New Uses for Old Things: Holiday Edition

Doily as Candle Holder

Looking for an easy and inexpensive way to dress up tables? Give pillar candles delicate, lacey embellishments by folding doilies in half, wrapping them around candles, and securing with tape.

Ribbon as Utensil Holder

When utensils are wrapped together, guests can grab what they need in one go—great for a buffet table.

Wrapping Paper as Napkin Ring

Cut even strips of leftover wrapping paper, wrap around a napkin, and affix with tape. There’s no easier—or cheaper—way to dress up place settings.

Wrapping Paper as Tray Liner

Turn an old tray into a special serving piece with a single scrap of pretty paper. Use double-sided tape to keep it secure.

Toilet Paper Tube as Wrapping Paper Holder

Slide empty toilet paper tubes over wrapping paper to keep it from unraveling.

Washi Tape as Cocktail Flag

Skip drink umbrellas in favor of this low-effort DIY option. Attach decorative tape to coffee stirrers and drop into signature cocktails. Guests will, well, drink to that!

Birthday Candles as Valentine’s Day Card

Turn a birthday party prop into a loved one's bright spot on February 14. All you'll need to make this card is a blank note card, glue, and a felt tip marker.

Ribbon as Cake Stand Embellishment

Take your cake stand to new heights by wrapping a plain glass vase with a ribbon in your signature shade.

Matchbook as Valentine’s Day Card

Once you've found your perfect match, it's easy to turn sentiments into handmade crafts. Start with a blank note card, glue, and a felt tip marker.

Playing Card as Valentine’s Day Card

When the stakes are high, you'd bet your money (and your heart) on this guy. Start with a blank note card, glue, and a felt tip marker.

Puzzle Pieces as Valentine’s Day Card

For the one who lights up your life, create a card that'll be for keeps. Start with a blank note card, glue, and a felt tip marker.

Holiday Lights as Night Light

Fill a large Mason jar with a strand or two of battery-powered lights to add whimsy to a walkway or a nightstand.

Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap

Sworn off candy? Use the leftover wrappers to sugarcoat small-scale presents: Cut a wrapper into a flat sheet, then fold and tape as usual.

Party Hat as Candy Dish

Use extra paper party hats to corral candy on a display table—or fill them with popcorn to hand out to kids.

Tinsel as Ornament Filler

If you have extra tinsel but aren’t feeling a fuzzy tree this year, stuff a handful into clear glass ornament balls. You’ll get tinsel in small, sparkly doses.

Tissue Paper as Cupcake Wrapper

This frilly tissue paper wrap makes a birthday treat even sweeter. Cut a circle and gently gather it around the bottom of the cupcake, securing with a rubber band.

Holiday Tags as Drink Labels

Merlot gone missing? A small, adhesive gift tag keeps each drink in the right hand.

Ribbon as Shoelace

Let everyone know you march to the beat of your own drum; use colorful ribbon in place of shoelaces. Change when the mood strikes.

Shoelace as Ribbon

Happy birthday, sport! Use a (clean) shoelace for a simple, reusable gift tie.

Ribbon as Place Card Embellishment

Punch four holes around a piece of cardstock, then tie two pieces of ribbon along the top and bottom to make a striped place card.

Post-It Notes as Garland

Admit it: You’ve always wanted to unfurl an entire stack of Post-its. Here’s your chance. Gently attach one end to a wall and spread the stack across without pulling too tight (you don’t want the sheets to come un-stuck) to make a quick, graphic garland.

Paper Towel Tube as Linen Organizer

Keep linen placemats and runners crease-free; roll them around a paper towel holder instead of folding.

Kid Art as Holiday Wrap

Oh, that’s grandma dressed as an alligator? Perfect for wrapping her birthday gift. (And the fridge door is full anyway.)

Pumpkin as Place Card

Spell out guests’ names with adhesive letters (or write them with a permanent marker); send the mini gourds home as party favors.

Tree Bow Ornament as Napkin Ring

Use tree bows (with built-in loops on the back) to hold napkins for Christmas dinner—or turn any ornament into a decorative tie by threading a ribbon through the wire loop on top.

Pine Cone as Place Card

Dust off pinecones from the yard to make rustic (and free) place card holders for a fall dinner party. You can also paint them for a more modern look.

Sticker Dots as Party Cups

Turn plain white cups into custom-designed party wear with simple dot stickers, available at any office supply store.

Kazoo as Place Card

Ready to blow it out at your next dinner party? Use a permanent marker to write guests’ names on kazoos to designate seats—perfect for New Year’s Eve.

Clothespin as Napkin Holder

Use a clothespin to keep napkins neatly stacked at a cocktail party—or from blowing away at a picnic.

Gift Tags as File Label

Use leftover, adhesive gift tags to label file folders. Holly leaves = medical records, Santa = bills (obviously—you owe him for the bike, the LEGOS, the dollhouse…).

Hanger as Ribbon Organizer

Turn a tangle of ribbons into a neat presentation. Hang coordinating colors over the prongs of a tie hanger.

Gift Box as Sugar Holder

More lovely to look at than the branded box from the store, but it still slides easily into the pantry for storage.

Cupcake Liner as Mason Jar Lining

Secure a cupcake liner over the top of a jar with a rubber band. It can be a temporary fix if you’ve lost the lid, a pretty solution to keep flies out of the lemonade, or a cute topper for a gift-in-a-jar.

Cupcake Liners as Garland

Using a large sewing needle, thread a string through the alternating colorful cupcake liners to make a ruffled garland.

Binder Clip as Ribbon Organizer

Clip one end of the spool to keep the ribbon from unfurling in your giftwrap drawer.

Candy Canes as Place Card Holder

What nice curves… for holding a place card. Tie together three canes with a ribbon to make a sturdy stand.

Corkboard as DIY Coasters

Keep tables safe from water rings. Cut up corkboard to make coasters and place mats.

Turkey Baster as Pancake Shaper

Use a baster full of batter to squeeze custom pancakes onto the griddle. Start with easy letters and shapes, then work up to more complicated designs, like these leaves. (The trick is to draw the outlines and veins first, let them brown, then fill in the gaps with more batter.)

Aluminum Foil as Party Garland

Twist foil into links to make a sparkly garland for an almost-instant party decoration (or a rainy-day distraction for the kids).

Cupcake Liner as Halloween Decoration

Show what a creative Halloween party “ghost-ess” you are. Turn white liners upside down, attach spooky googly eyes, and display them by a boo-fet of seasonally inspired treats.

Olive Oil as Sap Remover

If dragging and decking out fresh spruce leaves you with sticky digits, pour a tablespoon of oil onto a cloth, then rub until clean. Bonus: The oil is a great moisturizer for dry winter skin.

Paint Chips as Valentines

Create a homemade Valentine with rose-colored swatches cut and arranged in a sweet way on craft paper.

Sponge as Envelope Sealer

Safeguard your taste buds during holiday card season. Replace a dried out ink pad with a damp sponge and use it to seal envelopes and attach stamps—no licking required.

Candy Canes as Cupcake Decorations

Remove the cellophane wrapping from the canes and form hearts by placing them hook to hook and tail to tail on a nonstick baking sheet or one lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 2 to 4 minutes (depending on the canes’ size) or until they stick together when you pinch the ends lightly. Cool thoroughly and remove with a spatula. If you want to make flat hearts with psychedelic stripes, bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Easter Grass as Packing Material

Don't trash that plastic Easter grass (but do keep it away from your pets; it can be dangerous if consumed). Use it as packing materials for delicate items—so you won’t need to worry whether Uncle Bob's favorite Chianti will make it to his wine cellar unscathed.

Baby Food Jar as Easter Egg Decorating Aid

Design Rothkoesque Easter eggs. Fill a jar with dye, then dip half the egg in and let dry. Dip again, but only one-third of the egg. Repeat with both ends of the egg until you have stripes in varying shades.

Need a quick refresher on how to dye Easter eggs? Watch this quick video to learn how to hard-boil an egg, then check out these homemade Easter egg dye recipes.

Cupcake Liner as Decorative Snowflakes

Create a winter wonderland in the entryway. Flatten white paper liners (foil ones will work, too), fold into halves or quarters, then snip out shapes along the folds. When you open them back up, voilà: snowflakes you can string from the ceiling.

Paper Clips as Wrapping Paper Holder

Use paper clips to keep wrapping paper from unraveling.

Book as Misleading Gift Box

To foil present-guessers, hide the real gift in a hollowed-out book. Using a box cutter carve a space just large enough to hold the small item.

Toothbrush Holder as Vase

Don’t have a vase small enough to display those pretty buds you picked? A seldom used toothbrush holder fits a small arrangement perfectly.

Confetti as Packing Material

Don't ditch excess confetti or shredded paper. Use it to cushion breakable items so they arrive in one piece.

Cake Stand as Soap Dish

Glam up a bathroom or vanity. Stock soaps and washcloths on top, or showcase your prettiest perfume bottles.

Stretchy Bracelets as Wine Charms

Snag a couple of your child's stretchy bracelets to identify guests' glasses at your next party. Bonus points if the shapes match your party's theme. Submitted by: Abby123 

Plastic Easter Eggs as DIY Maracas

Fill emptied plastic eggs with puffed rice cereal and silver-ball cake decorations to make impromptu maracas for kids.

Branch as Gift Wrap

Spruce up a wrapped gift. Tuck pretty sprigs into the ribbon in place of a bow.

CD Case as Photo Place Card

Assign seating at a holiday dinner. Slide festive photos of various family members into a case and prop it in front of a place setting.

Dental Floss as DIY Popcorn Garland

String a popcorn garland for the holidays (after a pit-stop in the medicine cabinet).

Greeting Card as Bookmark

You'll never spend a penny on a bookmark, plus you'll get a special surprise each time you pick up your book.

Beer Can as Noise Maker

Cut down on drinking? You can still start 2012 off with a bang—or at least a rattle. Drop a dozen coins into a clean, empty beer can and seal the opening with tape. When the clock strikes 12, shake some noise.

Apple Container as Ornament Storage

Store delicate tree decor where the fruit once went to protect items from bumps and bruises. (You can also use wine boxes or egg cartons.)

Cupcake Liners as Light Embellishments

For a string of minilights that takes the (cup)cake, poke the pointy bulbs through foil cupcake liners. Use them for the tree or around your little girl’s bedroom mirror to make her feel like a holiday star.

Candy Corn as Cookie Mix-In

Chop leftover chocolate candy or candy corn and use in place of chocolate chips for cookie recipes.
 

Coat Rack as Art and Photo Display

Display a collection of photos, treasured items, or seasonal ornaments over the mantel or in a hallway. Use ribbons or strings of different lengths to hang the arrangement from the pegs.

Cookie Cutter as Candle Stencil

Repurpose mini alphabet cookie cutters as monogramming tools for pillar candles. Hold the candle steady, position the letter, and tap it lightly with a hammer. Do just an initial or go wild and spell out JOYEUX NOEL or HAPPY HANUKKAH.

Cookie Cutters as Ornaments

When you just can’t bake another batch of holiday cookies, turn the tin cutters―angels, bells, stars―into sun catchers or tree ornaments. Mix shapes and sizes, string them with various lengths and colors of ribbon, and tack the ribbons to the window casing.

Find more easy holiday decorating ideas here.

Dish Towel as Wine Bag

Place the bottle along one side of the fabric so that the bottle’s top meets the top of the fabric. Fold the excess material at the bottom over the bottle, forming a pocket of sorts. Then roll the dish towel evenly and secure at the neck with ribbon.

Easter Baskets as May Day Gifts

Maximize your green quotient by recycling that Easter basket for a May Day treat. Simply fill the basket with treats—a batch of fresh-baked cookies, candies, flowers and candles, or something more elaborate—for a surprise on your best friend or relative's doorstep.

Plastic Easter Eggs as Snack Containers

Give Easter eggs a year-round use (and save on resealable bags) by filling them with snacks like crackers or Cheerios.

Eggshells as Bottle and Vase Cleaners

Here’s an idea for all those eggs you hard-boiled: Use their broken eggshells to clean the hard-to-reach places in bottles and vases. Drop some crushed shells in the bottle, add warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, and give it a good swirl. The shells will scrape off the gunk you can’t get to, so you can save your elbow grease for the dinner dishes.

Flat Iron as Ribbon Smoother

Get the kinks out of wrinkled wrapping ribbons that were tied around your birthday presents for recycled bows without the telltale creases from the previous gift box.

Garden Hose Holder as Holiday Light Organizer

Coil strings of holiday lights round and round for knot-free hall decking. Your reward: You won’t blow a fuse trying to hang next year’s light show.

Gift Box as Cupcake Carrier

If the forecast calls for iced roadways, stabilize your sweet cargo by cutting X’s into the tops of gift boxes and inserting the cupcakes. (A shirt box will hold about eight.)

Greeting Cards as Gift Tags

Create a gift tag by cutting a greeting card down to size, then punch a hole in the corner and slide a ribbon through it.

Last Year's Holiday Cards as This Year's Table Runner

Rescue last year’s heartfelt wishes by turning them into a festive table runner of winter wonderlands. Place the cards facedown on a color copy machine (they should cover most of the glass). Next, put a piece of colored fabric or paper on top of the cards to serve as a border. Print out multiple copies (enough to cover the length of your table) on 11-by-17-inch paper. With double-stick tape, join the copies along the top and the bottom.

Holiday Lights as Wreath

Ring in the season with a brilliant mantelpiece. Start with a wire wreath frame (this one is 18 inches in diameter, but you can use any size). Then wrap a string of lights around the frame, making sure to leave enough slack to reach the plug; otherwise use an extension cord.

Baby Spoons as Condiment Servers

Dish out dips or condiments at a party. Reuse those old shower gifts to spoon the sauce from a teacup or a candy dish for a presentation a tad more elegant than the squeeze bottle.

Clothespin as Holiday Card Display

Adhere a wide grosgrain ribbon to the wall with double-sided mounting tape, then attach holiday cards up and down it for a jolly–and changeable—seasonal exhibit. Both regular-size and mini clothespins will work.

Dictionary as Art

Send a message that speaks volumes. Make a blow-up copy of an entry that relates to the occasion (for Valentine’s Day, try kiss or love) and use a highlighter to mark your most heartfelt sentiments.

Oranges as Mini Snowman

Build snowmen without bundling up. For a holiday party, give each child three oranges, some toothpicks, a sturdy plate, and store-bought frosting. Stick the large orange to the center of the plate with a dollop of frosting. Poke a few toothpicks halfway into the top of the fruit and spear a smaller orange on top. Repeat with the third orange, and layer on frosting, a vanilla wafer, and peppermints to make a hat. Use candy-cane pieces for arms and a nose, cloves for the eyes, and red licorice for a scarf.

Paper Shredder as Gift Wrap Maker

Dress up presents by running tissue through a shredder instead of scrunching it inside boxes and gift bags.

Paper Shredder as Confetti Maker

Feed colorful gift-wrapping tissue through your shredder to produce instant Easter-basket grass.

Paper Towel Holder as Ribbon Organizer

For easy access when you're wrapping, slide spools of ribbon with at least a one-inch diameter opening onto the towel stand's post. Stack the spools from largest to smallest, bottom to top, and tape the ribbon ends to their spools when you're not using them.

Salt as Wreath Duster

Place a wreath of pinecones or faux evergreen in a paper bag with a 1/4 cup of salt. Fold the top of the bag over and gently shake.

Shoe Box as Holiday Light Storage

Trim off the edges of a shoe box lid and wrap string lights around the flat cardboard. Then slide the whole thing inside the box. This will keep lights untangled and tidy during the off-season.

Luggage Tag as Gift Label

Slip a gift label inside a tag.

Shoe Organizer as Gift Wrap Storage

Arrange gift wrapping supplies so you can easily locate bows, ribbons, scissors, and tape.

Sugar as Lip Scrub

Perfect your pucker. Make a paste of sugar and petroleum jelly and gently brush on dry, peeling lips with a toothbrush until they are smooth.

Sugar Bowl as Homemade Candle Holder

Fill mismatched sugar bowls and tea cups with melted wax and a wick for beautiful handmade gifts.

Wire Hanger as Ribbon Dispenser

Dispense ribbon for wrapping gifts. Untwist the hanger—or pop out the cardboard-tube bottom of a hybrid hanger from the dry cleaner—and slide on spools for easy storage.

Farfalle as a Gift Bow

All out of premade bows? Tie up wrapped gift boxes with cooking twine and farfalle pasta.

Artificial Holly as Centerpiece

Plastic greenery tends to look, well, plastic. But place boughs of holly, evergreens, or mistletoe in clear glass jars or vases and they make for a glossy yet understated table decoration. Group various sizes and shapes together for a stronger statement.

Jelly-Roll Pan as Turkey-Carving Station

Carve your bird without covering the counter with drippings. Set a plastic cutting board inside the pan so you don't fowl it up. Less time cleaning means more time for tryptophan-induced, post-dinner napping.

Jump Rope as Ribbon Replacement

Jump-start a trend with this fun, colorful decoration that doubles as a bonus gift.

Key Chain as Gift Tag

Add a fun touch to a gift box by using a bright key chain as a tag, attached with big rubber bands in place of ribbon. The recipient will love it, even if it doesn’t go with a bow-wrapped Lexus in the driveway.

Lazy Susan as Egg Decorating Helper

Use a lazy Susan to simplify egg dying―you don't have to precariously pass those cups of green, red, and purple dye. And you won't end up with a "tie-dye" finish on your kitchen tabletop.

Need a quick refresher? Learn how to hard-boil an egg.

Lightbulb as Ribbon Smoother

To smooth a wrinkled ribbon, hold it taut, run it over the surface of a clean, warm (but not too hot) lightbulb. (Caution: To avoid singeing the fabric, don't use a bulb that has been on for more than five minutes or so.) You'll have a beautiful bow all without hauling out the iron.
 

Muffin Tin as Centerpiece

A centerpiece of mini muffin tins filled with tea candles turns a simple dinner into a special occasion. Mix in a few Christmas balls that have lost their caps to add splashes of shiny color.

Newspaper as Wrapping Paper

Save the comics section for a child's birthday surprise or use the wedding announcements for an engagement.

Nutcracker as Cap Remover

Clamp the nutcracker around the top of a glue, nail-polish, or beverage bottle to give you extra gripping power. Your reward: Tight caps no longer drive you nuts.

Olive Oil as Tree Sap Cleaner

If dragging and decking out the fresh spruce leaves you with sticky digits, pour a tablespoon of oil onto a cloth, then rub until clean. Bonus: The oil is a great moisturizer for dry winter skin.