Yule Decorations: Magical DIY Ideas for Your Pagan Holiday

Yule decorations provide a magical vibe to the Winter Pagan holidays! Get cozy AND creative during these chilly days by making your own DIY decorations. I think it’s a wonderful way to blend old traditions with new ones.

This article will help give you some ideas so you can craft your own Yule decorations, whether you’re a Pagan, Witch, Wiccan, or ANY other spiritual practitioner. To make your home a sacred space or altar for this season’s festivities, let’s jump in!

Please note that I make every effort to ensure this information is correct and accurate through my own experiences and referencing sources throughout AND at the bottom of this article.

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Yule Crystal Decorations

This clear quartz Yule Crystal Ornament is one of my most popular pins on Pinterest! When I started decorating for Yule instead of Christmas, I knew I had to include some crystals.

I chose clear quartz because I thought it would look like icicles and create a beautiful glow in the holiday tree lights. However, I wasn’t able to find any quartz crystals with pre-drilled holes, so I decided to DIY this project.

I shaped some polymer clay around the top and used a pottery sculpting tool to push a hole wide enough to fit some twine through. Then, I wrapped twine around the top and glued it in place with a hot glue gun for a rustic look.

I attached some star anise, dried lavender, and dried boxwood for a unique look! I really loved how it turned out!

You can check out this YouTube video to watch how I made mine.

Dried Yule Tree Picks

I’ve been creating dried yule tree picks for years. They’re a wonderful way to add some natural beauty to your yule tree! Since you’ll need to wait for them to dry, it’s best to start a few weeks before you want to decorate your tree.

You can find many options in your garden, on a foraging trip, or simply walking around your neighborhood. I try to remember my Yule decorations during summer, and I’ll start collecting and drying plants in advance.

However, this time of year, grocery stores often have excellent Yule-themed bouquets. Watch the clearance sections to score some good deals (don’t worry if they’re wilted a little; you’re just going to dry them anyway). Personally, Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to buy flowers.

How to DIY Your Own Yule Tree Picks

Start by gathering an assortment of flowers, herbs, or greenery that represents the Yule season or whatever resonates with you! Bunch your greenery together in small bundles and tie them at the base with twine or string.

Hang your bundles upside down in a well-ventilated area. The drying time depends on the moisture content of the plants and the environmental conditions. Once they’re completely dry, carefully and strategically insert these botanical bundles between your Yule tree branches.

I love choosing specific colors to represent different meanings and symbolism, just like with candle color magic! For example, since Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, I love adding the colors red, yellow, and orange to represent the sun. It adds so much joy and cheer!

Another way to add more symbolism to your tree is by considering the plants you add. For example, if you’d like this Yule season to be peaceful and loving, consider adding dried Lavender!

You can check out my Yule tree pick tutorial in this video.

“Snow was falling,

so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine

its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness.”

― Mary Oliver

“Extra” Cinnamon Broom

Why not liven up your store-bought cinnamon broom and make it a bit “extra”? I purchased my cinnamon broom from Fred Meyer (Kroger) for $5 and added some dried orange slices, star anise, and herbs from my garden to add some pizzazz!

Use it to sweep away negative energy and hang it by your back door!

You can check out how I made my Cinnamon Broom “extra” in this video.

Yule Tree Mushroom Decorations

I love these cute mushrooms for Yule decorations! Amanita muscaria is often associated with Yule because it has a symbiotic relationship with various deciduous and coniferous trees. Mushrooms are also linked to Fae mythology and different types of Fae. However, since these mushrooms are toxic, let’s make some faux ones out of polymer clay!

To make them, you need Sculpey, paint, faux moss, and a bit of patience. I added clips to the bottom of mine so they would sit on each branch. However, if I were to make them again, I’d try adding a jump ring to the top and hang them from a branch like an ornament.

Watch how I made mine in this step-by-step tutorial!

Antler Yule Tree Topper for Protection

When I was little, my sister and I would sit beneath our Christmas tree, laugh, eat cinnamon pop-tarts, and talk about how the angel on top of the tree was protecting us and our home.

As I got older and embraced my Pagan beliefs, I found it hard to let go of the angel on top of the tree. However, I didn’t connect with an Angel Tree Topper anymore. So, I decided to create something that symbolized protection.

I remembered the Elder Futhark rune Algiz, which looks like antlers and symbolizes protection, and the idea was born. I used faux greenery because I didn’t want to worry about storing dried flowers.

I’ll be honest: this isn’t the easiest project, but I absolutely love the final result. It’s incredibly special to me, and I hope you’ll love to create this for your home as well.

You can check out how I made my Yule Antler Tree Topper here

Yule Sigil Charms

When trying to blend old traditions with new ones, these Yule Sigil Charms are perfect! They’re basically a blank canvas you can infuse with your spiritual intentions! Hang delicately on a Yule tree or display in a sacred space; these Yule Sigil Charms infuse their surroundings with strong spiritual energy.

You can add any Pagan, Witch, Wiccan, or spiritual symbol you like, or try making your own sigil! In the image below, I created a bind rune (which is when you layer multiple runes into one symbol) by wood burning. I made the small wood ornament by slicing a fallen tree branch, but you can buy wood slices if you don’t want to cut your own.

Citrus slices are a beautiful way to add solar colors to your Yule tree! When you place light behind a ruby grapefruit slice, it glows a gorgeous pink/red (see image below)! Have fun and get creative!!

Watch How I Made My Bind Rune Charm Ornament

Yule Log

A yule log was typically a large, carefully chosen log, usually from a tree that was special to the family or community. Burning it represented the triumph of light over darkness and the promise of the sun’s return.

Today, a Yule log is often made of wood that has been decorated with meaningful or spiritual herbs, plants, flowers, or candles! Crafting your own Yule Log can be a deeply fulfilling DIY project, connecting you to the ancient roots of this cherished tradition.

Making a Yule log is one of my favorite traditions. It’s so much fun to decorate, and it always smells amazing! Read this post for more information on Yule Logs and How to Make One

Natural Garland Yule Decorations

I can’t even begin to tell you how good this Natural Garland smells!! I hung mine across my fireplace, and it’s SO lovely! For my natural citrus garland, I used hemp string, but I’ve seen other people use wire. Whatever you choose for your base, make sure it’s sturdy because this garland can get pretty heavy!

Create enough dried citrus slices for your desired garland length. You can place them vertically or horizontally across your string base. If you choose horizontally, you’ll need to create far fewer ornament slices. I chose vertically because I wanted to be a bit extra this year. I also added wooden beads to mine with wood-burned Runes, snowflakes, evergreen trees, and other designs.

** TIP ** Place the string in the center of your citrus slices. I didn’t do that originally and ended up re-doing it because it looked awful.

You can see how I made this natural garland in this video.

Yule Wishing Ornament

This Yule Wishing Ornament can also be used as a mini Yule Log for small spaces! Using a pine cone as your base, add in the wishes or intentions you’d like sent out into the Universe.

You can add these with small notes or on bay leaves. You can hang this on your Yule Tree, place it on your altar, or just use it as a beautiful Yule decoration in your home.

I prefer burning my Wishing Ornaments and Yule Log on Winter Solstice or New Year’s Eve to release my wishes and intentions.

You can see a tutorial for how I made this wishing ornament to add to my Yule decorations here.

Yule Tree Spirit Ornaments

Evergreen trees were believed to be everlasting due to spirits living in them, which is one of the reasons they were brought inside during the Winter Solstice. This got me thinking: what if I could create ornaments symbolizing these Fae or spirits?

These are really simple decorations that are really fun to make. They can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose.

You can see a tutorial for how I made my spirit ornament to add to my Yule tree here.

Witch Balls

For many people, creating a new witch ball every year is a special tradition. They’re believed to offer protection and bring good fortune in the coming year. Creating a witch ball is a personal and creative process. It infuses your personal intention, plus the magic of the season, into a physical object (the glass ornament).

Begin with an empty glass ornament and add herbs, charms, crystals, or any symbolic items that resonate with you. I like to consider my intentions or goals for the upcoming year:

• What do I want to attract?
• How do I want my life to look?
• What’s my word of the year?
• How can I represent these things in my witch ball?

After the witch ball is filled, many spiritual practitioners will seal it with wax (I normally use hot glue) to keep negative energy out and positive energy in. To keep its energy and vibes in your home, hang it somewhere visible, like a window, doorway, or in your Yule tree.

Throughout the year, the witch ball will also serve as a reminder of your intentions. You can choose to dispose of your witch ball every year, or you can collect your witch balls throughout the years, each one holding the energy of its specific time.

You can watch how I made my Witch Ball in this video

I hope this post about Yule Decorations was helpful! Lots of love to you, and remember, as always…