Rustic Reindeer Garland | Simple Christmas Craft

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is nearly here, and I’m all about getting into the Christmas spirit with a whole lotta Christmas decorations!

For the last few years, I’ve been moving more toward a sort of rustic style of decorations. My tree is decked out in burlap ornaments and lots of handmade pieces that really look homey. I really enjoy when my home has that “lived-in” look and not when it’s too perfect. Not that that’s usually an issue! My kids tend to destroy everything within minutes of us attempting to make it look good.

Anyway, with Christmas, I’m especially fond of making my own decorations. And even if you don’t have an ounce of crafting ability, this adorable Rustic Reindeer Garland is SUPER simple to make. If you can draw a stick man, you can totally draw a stick reindeer!

Materials:

• Wood craft circles
• White and black chalk paint
• Thick and thin paintbrushes
• Red twine
• Red and green jingle bells
• Burlap ribbon
• Hot glue gun
• Light grain sandpaper

Instructions:

1. Begin by painting the front of your wood craft circles with white chalk paint. You do not have to cover every single spot of the front, just a rough layer is fine. The gaps and unpainted edges will help give it a more distressed feel.

2. You can use a light grain sandpaper to gently sand the edges and top of your wood circles to distress them further when they have dried if you like.

3. Once sanded, freehand paint a rustic reindeer shape onto the front of each one with black chalk paint and a thin tipped paintbrush. This is a simple stick figure deer, you can’t really mess it up. In fact, I think the imperfections make it all the better!

4. Allow the wood circles to dry completely and then turn them over.

5. On the back of the wood circle, put a big dab of hot glue at the top center of the wood slice, and push the red twine into it. Allow to dry and your wood circle will be securely attached to the twine.

6. Cut small pieces of burlap ribbon about 4-5 inches long and thread them through the top of red and green jingle bells.

7. Attach a jingle bell to the red twine in between each wood circle by tying the burlap ribbon in a bow.

8. Continue to alternate attaching painted wood slices and jingle bells along the length of your red twine until it is as long as you would like it to be.

9. Hang your garland over a mantel, shelf or other area of your home to create a delightful rustic holiday decoration.

How much fun is that?? I love to hang it in my front entryway or to put it up over my mantle on my fireplace. It adds just a touch of rustic elegance that can’t be beat!

What do you think? Are you going to try this?? I’d love to see your results.

Katie Reed

Katie Reed is a passionate writer and mother of four vivacious boys from Salt Lake City, Utah. Drawing from her own journey through TTC, pregnancy, and the joys of raising children, she offers a wealth of insight into the world of motherhood. Beyond her heartfelt tales, Katie delights her readers with family-friendly recipes, engaging crafts, and a curated library of printables for both kids and adults. When she’s not penning her experiences, you’ll find her crafting memories with her husband and sons—Dexter, Daniel, Chester, and Wilder.