Wooden Crate Christmas Decor: 17 Cheap Crate Ideas That Look Like Store Displays

Wooden crate Christmas decor is one of those ideas that makes you wonder why you did not think of it sooner. A plain craft store crate costs a few dollars, and with a little paint, a set of wheels or a bundle of greenery it can look like something from a fancy holiday shop window. Earlier this season, a red crate truck that went viral on Facebook collected more than 423,000 reactions, with thousands of people saying they had to make one. Crates are sturdy, stackable and easy to work with, even if you are new to DIY. They give your porch and living room that warm farmhouse feeling without a big bill. Here are 17 cheap crate ideas to fill your home with Christmas charm this year..

Red Crate Truck on Wheels

This is the one everyone is talking about. Paint a wooden crate barn red, add four wooden wheels and two round headlights, and you have a little vintage truck that can haul a small Christmas tree right on your porch. It looks like a store display, but it costs a fraction of the price. Kids love it, grandparents love it, and the mail carrier will smile every day. Tie the tree in with twine so it stays put in the wind. Where would you park your little red truck..

You will need: A wooden crate, red outdoor paint, four wooden wheels with axle screws, two wooden discs, black paint, a screwdriver and a small potted tree.

How to make it: 1. Paint the crate red and let it dry overnight. 2. Screw the wheels onto the sides with adult help and glue on wooden disc headlights. 3. Set the potted tree inside and tie it in with twine.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Sleigh

Give a crate two curved runners and it turns into Santa’s sleigh. Cut the runners from thin plywood with adult help, or buy pre cut wooden curves at the craft store. Paint them white or gold and fill the crate with wrapped boxes and pine branches. It looks wonderful next to the tree or by the front door. After Christmas, take the runners off and use the crate for storage. Would you fill yours with real gifts or empty decoy boxes?

You will need: A wooden crate, two curved wooden runners, white paint, wood glue, small screws, wrapped boxes and pine branches.

How to make it: 1. Paint the runners and let them dry. 2. Attach them to the bottom of the crate with wood glue and short screws, with adult help. 3. Fill with gifts and greenery.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Tree

No room for a real tree? Stack crates in a pyramid, four on the bottom, then three, then two and one on top, and you have a tree that doubles as shelving. Tuck ornaments, little gifts and books into the openings, then drape battery LED string lights over the edges. It is sturdy, kid friendly and very easy to put away after the holidays. This is wooden crate Christmas decor that works hard in a small space. How many crates would your tree need?

You will need: Ten wooden crates, wood glue or small brackets, battery LED string lights, ornaments and a star for the top.

How to make it: 1. Line up four crates on their sides as the base. 2. Stack three, then two, then one, gluing or bracketing each level together. 3. Add lights, fill the openings and set a star on top.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Tree Collar

Tree collars from home stores can cost fifty dollars or more, but a crate with the bottom removed does the same job for much less. Stain it a warm brown, set it around the tree stand, and suddenly the whole tree looks taller and more finished. It also hides the ugly stand and cords, which is why this is a favorite piece of wooden crate Christmas decor. Pile a few gifts around it and it looks like a magazine photo. Do you have a tree stand you would love to hide this year?

You will need: A large wooden crate, wood stain, a rag, a pry bar and gloves.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, gently pry off the bottom slats. 2. Stain the crate and let it dry. 3. Slide it around the tree stand and tuck the cords inside.

Mini Crate Advent Calendar

Tiny craft crates are sold in packs and make a sweet advent calendar on the wall. Glue them together in a grid, add a little wooden number to each one, and fill them with treats, notes or tiny toys. Every morning, someone gets to open the next crate. It becomes a family tradition that kids remember for years. Hang it with picture hanging strips so there are no holes in the wall. What would you tuck into crate number one?

You will need: Twenty four mini wooden crates, wood glue, wooden number discs or stickers, a thin board for the back and picture hanging strips.

How to make it: 1. Glue the crates onto the back board in four rows of six. 2. Add a number to each crate. 3. Let it dry overnight, hang it and fill every box.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Porch Planter

A crate planter on the porch step is one of the easiest ways to welcome guests. Fill a crate with a bucket of soil or floral foam, then stuff it full of fresh pine, cedar, red berry stems and pine cones. Add a big plaid bow on the front. It lasts all season in cold weather and you can use clippings from your own yard. Two of them on either side of the door look like a high end display. How full would you pack yours?

You will need: A wooden crate, a plastic bucket or liner, soil or floral foam, pine and cedar branches, red berry stems, pine cones and a plaid bow.

How to make it: 1. Set the liner inside the crate and fill it with soil or foam. 2. Push in the tall branches at the back, then shorter ones at the front. 3. Add berries and pine cones and tie the bow on the front.

Crate Hot Cocoa Station

Two crates stacked on the counter make a cozy hot cocoa bar for December. Put the mugs on the bottom, jars of marshmallows and peppermint sticks on top, and wrap a little garland of greenery and battery fairy lights around the edges. Guests can help themselves, and it frees up space on the counter. It is the kind of corner everyone gathers around after sledding. Which toppings would go on your cocoa bar?

You will need: Two wooden crates, mugs, small glass jars, cocoa mix, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, a small garland and battery LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Stack the crates on their sides on the counter. 2. Arrange mugs on the bottom and jars of toppings on top. 3. Wrap the garland and lights around the crates.

Crate Gift Wrap Station

If your wrapping paper usually ends up crushed in a closet, crates are the fix. Stand one crate on end to hold paper rolls upright, and turn another on its side for ribbon, tape and scissors. Slide a dowel through the slats to hang ribbon spools. Everything stays neat and you can carry the whole station to the dining table on wrapping night. It is the most useful wooden crate Christmas decor on this list, and it looks so pretty you might leave it out. Do you wrap early or the night before?

You will need: Two wooden crates, a wooden dowel, wrapping paper rolls, ribbon spools, tape, scissors and gift tags.

How to make it: 1. Stand one crate on end and slide the paper rolls inside. 2. Push a dowel through the slats of the second crate and thread ribbon spools on it. 3. Fill the rest with tape, tags and scissors.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Village Shelves

Christmas villages often end up crowded on one table. Hang a few crates on the wall like shadow boxes and give each little house its own snowy scene. Add a pinch of fake snow, a bottle brush tree and a short strand of battery fairy lights in each crate. It turns the village into wall art, and it is wooden crate Christmas decor you can use all year. After the holidays, swap in plants or books. Which house in your village deserves its own crate?

You will need: Three to five wooden crates, wall anchors and screws, fake snow, bottle brush trees, village houses and battery LED fairy lights.

How to make it: 1. Have an adult mount the crates on the wall with anchors. 2. Sprinkle fake snow inside each one. 3. Set in a house and a tree and tuck the lights along the back.

Rustic Crate Nativity Stable

Turn a crate on its side and it becomes a humble little stable for a nativity set. Add a handful of hay or straw, a few pine sprigs on the roof, and a string of battery fairy lights for a soft glow. A weathered crate looks even better here, so do not worry about scratches. It is simple, meaningful wooden crate Christmas decor that children can help arrange. Where would your family set up the stable this year?

You will need: A wooden crate, a handful of hay or straw, pine sprigs, battery LED fairy lights and a nativity set.

How to make it: 1. Lay the crate on its side on a mantel or table. 2. Scatter hay inside and tuck pine sprigs along the top. 3. Arrange the figures and add the lights.

Vintage Crates With an Ornament Branch

Sometimes the prettiest display is the simplest. Stack two old crates under a window, set a jar of bare branches in the top one and hang a handful of green or gold glass ornaments from the twigs. The light from the window makes the glass glow all day. Weathered crates with old printing on the side look even better here. This kind of wooden crate Christmas decor costs almost nothing if you use branches from the yard. Which window in your home gets the best winter light?

You will need: Two old wooden crates, a tall jar or vase, bare branches from the yard, small glass ornaments and thin ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Stack the crates on a sill or low table under a window. 2. Set the jar of branches inside the top crate. 3. Tie the ornaments onto the twigs with thin ribbon, spacing them out.

Crate Coffee Table With Hidden Storage

Four crates joined in a square make a sturdy coffee table with storage on every side. Fill the cubbies with throw blankets, board games and Christmas books, then top it with a tray of pine cones. It feels cozy and costs far less than a new table. If you want a smooth top, add a piece of plywood or glass cut to size. When winter is over it keeps working all year. What would you store in the cubbies?

You will need: Four wooden crates, wood glue, short screws, a drill used by an adult, casters if you like, and a tray.

How to make it: 1. Arrange the crates in a square with openings facing out. 2. Glue and screw them together with adult help. 3. Add casters underneath and style the top.

Crate Bench for the Entryway

An entryway bench gives guests a place to sit and pull off snowy boots. Two crates on their sides with a board across the top is all it takes. Add a red plaid cushion, and the crates underneath hold boots, mittens and hats. Paint or stain this wooden crate Christmas decor to match your home. It is one of those small changes that makes the house feel ready for company. Who usually comes through your front door first at Christmas?

You will need: Two wooden crates, a wooden board cut to length, wood stain, wood glue, screws and a plaid cushion.

How to make it: 1. Stain the crates and board. 2. Set the crates on their sides and attach the board across the top with glue and screws, with adult help. 3. Add the cushion and baskets underneath.

Crate Toy Wagon Under the Tree

A small crate with wheels and a pull handle makes the sweetest old fashioned toy wagon. Fill it with wrapped presents under the tree, then let the little ones pull it around on Christmas morning. It reminds many people of the wooden toys their grandparents had. Afterwards it becomes a toy box or a cart for blocks. If you like this rustic look, our pallet Christmas decor ideas have more ideas made from simple wood. Who would pull the wagon in your house?

You will need: A small wooden crate, four wooden wheels with axle screws, a dowel and rope for the handle, paint and a screwdriver.

How to make it: 1. Paint the crate and let it dry. 2. Screw the wheels on the sides with adult help. 3. Drill or tie a rope handle to the front and fill it with gifts.

Wooden Crate Christmas Decor Centerpiece

A long, shallow crate down the middle of the table makes an easy centerpiece. Fill it with pine branches, pine cones, red apples and a few small battery lanterns. It looks generous and natural, and it is low enough for everyone to see each other across the table. When dinner is done, you can lift the whole thing off in one go. Wooden crate Christmas decor like this works for Thanksgiving too with pumpkins and leaves. What would you fill yours with?

You will need: A long shallow wooden crate, pine branches, pine cones, red apples or ornaments and small battery LED lanterns.

How to make it: 1. Lay the branches along the bottom of the crate. 2. Nestle in apples and pine cones. 3. Add the lanterns and switch them on before guests sit down.

Crate Stocking Holder

No mantel? No problem. Mount a crate on the wall and screw small hooks along the front edge for stockings. The inside of the crate becomes a shelf for a little garland, a wooden sign or a few framed family photos. It gives every family member a spot without needing a fireplace. It is great for apartments and kids rooms too. How many stockings hang in your home?

You will need: A wooden crate, cup hooks, wall anchors and screws, a small garland and stockings.

How to make it: 1. Twist the cup hooks into the front edge of the crate, evenly spaced. 2. Have an adult mount the crate on the wall. 3. Add the garland on top and hang the stockings.

Crate Garden of Mini Trees

Little live trees in crates look like a tiny tree farm on your porch. Buy small potted evergreens, set them in crates with burlap around the pots, and add a red bow to each one. After the holidays you can plant them in the yard or keep them as patio plants. It is a cheerful display that keeps growing long after the decorations come down. These wooden crate Christmas decor ideas prove simple is often best. Which tree would you plant first in spring?

You will need: Three wooden crates, small potted evergreens, burlap, twine and small red bows.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each pot in burlap and tie it with twine. 2. Set one or two pots in each crate. 3. Add bows and group the crates at different heights.