Get into the holiday spirit with this simple DIY gingerbread house garland!
If you’re anything like me you can get a bit overzealous about all the things you want to do and/or make for the holidays. This DIY is absolutely the easiest and quickest one you’ll do this season and will add such a beautiful handmade touch to your home decor.
This is such a perfect holiday craft for so many reasons.
- Very budget friendly
- Simple and short list of materials
- Kid friendly craft
- More eco friendly
- Adds such charm to your home
By the end of this post I hope to inspire you to get creative and make a beautiful DIY gingerbread house garland of your own.
To Make Your DIY Gingerbread Garland You’ll Need:
- Scraps of cardboard/ cardboard boxes (I used the cardboard backing that came with some photos I ordered online)
- Candy cane Twine
- Pencil
- Scissors or box cutter
- White acrylic paint marker or a white sharpie
- Single hole puncher
- Ruler (optional)
Cutting and designing your gingerbread houses
Now the fun begins. There is definitely no precise science to this; I wanted this garland to be quick and easy so I eyeballed about how large I wanted my houses to be and then used the first house of that style as a template for the rest.
However, if you’d like some measurements my gingerbread houses were about 5 inches tall and 4 inches wide give or take. I cut out 4 different house shapes; a taller skinny house, traditional short gingerbread house, cottage style and a sort of victorian style. (see photo below for reference) There were a total of 9 houses which I thought allowed the garland to be a nice length for hanging over a fireplace or over an archway.
Once you’ve cut out your shapes then you’ll draw your design with a white acrylic paint marker or sharpie. A quick google search will give you plenty of examples for inspiration or feel free to use mine to give you ideas on how to decorate them! Once you’re happy with your designs, take a single hole puncher and punch a hole through the highest point.
- How to Plan a Small Space Kitchen Garden from Scratch
- Surprisingly Easy Winter Simmer Pot Recipe For The Coziest Evenings
- The Best Way to Create a Simple Stay at Home Mom Routine | Free template
- A Simple Guide to Winter Homemaking
- How to Set Homemaking Goals for the New Year
Assembling your gingerbread house garland
Next step is to assemble your garland. I wanted the houses to hang below the twine so I tied a small loop first; as if they were going to be ornaments on the tree. Then I ran a long line (about 2 ft) of twine through the loops and tied each loop to the longer line. The reason you want to tattach them to the longer line is so that your houses don’t go sliding together once you hang them up. Make sure that your individual ornament loops have enough extra twine after you knot them to make attaching to the longer line easier.
That’s it! Quick and easy afternoon craft to do with your children, if they’re a bit older, or during your little ones nap time. I hope you’ve found some inspiration with this DIY gingerbread house garland for your handmade home. Remember holiday decor doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant to create special memories. Let me know if you try this one.