Make Jumbo Christmas Light Decor With An Affordable Dollar Tree DIY

If you're looking to get in on the hottest Christmas decor trend of 2025, it's time to think about investing in nostalgic ornaments that will take you down memory lane. Among the decorative items that have the power to make you reminisce are those strings of fun vintage Christmas lights with the large red, blue, and green bulbs. If a small set of those lights have the power to kick up the nostalgia factor, imagine how much more you'd feel if you were to hang an oversized strand of those pointy-nosed puppies near the mistletoe! The only thing that would make the whole DIY better would be if it were also cheap to make, and fortunately, it absolutely can be if you're a Dollar Tree crafter.

To pull off this oversized knock-off, use balloons that have a round bottom and a pointed top instead of fully round balloons. Make the display more fun by using some Dollar Tree Colorful Pearlescent Latex Balloons to make your oversized lights. However, the old lights looked like Technicolor, so if you want to get balloons that reflect that tradition, look for brightly-colored balloons in primary colors, plus green, orange, and white. 

Some Gold Poster Board will form the light bulb cap that holds the lights onto the string. One piece measures 20 inches by 28 inches, offering enough paper for about 10 bulbs. You'll also need some Tool Bench Hardware Jute Twine. All together, you could create your oversized balloon string lights for under $5. As far as tools are concerned, be sure to pull some scissors, a hole punch, some tape, and your glue gun or craft glue out of the drawer of your crafting desk.

Before you get started, there are some potential challenges to be aware of when decorating with balloons for a party. Rubber balloons of this type quickly lose their shape as the air starts to seep out of them. You basically have a few days at most before your air-filled Christmas balloon lights will start to deflate. Generally speaking, the warmer the room, the faster they wilt. A room that's under 70 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal, so your best bet is to make the balloons as close to party time as you can if you like to turn the heat up. 

Start by making one gold holder cup for each balloon light. To do this, cut the gold board into strips about 3 ½ inches wide by 14 inches. Wrap the strip into a circle, bringing the ends together and gluing them to form the cap. As a simpler alternative, you can also use Dollar Tree Red Plastic Party Cups to make the caps, flipping them so the mouth sits on the balloon. Blow up the balloons until they're full and the "nose" of the balloon extends out. Tie the balloon, and snip off tail right before the knot to make the bottom appear flatter. 

Add a little hot glue to one edge of the cap, and let it cool for a few seconds. Press it onto the rounded part at the top of the balloon. Punch two holes in the cap, one on each side, so you can run the string. Do this to each cap. Cut a long strand of twine, and string it through all the holes to combine the lights. Hang this oversized set of Christmas lights up on the ceiling, or lay it across your fireplace mantel.