A Guide to Crafting DIY Doll’s House Christmas Trees

‘Tis the season to get crafty! If you’re looking to add extra holiday cheer to your doll’s house, you’ve come to the right place. In this ultimate guide to making your very own doll’s house Christmas tree, you’ll get some inspiration on creating stunning miniature Christmas trees that will bring a festive touch to any miniature world.

Read on for video tutorials, step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks to make your doll’s house Christmas trees shine with DIY miniature Christmas decorations. 

Miniature Christmas tree ideas and inspiration

When it comes to designing and decorating your DIY doll’s house Christmas tree, the possibilities are endless. Here are some inspirations and ideas to spark your creativity:

1. Traditional green tree

For a classic and timeless look, opt for a traditional green miniature Christmas tree. Use artificial foliage or tear apart an old garland. Depends on the size of the branches you use as to which scale it will fit, but it’s probably better for a larger Christmas tree, like 1:6 or 1:12. Since the branches are more sturdy, you can easily add miniature ornaments or use beads for decorations. You can even add lights!

Watch this tutorial to learn how to make a traditional-looking mini Christmas tree:

2. Tiny pipe cleaner Christmas tree

This uber teeny doll’s house Christmas tree is perfect for small-scale doll’s houses or dioramas as small as 1:48. It’s probably one of the easiest tree options, and you’ve probably got all the materials ready to go at home. It may be tiny and made using a pipe cleaner, but it can look pretty realistic if you do the glue trick shown in this tutorial. 

You can add decorations using tiny beads, sequins, or even with a 3D pen if you have one. 

Want to make a larger tree using pipe cleaners? Follow this video tutorial:

3. Crepe paper miniature tree

This is a fun option since you can make trees of all colours. Cutting all those strands of crepe paper is a bit time-consuming, but the result is super cute. It’s probably best for a Christmas diorama or simply for home decoration. 

There are two different methods here to take a look at:

4. Snowy winter wonderland tree

Create a magical winter scene in your doll’s house garden with a snowy Christmas tree. You can use materials such as green floral wire, floral tape, and green flocking to create a realistic tree, then cover it with white flocking or artificial snow to give your tree a snowy appearance.  

This snowy Christmas tree tutorial even teaches you how to make your own flock, which I love! I can’t wait to try this one myself.

5. Whimsical tree

If you’re feeling playful and want to add a pop of color to your dollhouse, consider using feathers, ribbons, and glitter to create a fun and vibrant tree. Add miniature candy canes, tiny presents, and a fairy or angel on top for a touch of whimsy.

This tutorial shows steps to make a large Christmas tree using a Pringles tube, but I think you could easily shrink this down to a smaller scale. 

6. Rustic farmhouse-inspired tree

If you love the cosy and rustic charm of farmhouse decor, a farmhouse-inspired Christmas tree is perfect for your dollhouse. Use twigs, burlap, and miniature pinecones to create a natural and rustic tree. Add miniature wooden ornaments, tiny jute bows, and a rustic star on top to complete the farmhouse look.

This tutorial combines artificial styrofoam and cedar twigs to create a lovely, realistic-looking miniature Christmas tree:

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You could even mix and match materials, colours, and themes to create your own unique miniature Christmas trees. Now that you’ve got some inspiration let’s gather materials and tools and get started.

Materials and tools for crafting a doll’s house Christmas tree

Before you start creating your own miniature Christmas trees, have some of the following materials and tools on hand:

Floral wire 

Works as a base and branches for your tree.

Floral tape

You can use floral tape to secure branches and foliage to the wire frame. 

Flocking or artificial snow

As in the tutorial above, you can glue different shades of green flock to the floral-wire branches. If you want to create a snowy effect on your doll’s house Christmas tree, you’ll need white flocking or artificial snow. 

Dowl, or wooden sticks

Use this as the trunk of the miniature Christmas tree.

Miniature ornaments

Buy or make small ornaments that are in scale with your doll’s house. These can include tiny baubles, miniature presents, vintage ornaments, candy canes, and a topper.

Glue gun

A glue gun is essential for attaching ornaments and securing branches. Make sure to have a few glue sticks handy, too.

PVA or wood glue

Use this as an adhesive to attach flock to floral wire, or to hang small decorations made from paper, wood or sequins.

Scissors, pliers or craft knife 

Use scissors to cut floral wire, trim branches, and tidy up any loose ends.

Craft paint and brushes

If you want to add colour or definition to your tree, consider using craft paint. You can paint the wireframe or add accents to the branches.

Pipe cleaners

This good old crafting material is perfect for making all kinds of tree types and scales. Use them to make small trees, branches and garlands. 

Old garlands or artificial branches

Pull apart an old garland or buy artificial branches to make a more realistic-looking tree.

Now that you have your materials and tools ready let’s dive into the step-by-step guide for creating your DIY dollhouse Christmas tree.

How to make a miniature Christmas tree: a step-by-step guide

Creating your own doll’s house Christmas tree may seem daunting, but our step-by-step guide will get you on your way. 

1. Measure for the correct tree scale

Here’s a table of tree sizes with different scales from 1:12-1:144. You might have to adjust the size a bit depending on the size of your doll’s house or box room height.

Christmas Tree Height (Feet)	1:12 Scale (in)	1:12 Scale (cm)	1:24 Scale (in)	1:24 Scale (cm)	1:48 Scale (in)	1:48 Scale (cm)	1:72 Scale (in)	1:72 Scale (cm)	1:144 Scale (in)	1:144 Scale (cm)
4	4	10.2	2	5.1	1	2.5	1/3	0.85	1/6	0.42
5	5	12.7	2.5	6.4	1.25	3.2	5/12	1.27	5/6	0.85
6	6	15.2	3	7.6	1.5	3.8	1/2	1.27	2/3	1.7
7	7	17.8	3.5	8.9	1.75	4.5	7/12	1.9	7/6	1.42
8	8	20.3	4	10.2	2	5.1	2/3	1.7	1	2.54

2. Make a trunk and base

Use a piece of dowl, a disposable chopstick or create a trunk using floral wire. You can then wrap the wire with crepe paper or paint. Make a base using clay, a wooden cross or extend your floral wire so that the tree will be able to stand freely. Adjust the size according to your desired tree height.

Optional: You could wrap a string of LED lights around the tree trunk instead of adding them after the tree is complete.

3. Create the branches

Wrap floral wire or pipe cleaners around the frame to make branches. You can trim them once attached, with the longest at the bottom and the shortest at the top to create a cone shape.

4. Add foliage

Attach foliage to the branches. You can use miniature pine branches, artificial greenery, or even green flocking.  Start from the bottom and work your way up, filling in the gaps as you go.

5. Create a realistic look

To make your dollhouse Christmas tree look more realistic, add texture and depth using a combination of different foliage materials and varying the length of the branches. If you’re using flock, add different shades of green to create definition or craft paint on artificial or paper branches.

6. Apply flocking or artificial snow

If you want a snowy effect, now is the time to apply flocking or artificial snow. Sprinkle it lightly over the tree, focusing on the tips of the branches. Use a soft brush to distribute the snow evenly.

7. Attach ornaments

Once the base of your tree is complete, it’s time to add the ornaments. Use a glue gun to attach miniature baubles, candy canes, and any other ornaments you’ve chosen.

8. Add a tree topper

Complete your doll’s house Christmas tree with a beautiful tree topper. Just like a real tree, add a miniature star, angel, fairy, or any other decorative item that suits your theme.

Now you’ve created your miniature doll’s house Christmas tree, it’s time to decorate!

Decorating your doll’s house Christmas tree

Decorating your mini Christmas tree is where you can let your creativity shine! Personally, I like a more vintage look, mixing colours, ornaments and lights. I basically treat it like a smaller version of a tree I’d have in my home!

If you’re looking for a bit more inspiration, take a look at these tree-decorating suggestions:

• Lights: Add miniature LED lights by wrapping them around the trunk before constructing your tree or strategically placing them to create a warm glow. Don’t forget to consider how you’re powering your lights, whether you’re plugging them into your house’s electrics or their own battery pack will power them. If the miniature Christmas tree is small-scale, use sequins or small beads to create the effect of lights.
• Baubles: Use small glass or plastic beads, polymer clay or even make them using a 3D pen

• Candy canes: Use striped paper clips or polymer clay shaped into canes
• Thread decorations: These cute modern decorations come with printable templates

• Star: make a teeny origami star as your tiny tree topper.

• Paper and bead decorations: make these super-cute modern tree ornaments following the instructions.
• Pine cones: attach thread to hang them on your miniature Christmas tree, or add them to a tiny wreath or garland.

Garland and ribbons: Use miniature garlands and ribbons to add texture and visual interest to your tree. You can wrap them around the branches or create a cascading effect.

Personal touches: Add personal touches to your dollhouse Christmas tree by incorporating items that have sentimental value. It could be a tiny photo frame, a miniature ornament with a special meaning, or a tiny replica of a cherished object.