Part of the magic of the holiday season is the transformation of your home.

Creating your own holiday decorations doesn't have to be expensive. By doing it yourself, you can really customize your home decor or gifts. Enlist the help of your friends and family for some crafting fun. Whether you're putting out a tabletop artificial tree or hanging fresh garlands from anything that doesn't move, here are some great DIY Christmas decor projects for you!

Book Page Wreath

For this one, you'll need a paperback, a cardboard wreath form, and a glue gun with plenty of glue sticks. It doesn't take much skill, just patience. You can leave it plain or add Christmas ornaments for a more colorful look. Here is a great video tutorial by Jessica Joaquin. There are several variations of this (scrunched vs. rolled) so research other styles if you like how this ends up. These wreaths also make great holiday gifts!

Courtesy of Home Talk

Evergreen Sprigs

When you buy your Christmas tree, ask for a fresh cut and have the lower branches clipped off. I generally get a 5-foot tree cut down about 6 inches, then I keep greenery that they trim off. 

Keep those lower branches in a vase with about two inches of water (strip the bottom so only the stem is under water) until you're ready to use them. Add them to flower arrangements, lay them across a table runner, or make sprigs tied with a festive ribbon. 

Courtesy of Good Housekeeping

Paper Snowflakes

For 3D snowflakes, this pattern is really easy and quite beautiful once completed. You can use this with different sizes of paper if you want to really cover a window or create a hanging display. All you need is white paper, a stapler, tape, and scissors. Kids love this project once they get the hang of it.

Courtesy of Bead & Cord

Orange Pomanders

Making these a few days before a holiday party will result in a bowl of gorgeous room fresheners. These classic spicy-scented oranges also add a touch of color to any Christmas tablescape. Here is a great tutorial for this fragrant project. If you don't have a zester, just use a sharp paring knife. Be careful not to cut too deep!

Courtesy of Simple Bites

Faux Garland Topiary

This project is awesome and can also be done for Thanksgiving with leaf garlands. You'll need a wire tomato cage, some fake greenery garlands, and a bucket or flower pot vase. Pine cones, ornaments, or white lights make excellent decorations. View the full tutorial for this project here. For inexpensive garlands, check your local dollar store first. You may need several, but they look just as nice once decorated.

Courtesy of Lucy Designs

Gingerbread Houses

Whether you bake your own or buy a kit, think about doing something a little different with your gingerbread house this year. A funny disaster scene, maybe, or a gingerbread beach house? If you want to keep your creation for years to come, make sure you cover it in a clear coat after you're done decorating. You can even use leftover stale Halloween candy for some extra gingerbread house decor.

Courtesy of the Nordic Museum

Pine Cone Topiaries

These indoor topiaries are great little tabletop accessories. You can tuck in some bright red berries or just leave them as they are. Here is a simple tutorial with step-by-step instructions.

Courtesy of Somewhat Simple

Do you have a tradition of making your own holiday decorations? Show us your pictures in the comments below!