We are pretty much done with the outdoor decorating! Yay! In trying to simplify our Christmas decorating we donated all of our animated deer/Santas/etc. Those deer…there were always one or two who had a leg or something that wouldn’t light! Can’t say I’m sorry they’re gone! Here’s a fairly simple DIY outdoor Christmas project you can make for some great holiday curb appeal.
Every year I do something for Christmas in the black urns at the front of our house. In the summer they hold my ferns and normally by this time of year the ferns would be brown and dead but not this year. It’s been down right hot lately! Anyway, I’m sure this freaky weather pattern can’t hold so I moved the ferns into the backyard and my husband and I made these Christmas Present Topiaries for the urns.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to Amazon and/or Etsy, which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information.
Love them! They add such a festive touch to the front of my house.
They are just big enough that they don’t get lost between the columns.
How To Make Christmas Present Topiaries
Materials:
- 2 planters
- boxes, small, medium, large (2 of each)
- pvc pipe, dowel or rebar to hold your stack of boxes together
- wrap for your boxes and ribbon
- flora foam or dirt to hold the pipe/dowel/rebar in the planter
Since my topiaries are not totally protected by a covering I chose to use some plastic table covering as wrap.
If your topiaries will be under some covering, protected from the elements, then you can use regular Christmas wrapping paper.
We used pvc pipes since we had some on hand, but you can use rebar or even a dowel (depending on how big and high you make your topiary). If you’re making a small one you can probably just hot glue your packages together without any additional support. We buried our pvc in dirt, but you can also use flora foam (it really all depends on how big you make yours).
We wrapped our packages and then the tricky part is cutting a hole in the boxes. Which we did after wrapping the boxes but you can do it before if you find it easier. We also centered our holes but if you want one box a little off so they’re not stacked in a Christmas Tree shape, then do one box off center. We just sort of eye balled it and did one box at a time. The top box only needs one hole in the bottom and then you top it with a bow.
It really was pretty quick to put together. The hardest part was finding boxes!
No other house in the neighborhood has these and they were so inexpensive and easy to make! I’ll probably try to get some pretty vinyl Christmas tablecloths after Christmas so we can make these again next year with some patterned wrap.
You may also like:
Alana says
December 3, 2012 at 7:18 pmWhat a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Diana says
December 3, 2012 at 7:26 pmI love that idea! What a great idea to use the vinyl tablecloths for wrap.
We have been warm, too — it’s down right strange putting up Christmas decorations with 75 degrees (record today!), with endless autumn leaves covering everything, the ferns still green, the petunias and roses still blooming . . . . I noticed that my woodland phlox is up, and the showy primrose (usually up and growing in February) is putting on substantial growth. The butterfly bush is putting out new growth, too. This could be bad in January because nothing has even begun to go dormant, or maybe this is the new “spring”. Memphis already went from zone 7 to zone 7B, maybe now we are slipping into zone 8.
Glenda says
December 3, 2012 at 7:28 pmWhat a great idea and the plastic table cloths is a great idea. You and your husband did a great job. 😀 Thanks for sharing. Warm here also, but rain on its way, so that will change. I want to do something in my courtyard (besides the wreaths), but so many leaves to deal with right now. :/
Enjoy your evening.
Melanie says
December 3, 2012 at 9:19 pmVery clever! I never would’ve thought to use vinyl tablecloths – love it. The bright colors look really nice with your white house, too.
Vee says
December 3, 2012 at 9:46 pmBrilliant, you two! They really do look unique and wonderful!
Karen says
December 4, 2012 at 1:09 amThey look great !!
Love the colour choices and the blue makes them ‘PoP’ !!
Now I think I need to buy myself a couple of tablecloths !!
xoxo
barb from australia says
December 4, 2012 at 5:58 amYour box topiarys look wonderful….very clever idea.
Your tutorial is really clear..thanks
Have a good day
Barb from Australia
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
December 4, 2012 at 6:43 amWhat a fun and whimsical look, Manuela! I love this! I used to wrap presents {empty boxes I got from shipped items} for outside, too, at our old house. I used to use the plastic tablecloths also. I got lots of comments on them and it was just something so simple I did to add to the outside decor. Plus, it got all those shipping boxes out of the way!
Theresa H. Roach says
December 4, 2012 at 8:25 amWhat a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful day dear friend, HUGS!
DFW says
December 4, 2012 at 9:50 amVery neat idea. I still like the grapevine wreath snowman.
Jennifer says
December 4, 2012 at 10:55 amHow absolutely festive! Such a creative and fun entry to your home. I love the idea of using plastic table coverings for these. I think I will look for some as well.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces says
December 4, 2012 at 11:36 amThese look so cute in front of your lovely house, Manuela! And I love the idea of the plastic tablecloths! Thanks for sharing!
Shelia says
December 4, 2012 at 1:23 pmHi Manuela! You are the smartest one! I love these and I’ll bet folks take a double look when they drive by and see these. Just darling.
be a sweetie,
Shelia 🙂
cindy says
December 4, 2012 at 3:29 pmYour topiaries are beautiful and so very colourful and festive looking! I love them and your dog with the red bow, too.
Hugs, Cindy
Carolynn "Chenille Cottage" says
December 4, 2012 at 5:21 pmHi Manuela,
Your Christmas topiaries are are just perfect for the size needed to fit between your columns. What a clever idea! You are such a wonderful source of inspiraton! I love visiting your blog and I am NEVER disappointed!
Blessings and thanks so much for visiting me and leaving your kind comment!
Have a happy day!
Carolynn xxx
Cynthia says
December 4, 2012 at 5:52 pmThis is a very festive and cute idea.
Cynthia
Sandra @Beneath this Roof, Within these Walls says
December 4, 2012 at 7:40 pmSo cute and unique, great idea! And I LOVE the doggie with his Christmas bow!
Debbie says
December 5, 2012 at 6:07 amI wasn’t going to comment on back posts because I doubt you’ll see this, but this is wayyy cute and so doable!
[email protected] cultivated nest says
December 5, 2012 at 8:52 amLike I tell my kid…I see everything 🙂
Thank you Debbie!
Tracey McBride says
December 5, 2012 at 8:28 amManuela, your house looks sooo festive! You really got the proportions right…the gift tower is so clever and it looks very professional…especially in that you used such humble/economical materials! Your mind is always working and seeing your bring your ideas into action is always an inspiration to me.
Love,
Tracey
x0x