In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Christmas crafts create nostalgia, sentiment and guilt.

When my big boys were little, I used to be a Christmas Craft kind of mom. I’d structure creative time into our schedule, and every year, we’d make a bunch of holiday ornaments together and then deliver them on our plates of cookies when we’d go door to door Christmas caroling as a family.

Now I have a box filled with crafting supplies from days gone by, and when my daughters’ ask, I’m fortunate to squeak out, “Go for it, girls. I support you 100%.”  (I jest, kind of, well, not really.)

When my sweet friend, Heather, reminded me of the low budget, high impact Christmas decor that can be achieved by simply making a striking focal point out of easy, children’s paper crafts, I was all over it, plus in around ten minutes you can create a high impact, low budget look.

I shared this craft last year, but the fun is worth sharing again, but it never gets old for my daughter.

Easy, low cost, child friendly, no stress involved – these are all prerequisites to achieve happy crafting status.

Then last Sunday, my daughter Emma came home from Sunday School having done these same paper crafts for their craft time, so I knew I could not procrastinate any longer.

The beauty of this simple paper craft is that it’s virtually free. We should all have some paper lying around, and if you are extra fortunate to own a “used scrap-booking store closet,” then you have beautiful scrapbook paper at your disposal as well.

Honestly, your young children can take on this home decor project all on their own. It’s pretty much a fool proof craft.

In it’s simplest form, cut five strips of paper.

For ease,  I do not measure them, but there will be three sizes.

The shortest piece of paper is in the center, followed by the next two, with the longest two on the outside.

Gather one end together and staple.

Scrunch and staple the other end.

That’s it. If you want to get fancy, expand to seven strips of paper.

The first year I was blogging, I shared my “creative party decorations on a budget” where I made  tissue pom-poms for my daughter’s birthday. (This was during the time period of my husband’s year long unemployment, and I literally had no budget for the party.)  When I think of decorating on a budget, but still desire a high impact look, the combination of these two paper crafts would create quite the focal piece for any kind of festivity.

For another great DIY, paper GIFT giving idea, make sure you take advantage of my free, printable homemade Christmas coupon book.

Martha’s pom-poms, of course

Linked to The Nester’s craft party.