DIY Christmas Tree Fillers
HOW TO FILL BARE SPOTS IN YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE. THIS LIST OF DIY CHRISTMAS TREE FILLERS WILL HELP YOU CREATE AN ABUNDANT TREE ON A BUDGET!
Whether you use an artificial Christmas tree or a real tree, sometimes it will have bare spots that can’t be filled with ornaments. For that reason, I thought I’d share some ideas for DIY Christmas tree fillers.
Christmas tree fillers can be almost anything you can think of. From DIY garlands to strings of popcorn to handmade paper stars. Whatever your Christmas tree theme, there’s an idea here for you.
Your imagination is the limit!
IDEAS For DIY Christmas Tree Fillers
Before we look at lots of beautiful examples of DIY Christmas tree fillers, here’s a quick list of ideas to get you started and give you a reference for how to make your tree look fuller.
- Pine picks
- Ribbon
- Christmas tree garlands
- Dried flowers such as Hydrangeas
- Paper Stars
- Bunches of Magnolia leaves
- Tree Branches
- Red or white Poinsettias
Artificial Christmas tree filler ideas vs real christmas tree fillers
The great thing about this list is that it doesn’t matter if you are using a real or a fake tree. All these ideas work on either!
How to fill a bare Christmas tree
All trees have natural bare spots, even the full ones. If you prefer a full, abundant tree, there is a good chance regular ornaments aren’t going to fill every inch.
That is where tree fillers are helpful! If you tree is very sparse, you may want to use garland or tinsel to fill the bigger voids. If you only need a few sections filled in, think about using tree picks, sprays, or even fresh florals as fillers.
Use the list of budget DIY Christmas tree fillers as a reference to see what will work best with your own tree.
DIY christmas tree Garland
If you Google DIY Christmas garland, you will find endless ideas from A to Z! So many of which would be amazing tree fillers. Here are some of my favorite ideas that would work well for creating a full tree.
Grapevine Garland
I love the idea of wrapping grapevine around the tree. It brings in a natural element that I always gravitate towards. Creating a natural Christmas tree is a budget-friendly option and challenges you to use what you have rather than store-bought!
I’ve done this before on my trees, but not to the extent shown above. I may have to revisit this idea again this year. Using grapevine garland is always a win in decorating!
crocheted garland
This crocheted gingerbread garland stopped me right in my tracks!
Isn’t it beautiful? This website also had white crocheted Christmas trees in a garland form. They’re so beautiful that it makes me want to learn to crochet. This is a sweet idea that is more unique than traditional garland.
DIY Paper stars
When it comes to DIY garland, it doesn’t get easier than paper stars. You can customize the size, color, and pattern easily to make it fit your Christmas color scheme. Or keep it neutral below to use every year.
Christmas tree filler picks and sprays
Both tree picks and sprays are great DIY, budget-friendly tree filler options. Making Christmas tree picks is a super-easy way to fill your tree.
If you can glue it onto a dowel or a stick, you can make it a pick!
Pinecone picks
A few years ago, I made a bunch of picks using pinecones for my tree. The picks are a simple way to fill even larger trees, and I like the natural look of these.
In the years since, I’ve used these again and again. They’re really great for use in outdoor winter planters, too! And you can continue to use these even after the holiday season is over.
For smaller trees, you can use smaller pine cones. I’ve linked my easy tutorial on how to make those above!
Another idea I came across this year is dried seed pods. A friend gave me some, and I really love these. You can buy these individually for decorating or as picks. They’re also great for outdoor winter planters or as seasonal bowl fillers.
Ribbon picks
Next to natural elements, using ribbon is another favorite decorating option for filling in a tree. These DIY picks using loops of ribbon are so festive!
Christmas tree spray picks
Another idea is to use or make a Christmas tree spray. A spray is basically a pick with more volume, as shown below.
Also, consider simple red berry picks – classic and effective!
How to decorate your christmas tree with flowers
Flowers, especially dried florals, are not only a stunning way to decorate your Christmas tree, but also perfect for filling in gaps. They will add visual appeal and bring in different textures.
Any decorating idea that brings the garden inside is for me!
dried hydrangeas
Last year, I saw lots of trees decorated with dried hydrangeas. If you grow them, you know they’re usually abundant. Saving them for your tree is a great way to fill large gaps!
Not to mention it’s beautiful and cost-effective!
dried roses
If you have a garden full of roses, you might want to try this idea. Dry them out and save them for your tree! This is such a beautiful idea!
eucalyptus and magnolia
A couple of years ago, I decorated my entire tree with natural elements for a woodsy look. Not a single ornament was put on this tree. It was one of my favorites to date.
To fill it in, I used a few magnolia garlands, dried eucalyptus pods, pinecone picks, and grapevine.
The magnolia garland was faux (I’m bringing that back this year), and the dried eucalyptus or Bell Gum pods have lasted forever. After the holidays that year, I arranged the pods in a vase and still have that displayed in my house. I just love those.
I bought my magnolia garland at Michael’s store, but I believe you can also find them at Hobby Lobby.
baby’s breath
Baby’s breath can last a very long time out of water, which makes it a great choice for decorating any time of year. It always has the sweetest scent.
The white flowers would really stand out against the green of a tree. You can use the baby’s breath in big bunches or just a delicate amount here and there.
One other idea for adding florals is to fill clear ornaments with dried flowers. This would be a fun Christmas craft to do with the kids; it’s an easy one.
Food‐based Fillers: Dried Citrus, Popcorn & Cranberries
Next up is food-based Christmas tree filler ideas.
There are all sorts of foods that are great to use for holiday decorating. Such as popcorn, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and dried citrus slices.
You can use them as tree fillers, but they’re also a great way to decorate a small tree.
dried orange slices
Dried orange slices are great because they’re cheap, easy to make, and add natural color to the tree. Which is why this is such a popular option.
You can find the instructions on how to make your own dried orange slices via that link above.
cranberries and popcorn
Back in the olden days, before ornaments, people only used food to decorate their trees. For example, popcorn and cranberries.
I love the combination of using the two together, as shown below.
It’s nostalgic and beautiful.
Gingerbread
Forever classic and cozy, nothing says Christmas like gingerbread! Not only that, but it’s easy to make your own gingerbread ornaments.
You can make them as small or as large as you want. Hang them individually or string them together to make a garland.
You can use a non-edible gingerbread recipe for ornaments that will last longer than the edible recipes.
Rosemary
I tend to love the simplest Christmas decorations, especially when they involve any type of greenery or plants. These sweet little wreaths made of rosemary definitely fit that profile. These would also make really pretty napkin rings.
One more idea is to use candy canes or peppermints to create ornaments or garlands. This garland made from walnuts is also clever!
how to fill large gaps in your Christmas tree
There’s no shortage of ideas out there for large tree fillers. Here are a few that caught my eye.
DIY paper stars
You can also fill your tree with larger ornaments. These are easy enough to make using tissue paper or craft paper.
These paper stars are a pretty example! You could even use one at the top of the tree.
Tuck a scarf into your tree
A very creative and unique idea is to use a scarf to fill in your tree. The plaid scarf with fringe shown below is ideal for Christmas. Very clever!
Christmas tree Ribbon
Ribbon is one of the absolute best ways to fill gaps in your Christmas tree! It comes in every shape, size, and color you can imagine and can be hung on the tree in so many different ways!
Another idea from the tree above is the tree topper made from pheasant feathers. You can group those together as tree fillers as well. They’re very trendy lately!
Additionally, you can use a ribbon to make a DIY Merry Christmas banner. You can even customize it to say whatever you like.
Tinsel
Go old-fashioned by using tinsel or a full garland. Tinsel is back in a big way. That trend started last year and is still going strong. As I am currently updating this post for 2025, I can say this tinsel trend has only grown more in popularity!
use natural tree branches
If you prefer a natural look, you can simply add tree branches! I have done this in the past. You can cut them from trees in your yard. Any kind of evergreen tree will work. Bonus points if you have a holly tree!
If you don’t have any trees, you can ask where they sell Christmas trees. They’ll usually give them for free because they have such an abundance that they discard anyway.
If you don’t have access to real branches, you can find faux branches at most stores that sell florals.
They’re perfect to fill in unsightly gaps or skinny branches, and it doesn’t cost anything.
As you can see, there are lots of different ways to fill in bare spots for an abundant, full tree in your living room!
I hope you found some great ideas to use as Christmas tree decorations besides ornaments! You’ll be surprised by what a huge difference a little bit of filler will make!
Which is your favorite?
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