DIY Plastic-Free Holiday Decor

A black gift box tied with white string, decorated with dried orange slices, pine sprigs, and a gift tag labeled “Chris.”.
A black gift box tied with white string, decorated with dried orange slices, pine sprigs, and a gift tag labeled “Chris.”.

Trash generation in the US increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years. That’s a lot! 

Instead of buying new this year, add some plastic-free flare to your holiday décor!

Dried Oranges

Dried oranges are a simple and chic way to reduce plastic waste this holiday season. Oranges can also be composted at the end of the season, where they will be returned back to nature to grow more fruits and veggies. 

Follow these steps to try this DIY!

1️⃣ Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature.

2️⃣ Cut oranges into even thin rounds, no more than ¼ inches thick.

3️⃣ Pat orange slices dry on both sides to help them dry faster.

4️⃣ Arrange oranges on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Make sure the oranges don’t overlap!

5️⃣ Bake for 2-4 hours. Flip the slices frequently, until dried. You can tell when the oranges are dried when they are slightly transparent and hardened. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

6️⃣ Decorate your space! Poke a hole in the oranges with a chopstick or straw to thread them. Oranges can be strung in a garland, used a present topper or hung as individual ornaments.

Note! If your oranges turn brown in the oven, the oven is too hot. Turn the oven off and let them dehydrate using the residual heat. Some oranges may dry out faster than others. Keep a close eye on them and remove slices once dehydrated.

Once you’re done enjoying your oranges, they can be composted with the rest of your yard waste in your green bin! Oranges should only be used for one season. As with all foods, they can spoil or mold. 

​This DIY is much easier with a dehydrator. If you have a dehydrator, follow the manufactures instructions for dried fruits.

Here are three more bonus DIYs. 

This DIY is perfect for folks who had to give their Christmas tree a trim once they brought it home. 

1️⃣ Cut a string the desired length of your garland.

2️⃣ Gather tree sprigs and tie them to the first string.

3️⃣ Arrange the springs to your liking!

Bonus: add your dried oranges!

1️⃣ Mix flour and salt in a 4 to 1 ratio. Optionally, add cinnamon to your “dough” for a sweet scent.

2️⃣ Add water to form a “dough”.

3️⃣ Roll out your “dough” and cut out shapes with cookie cutters or a toothpick. Get creative!

4️⃣ If these are used as ornaments, use a straw or chopstick to poke a hole through the top before baking.

5️⃣ Bake in the oven at 250 degrees F for up to 2 hours. Frequently check the ornaments and remove them once they are hardened.

6️⃣ Enjoy your new creation! But be careful, your salt dough figures will be very fragile.

These decorations can be composted in your green bin at the end of the season!

 Since these are made from food, they could spoil or mold. Don’t store them with your other holiday decorations.

These simple decorations have the bonus of smelling like cinnamon.

1️⃣ Tie yarn around a cinnamon stick, about 2 cm from the top.

2️⃣ Continue to tie knots down the cinnamon stick. Leave about 2 cm at the bottom

3️⃣ Cut the yarn at an angle on both sides of the cinnamon stick. Start at the bottom outer corner and cut up towards the center, making a triangle shape.

4️⃣ Unravel the ends of the yarn to fill out your “tree.”

5️⃣ Adhere a string to the top of your tree to hang it as you wish.

These make great present toppers!

If you want to store them for next year, keep them in an airtight container. Cinnamon can spoil. If you want to part with them at the end of the season, the cinnamon is compostable and can be placed in your green container. 

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