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    Home » DIY Projects

    Twig Christmas Tree

    by Patti Estep · Dec 15, 2024

    Jump to How-to Card
    Two rustic twig Christmas trees.
    Mini twig Christmas trees on a mantel next to a candle and arrangement.

    This twig Christmas tree craft can be made for pennies, by using fallen branches found in your yard and a handy dandy hot glue gun.

    This twig Christmas tree can be made for next to nothing by using fallen branches found in your yard. A fun rustic craft to add to your holiday decor.

     While I was picking up fallen branches in the yard, I started thinking about how pretty the wood is, and how I might create something with all the twigs. I decided to try to make a twig Christmas tree to add to our holiday decor. They were super easy to make and turned out better than I imagined.

    Sections At A Glance

    • Supplies
    • Instructions
    • More Porch Rustic Christmas Decor
    • Twig Christmas Tree Printable Instruction Card
    Two mini twig Christmas trees on a mantel with a candle and a jug with cotton stems.

    Supplies

    • Hot glue gun
    • Scissors or clippers
    • Drill
    • Twigs
    • Thick branches for the trunk
    • Gel Stain
    • Bleach - for cleaning
    • Scrap wood - for tree base
    Twig trees from broken branches in a basket and two large branches.

    How to Make Twig Christmas Trees

    Step 1. First, pick out two somewhat straight thicker branches for the trunk. Then gather as many small twigs and branches as you can find.

    Twigs in bleach and water solution.

    Step 2. In an attempt to rid them of fungus, mold, insects, and larvae, I soaked all the wood in my sink with hot water and about 1/2 cup of bleach. Then I rinsed them off, and set them out on newspaper to dry.

    Wooden base for twig Christmas tree with a hole drilled into the center.

    Step 3. Drill out a hole in a couple of pieces of scrap wood. Then use a bit of gel stain to darken the wood if desired. Once the trees are made you can hot glue them into the bases to keep them balanced.

    Building twig Christmas tree first layer.

    Step 3. Next, start hot gluing similar sized twigs several inches up the trunk. You want to leave enough room to show some of the bottom of the trunk, including space to glue into the wood base.

    Building twig Christmas tree second layer.

    Step 4. Next glue more twigs above the first layer, making sure that they overlap the first set as shown above.

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    Backyard twig Christmas trees on wooden stands on a table.

    Thinner twigs worked best at the top. I tried to get them to come to a point.

    Don't worry about any stray hot glue strings. Just hit them with a hot blow dryer and they will melt away.

    Two mini tabletop twig trees on a mantel next to a gray jug with cotton and grass stems.

    They look very rustic on my mantel. I'm not sure if they will stay there for the holidays or be placed somewhere else in our home. I love the natural look they have, and although I'm calling them mini Christmas trees, the more I think about it, the more I think they would look great all year long.

    Patti signature

    More Rustic Christmas Decor

    • Mini Pine Cone Christmas Trees
    • Grapevine Christmas Trees
    • Egg Carton Flower Christmas Garland
    • DIY Yule Log Centerpiece
    Twig Christmas trees on mantel
    Print
    5 from 1 vote

    Twig Christmas Tree: Easy to Make and Basically Free

    Gather some twigs from your yard and create pretty DIY twig Christmas trees. They bring a nice bit of nature inside for the perfect fun rustic craft.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Active Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr
    Course: Christmas Crafts
    Yield: 1 Twig Tree
    Author: Patti Estep
    Cost: $5

    Equipment

    • Hot glue gun
    • Drill
    • Scissors or Clippers

    Materials

    • Twigs
    • Thick branches for the trunk
    • Bleach - for cleaning
    • Scrap wood - for tree base
    • Gel Stain

    Instructions

    • Gather twigs and branches.
    • Soak them with hot water and about 1/2 cup of bleach.
    • Rinse them off, and set them out on newspaper to dry.
    • Drill a hole in a couple of pieces of scrap wood to use as the base of the tree.
    • Use a bit of gel stain to darken the wood.
    • Hot glue the trees into the bases so they can stand upright.
    • Hot glue similar sized twigs several inches up the tree trunk.
    • Leave enough room to show some of the bottom of the trunk.  
    • Glue more twigs above the first layer, making sure that they overlap the first set.
    • Repeat until you reach the top.
    Tried this project?Tag @hearthnvine on Instagram
    Two mini twig Christmas trees on a mantel.
    « Pork Ragu Sauce
    DIY Christmas Candle Centerpiece »

    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary

      November 28, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      Love your twig.decor.it's. simple.and honest good idea

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        November 29, 2017 at 6:26 am

        Thanks Mary!

        Reply
    2. Carole

      November 27, 2017 at 8:47 am

      Perfect idea, see I'm trying out some simple ideas here as well and this one is perfect, would look neat with what I'm sharing Friday. Love that you used sticks from the yard, it's easy to overlook those natural elements and focus on the glitz instead. Me, well it's all natural.... Great tutorial...

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        November 27, 2017 at 9:53 am

        Hi Carole,

        Hmmm I wonder what you are making. I'm sure it's something fabulous. Can't wait till Friday to see what you made.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    I'm Patti

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