one. A frame or star on top completes the shape. Like the other wall Christmas tree alternatives here, it takes no floor space, and it looks stunning above a console table or sofa. You can even slip family photos in a few frames for a sweet touch. Who would you put in the top frame?

You will need: 10 to 15 thrifted picture frames without glass, gold or white spray paint (adult help, outdoors), small ornaments, mini greenery rings, removable wall hooks.

How to make it: 1. Spray the frames one color outdoors and let them dry. 2. Lay them on the floor in a triangle to plan the shape. 3. Hang them on the wall with removable hooks and add an ornament or greenery inside each one.

Twig and Pinecone Wall Tree

A few sticks from the yard can turn into a glowing wall tree. Cut them shorter as you go up, tie them on a long cord, and wrap fairy lights through them. Add pinecones, tiny wrapped boxes and little bows for a woodland feel. It is free, natural and so pretty when the lights are on at night. These Christmas tree alternatives are easy to store, too, just roll them up. How many sticks will you need?

You will need: 8 to 10 straight sticks, twine, battery LED fairy lights, small pinecones, mini gift boxes or bows, a removable hook.

How to make it: 1. Cut the sticks from long to short and lay them out in a tree shape. 2. Tie each stick to two long pieces of twine, leaving a few inches between them. 3. Wrap the lights through, tie on pinecones and boxes, and hang it from a hook.

Bare Branch Ornament Tree

A single bare branch in a pot or vase is simple, modern and very cheap. Hang small gold and silver ornaments from the twigs and let the shape of the branch do the rest. It looks lovely on a kitchen island or a dining table. You can spray paint the branch white or gold for a different look. Take a walk and find a branch with interesting curves. What color ornaments would you choose?

You will need: A bare branch with lots of twigs, a heavy vase or pot, small stones or sand, small ornaments, thin ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Set the branch in the vase and fill it with stones or sand so it stands steady. 2. Tie thin ribbon loops on small ornaments. 3. Hang them along the twigs, spacing them evenly.

Wood Dowel Spiral Tree

If you like a modern look, a spiral dowel tree is a stunner. Wooden dowels of different lengths are drilled through the center and turned to make a spiral. Hang small ornaments from the tips. It is a great project to make with an adult who has a drill. Once it is done, it lasts for years and folds flat for storage. Would you leave it natural wood or paint it?

You will need: A 1 inch round wooden pole about 4 feet long, a wood base, 12 to 16 thin dowels cut in graduated lengths, a drill (adult help), wood glue, small ornaments.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, drill holes up the center pole, each a little turned from the one below. 2. Glue the longest dowels near the bottom and the shortest at the top. 3. Screw the pole to the base and hang ornaments from the dowel tips.

Christmas Tree Alternatives Made From Yarn Cones

Paper cones wrapped in yarn make a cozy little forest for a mantel or table. Use poster board cones and wrap them in cream, green and red yarn. They are soft, kid friendly and a great way to use up yarn scraps. Group them in three heights for a sweet scene. Add tiny pom poms or wooden beads for ornaments. Which colors would you wrap first?

You will need: Poster board, tape, yarn in 2 or 3 colors, white craft glue, mini pom poms or wooden beads.

How to make it: 1. Roll poster board into cones of different heights and tape them closed. 2. Dab glue at the bottom and wrap the yarn tightly around and up to the tip. 3. Glue on pom poms or beads for ornaments.

Rustic Christmas Tree Alternatives: Pallet Wood Tree

Old pallet boards make a rustic flat tree that leans against a wall or stands on a porch. Cut the boards from long to short, screw them to a center board, and paint or leave them natural. Hang ornaments on small nails and add a star on top. If you love pallet projects, see our pallet Christmas decor ideas. Would you put yours inside or out?

You will need: 4 or 5 clean pallet boards, a saw (adult help), screws and a drill (adult help), sandpaper, small nails, ornaments, a wood star.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, cut the boards into graduated lengths and sand them smooth. 2. Lay them in a tree shape and screw them to one long board on the back. 3. Add small nails for ornaments and a star at the top.

Recycled Bottle Tree

This big outdoor tree is made of clear plastic bottles, and it is a fun idea for a school, a church yard or a community event. Bottles are tied together in rings around a frame, so the light passes right through them. It is one of the biggest Christmas tree alternatives in this list, and a great way to show kids that old things can become beautiful. A smaller version made from a few bottles looks sweet on a porch. Would your neighbors help collect bottles?

You will need: Clean clear plastic bottles, a cone frame made of wire or a tomato cage for a small version, zip ties, a star.

How to make it: 1. Wash the bottles and remove the labels. 2. Zip tie the bottles in rings around the frame, starting at the bottom. 3. Add a star on top and set LED lights inside if you like.