Bring Christmas Cheer To Your Table With One Genius Pool Noodle Decor DIY

Throughout the year, there are some items you collect that only serve a temporary purpose, like pool noodles. They are great to have around for the kids in the summer, but they don't really seem like they are worth the space and effort to store over the winter. Luckily, from decor to hacks, there are plenty of ways to use a pool noodle in the winter. This decor DIY brings Christmas cheer to your table by using a pool noodle to act as a base for your centerpiece.

So, if you are looking for creative ideas to decorate for Christmas on a budget or fun crafts to do on your own or with the family this holiday season, the answer may be hiding among the unused summer toys taking up space in your garage. With a pool noodle base, you can craft a stunning faux holly vase featuring your favorite Christmas items, colors, or characters. Here's how.

Whether you are turning a pool noodle into a festive wreath or using it in your centerpieces, it is a great way to save money and create a solid base for your design. To get started with the project, pick any kind of clear vase with an opening wider than the pool noodle, some filler, and fake foliage. Fillers can be things like ornaments, bells, peppermints, plastic snowflakes, pinecones, or whatever else matches your style. For the foliage, consider holiday-themed plants like pine trees, mistletoe, poinsettias, or holly with vibrant green leaves and bright red berries.

Once you have all of your materials, cut off a piece of the pool noodle that is slightly taller than the vase. Place it inside the base as a center holder for the filler, and pour the filler around the noodle. Then, start adding foliage by stabbing the ends into what's left of the pool noodle at the top. Continue the process until it looks full and the pool noodle is no longer visible.

Make the craft your own with some fun additions. In the foliage, you can add Christmas decorations by gluing them to skewers and sticking them into the pool noodle. If you choose peppermint as your filler, you can make a divider to rest on top of the decor, and top it off with mints that guests can snack on. Or you can illuminate the filler by arranging fairy lights inside the vase.

To be honest, this kind of thrifty home decor DIY is great for any type of foam material that can hold fake flowers, but there are some advantages to using a pool noodle. First, the cost. A single pool noodle can cost as little as $1 for 50 inches of foam, while some flower foam costs about $2 for a total of 12 inches of foam. Ultimately, you would end up paying $8 for less foam (48 inches) compared to $1 for the pool noodle. Not to mention, you can reuse old pool noodles, so you may not need to spend any money on that part of the project at all.

Another reason to consider the pool noodle is the cylindrical shape, which makes it easy to add filler to a vase without leaving parts of the foam exposed. Flower foam is usually sold in blocks or balls. You can sometimes find odd shapes, but they may come at a higher price. The square edges of the blocks can push the filler away from the glass, exposing the foam and disrupting the entire aesthetic.

Beyond aesthetic, floral foam is made of chemical substances that can be toxic and hazardous to the environment. Most pool noodles are made of non-toxic materials, but if you're wondering if pool noodles are biodegradable, the answer is no. Sadly, they can't be recycled — just upcycled and repurposed.