Christmas is magical, but let’s be honest — it’s also one of the busiest times of year for parents. Between tree decorating, present wrapping, Santa visits and party season, anything that saves a bit of time and hassle is worth its weight in tinsel.
We’ve rounded up 13 genius Christmas hacks to make decorating, un-decorating, wrapping and getting into the festive spirit that little bit easier this year.
Genius Christmas Hacks For An Easier Festive Season
#1. Shadow Box Christmas Decoration
IKEA RIBBA frames can be quickly turned into shadow box decorations — simply remove the glass, swap it for a backing board, and decorate the ledge with mini festive scenes.
Image courtesy of Ikeahackers.net
#2. Wrap Christmas Tree Lights for Storage
Say goodbye to tangled fairy lights next year with this wonderfully simple method of wrapping your lights around a coat hanger.
Image courtesy of Wikihow
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#3. Keep Wrapping Paper Tidy With Cardboard Rolls
This clever idea from The Cheese Thief stops your half-used rolls of wrapping paper unravelling. Simply slip a toilet roll tube over the end as a cuff, or use the end piece of another roll and tape it in place.
Image courtesy of The Cheese Thief
#4. Christmas Ornament Storage
An old egg carton makes surprisingly good storage for your smaller, more delicate Christmas ornaments — a neat idea from One Good Thing.
Image courtesy of One Good Thing
#5. Muffin Tin Advent Calendar
Make the Christmas countdown extra fun by turning a muffin tin into a reusable advent calendar, as suggested by Somewhat Simple. Add themed paper, magnets and a small treat or activity for each day — think “watch a Christmas movie” or “write your letter to Santa”.
Image courtesy of Somewhatsimple.com
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#6. Candy Cane Playdough
This homemade candy cane playdough is easy and fun to make, and doubles up as a lovely, inexpensive little gift for kids. You’ll find the full instructions on The Artful Parent.
Image courtesy of The Artful Parent
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#7. Personalised Christmas Decorations
Add a personal touch to your tree by turning plain baubles into handprint decorations. Instructions are on the SheKnows website — and they make a truly lovely keepsake gift for grandparents too.
Image courtesy of Sheknows.com
#8. Simple Gift Box for Cookies
A gorgeous upcycling idea from Aunt Peaches: save your foil or parchment roll boxes and turn them into charming gift boxes for homemade cookies. Cover the sharp cutter edge, paint the outside, line with parchment paper — done.
Image courtesy of Aunt Peaches
#9. Make Cute Elf Treats from Cheerios
These adorable little elf treats are perfect for leaving out for Santa’s elves on Christmas Eve — or for a hungry Elf on the Shelf.
Ingredients
- 12 Cheerios
- 50g milk chocolate
- Multi-coloured sprinkles
- Icing sugar
- Cinnamon
Method
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water, stirring until smooth.
- Dip each Cheerio into the melted chocolate, then coat: 4 in cinnamon, 4 in sprinkles, and 4 in icing sugar.
- Place them into a small gift box or matchbox lined with parchment paper.
#10. Elf Hat Napkins
Impress your guests on Christmas Day with a little napkin art. These elf hat napkins from Good Housekeeping are such a cute, simple touch for the Christmas dinner table.
Image courtesy of Good Housekeeping
#11. Dip Cookie Cutters in Flour
To stop your cookie cutters sticking to Christmas cookie or gingerbread dough, dip the cutter into a little flour before each cut. Small hack, big difference.
#12. Easy Christmas Place Card Holder
A cute idea from Industrious Justice: simply glue a couple of candy canes together for a quick, festive place card or menu holder.
Image courtesy of Industrial Juice
#13. Make Snowflake Cream For Hot Chocolate
Give your hot chocolate a lovely finishing touch with snowflake cream. Whip some cream, spread it out on a tray, freeze for about an hour, then use a small snowflake cutter to cut out your shapes. They’ll melt beautifully into a mug of hot chocolate.
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Over to you now — do you have any Christmas hacks of your own that make festive life easier? Share them with us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some easy Christmas hacks for busy parents?
Simple swaps make the biggest difference — things like wrapping fairy lights around a hanger to avoid tangles, using an egg carton to store delicate ornaments, or dipping cookie cutters in flour so dough doesn’t stick. Small tweaks like these save real time during the busiest weeks of the year.
How can I store Christmas decorations without them getting damaged?
Everyday household items work well for gentle storage — an egg carton is ideal for small, delicate baubles, and wrapping lights around a coat hanger keeps them tangle-free for next year.
What’s a fun advent calendar idea I can make at home?
A muffin tin advent calendar is a lovely reusable option. Fill each cup with a small treat or a festive activity idea, such as watching a Christmas movie or writing a letter to Santa.
How do I keep leftover wrapping paper tidy?
Slip a toilet roll tube (or the end piece of another wrapping paper roll) over the end of a partly used roll as a simple cuff to stop it unravelling in storage.
Related Reads
- 8 Top Tips To Take The Stress Out of Christmas
- 12 Easy Homemade Advent Calendar Ideas for Kids
- 39 Great Family Christmas Movies
- 12 Money Saving Tips for Christmas
Save These Ideas For Later
Loved these hacks? Bookmark this page or save it to your favourite Christmas planning board so you’ve got these ideas handy when you need them most.
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