3 Clever Christmas Decorating Ideas for Windows

One of the simplest ways to make a huge holiday statement is to deck out your home's windows. These budget-friendly decorating ideas use both recycled and low-cost items to create window decor that looks like a million bucks but costs next to nothing to craft.

Window Box Christmas Tree

If your home is already outfitted with window boxes, you’re in luck. You can easily overhaul your planters for Christmas with a few simple items. To begin, remove any old plants. Stack a few blocks of soaked floral foam in the window boxes, keeping the blocks below the top lip of the box (Images 1 & 2). Next, poke foraged greenery into the floral foam in a layered manner that spills over the side of the box (Image 3). Tuck battery-powered outdoor lights into the greenery and finish off the Christmas window box by placing a few shatterproof outdoor ornaments on top and securing with floral wire (Images 4 & 5). Just like that, you’ve created a window box Christmas display the whole neighborhood can enjoy.

Coffee Stirrer Stars

These minimalistic stars are loaded with Scandinavian charm that will fit right in with your existing Christmas decorations. The slender silhouette they cast in the light of the window will beautify your house both inside and out. To make, simply hot glue four wooden coffee stirrers together at their centers to create a shape similar to an asterisk. Next, glue stir sticks on each tip at an angle, joining in a "V" shape with the stir stick next to it to create a point (Image 1). The end result will be a star with eight points (Image 2). Once the glue has set, place the star on a protected surface, spray with gold metallic spray paint and let dry (Image 3). To hang the stars, simply knot ribbon through one of the star's points (Image 4). Finally, add suction cup hooks, small nails or clear tape to fill your windows with falling stars. The choice is yours!

Snowy Paper Village

Many people’s favorite Christmas tradition is to set up the miniature Christmas village with family. While fun and oh-so-charming, these displays tend to take up a lot of precious real estate in the home. To get around this, we’ve thought up an easy and fun craft that makes use of the vertical space on your window. To create this adorable paper village, start by tracing Christmas trees and houses onto posterboard using a magic marker and a straight edge (Images 1 & 2). Cut out the shapes using scissors, but for windows and details, you may find it easier to place the posterboard on a protected surface and cut using a craft knife (Images 3 & 4). Once you’ve cut out your designs, place them across the bottom of your window using double-sided tape. Use a white window paint pen to fill the rest of the window in with dots of snow, then step back and enjoy your work (Image 5). The glow from your interior lights around the village makes for a can’t-miss visual on the exterior of your home.

Pro Tip: Feel free to exercise as much creativity as you like, but keep in mind the amount of cutting you’ll want to do. For these silhouettes, the simpler the shape the better.