Christmas Decorations Made with Recycled Materials

Quilting background for christmas with red, green and gold fabrics.

iStockphoto/Emilia Kun

Christmas trees have been a part of the Christmas tradition for centuries. The first trees were decorated with candles, berries, candies, nuts and fruits. It wasn't until 1882 that Edward Johnson (Thomas Edison's handy assistant) invented the first electric lights for Christmas tree decoration. Since then, Christmas revelers everywhere have upped the ante and Christmas decorations are an important part of the holiday tradition.

If you want to deck the halls with store bought Christmas decorations, it's going to cost you some money. Not to mention delicate items, like glass ornaments, require careful storage with lots of padding, which takes up more storage space. While store-bought decorations can be quite beautiful, they also pretty much look like what everyone else has.

If you want a unique look for a fraction of the cost, how about making your own Christmas decorations out of materials you probably have lying around your house? Not only will you be helping the environment, you'll have an opportunity to show your creativity and individuality through your creations. All you need is some time, a little effort and a lot of glue. Read on for our favorite Christmas decorations made from recycled materials.