This Viral Dollar Tree Christmas Tree Decor DIY Is So Easy, Cute, And Affordable

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Although the time for decorating for the festive season is upon us, few of us can pull off a Griswoldian outdoor light display. But a tribute to another humorous holiday movie is much easier, made possible with mostly Dollar Tree goods. Replicate the Grinch's disgusted pinch-hold on a Christmas bauble, but with a major flair upgrade.

Dollar Tree's Artificial Noble Fir Tree in white is just what you need as a canvas for this quirky door decor piece. Hung from a DIY Grinch hand or something like this Apear1 Funny Green Monster Hand, your sheltered front porch or indoor wall will reek of Grinchy spirit. Billows of material in the Grinch's signature green, along with candy cane-striped ribbon, fluff out the body of the tree hung upside-down from its "trunk." Topped with flashing fairy lights and spheres of white, red, and green, it looks worthy of any Who-home. To ring in the holiday season with this Dollar Tree DIY, scan the aisles for a white tabletop Christmas tree, ball ornaments in red, green, and white; candy-striped ribbon, battery-operated LED string lights, and Floral Garden Decorative Mesh from Dollar Tree in Grinch-green. For ease of hanging, also pick up an over-the-door wreath hanger, zip ties, and some self-adhesive hooks.

You can also adapt this DIY away from Christmas cinematic themes by eliminating the Grinch elements. The inverted wire-based holiday tree in green — sans-Grinch hand — makes a simple, everlasting greenery swag as well. Decorate and hang it the same way you would the original piece, but camouflage the tree's base under a voluminous bow or another decorative holiday element.

Spread the wire branches apart so that they're evenly spaced on one side of the tree (the other side will rest flat against a door), and wind your mini tree with lights before adding any bows or ornaments. Start the light string at the thinnest part of the tree so that you can easily conceal the battery pack in the thick, longer branches. Even though it's a small model, make the most of your lighting by trying Martha Stewart's technique for stringing Christmas lights that ensures the best distribution. Since only one side of the tree will show, concentrate the lights on the side that will be facing out.

In the spaces between each horizontal row of tree branches, pack those areas with tied green floral mesh. You may want to experiment with the amount of green ribbon to use (the lengths of the cuts, whether you make bows or leave just loose ends, and how thickly you fill each row). No matter your method, the ribbon ends and/or bow loops should be as long as — or slightly longer than — the branches. Concentrate the mesh on the side of the tree that will show; it's ideal if the green mesh dominates the design with a scattering of white branches poking through for hanging ornaments. Distribute ornaments on the branches evenly by color, and tuck in a few ties of candy cane ribbon. Tie them in bows or trim the ends in dovetails so that they protrude just slightly beyond the branches and green mesh.

The tree itself will depend on the wreath hanger for support on the door, held in place by a zip tie. Before tying a large, loopy bow over the tree's base, attach a zip tie (or two for extra hold) around the trunk loosely enough that it will hook over the wreath hanger. Make a collection of large bows with the candy-striped ribbon, and bundle them together to attach over the exposed tree trunk and base. You can leave loose ribbon ends to tie the bow bundle in place, or affix it with a zip tie.

Two self-adhesive hooks will hold both the battery pack for the lights and the Grinch's hand. Hang the tree from the wreath hanger first so that you'll see where to attach the hooks. If you opted for a Grinch hand that protrudes from the wall, you can adhere the hook directly to the wreath hanger above the bow bundle. Arrange the hand so that it looks like the fingers are holding the tree's base.

If the battery pack has a hanger built into it, just slide it over the hook. If not, you can hang it over the hook by its cord or place it inside a sandwich bag with a hole near its opening to loop over the hook. You might have the perfect place in your home that's not a door. You can also deck your walls for the holiday season with a dangling Grinch tree instead. Just be sure to use a more reliable adhesive hook rated for a higher weight to hold your tree to the wall. (Dollar Tree's self-adhesive hooks aren't the best for heavier items.)