Australian Christmas Crafts: Festive Ideas for a Summer Christmas

Tired of the same old heavy plaid and fake snow? If you are looking to shake things up this year, or maybe you need a distinct cultural unit for homeschooling that keeps kids engaged, I have just the thing. πŸŽ„ It’s time to embrace the “Sunburnt Country” vibe with these light, airy, and nature-focused crafts that bring the warmth of an Australian Christmas to your holiday season.

Embrace a “Coastal meets Bushland” aesthetic! We are swapping heavy fir trees for Summer Christmas Crafts featuring eucalyptus, driftwood, and playful accents. These Aussie Christmas Decorations are perfect for adding a relaxed, sun-drenched feel to your home, or simply teaching your little ones about Christmas around the world crafts. Let’s make some memories without the misery of complicated cleanup! ✨ βœ‚οΈ

πŸŽ„ My Top 3 Favorites

  • Lowest Mess: Wooden Bead “Gumnut Babies”
  • Most “High-End” Look: Faux “Bushland” Native Flower Wreath
  • Best for Little Kids: Paper Plate Koala “Clingers”

6 Aussie Christmas Decorations You’ll Love

1. Faux “Bushland” Native Flower Wreath ❄️

This stunning door wreath swaps traditional pine needles for Australian natives like Bottlebrush, Wattle, and Eucalyptus. It captures the essence of a Bush Christmas using rustic textures and muted greens that look absolutely sophisticated.

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Grapevine wreath base
β€’ Faux Eucalyptus stems
β€’ Faux Protea or Banksia
β€’ Floral wire
β€’ Burlap ribbon
Best For: Front Porch Decor, “Coastal Grandma” Aesthetic
Time: 45 Mins
Mess Level: Low
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: Group your florals in odd numbers (clusters of 3 or 5) off-center on the wreath for that trendy, asymmetrical modern-rustic look popular in Aussie design.

[Image-1: A close-up of the wreath hanging on a white door, highlighting the texture of the protea and the silver-green eucalyptus leaves against a sunny background.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: Artificial Protea King Flowers Stems 🐦 Why I love it: These specific native flowers are almost impossible to find in US craft stores, but this faux set nails the authentic Aussie look perfectly. #NancyApproved

2. DIY Driftwood & Shell Christmas Tree ❄️

This miniature tabletop tree is constructed from stacked driftwood pieces and topped with a starfish, embodying the Australian beach culture where Christmas is often spent on the sand. It creates such a relaxed, coastal Christmas decor vibe for your mantle.

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Driftwood pieces (graduated sizes)
β€’ Metal rod or sturdy dowel
β€’ Wooden base
β€’ Starfish
β€’ White paint (optional)
Best For: Mantle Decor, Centerpieces, Beach Lovers
Time: 1 Hour
Mess Level: Low
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: If you don’t have a drill, stack the wood using a generous amount of wood glue and stabilize it against a wall until dryβ€”but a center dowel is much more durable.

[Image-2: The driftwood tree placed on a blue linen runner, surrounded by sea glass and small votive candles to simulate a beach sunset.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: Natural Driftwood Pieces for Crafts 🐦 Why I love it: Foraging for enough wood in the right sizes takes forever; this bulk pack comes pre-cleaned and bug-free, saving you hours of prep time. #NancyApproved

3. “Surfing Santa” Polymer Clay Ornaments ❄️

Here is a playful twist on St. Nick where he is sculpted wearing board shorts and holding a surfboard! This is a classic humorous trope in Aussie Christmas Decorations and makes for a hilarious keepsake.

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Polymer clay (Red, White, Skin tone, Blue)
β€’ Clay sculpting tools
β€’ Eye hooks
β€’ Ribbon
Best For: Kids 8+, Personalized Gifting
Time: 1 Hour
Mess Level: Medium
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: Use a crumpled ball of aluminum foil as the core of Santa’s body to save clay and make the ornament lighter so it doesn’t weigh down the tree branch.

[Image-3: A flat lay showing the unbaked clay Santa on a baking sheet next to the finished ornament hanging on a tree with “sand” (brown sugar) sprinkled below for effect.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: Shuttle Art Polymer Clay 50 Colors Soft Oven Baking Clay Kit 🐦 Why I love it: Buying individual blocks of neon and skin tones adds up fast; this kit gives you every color you need for the price of just a few single blocks. #NancyApproved

4. Wooden Bead “Gumnut Babies” ❄️

Inspired by the classic Australian children’s book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, these ornaments mimic “Gumnuts” (Eucalyptus pods). Since real gumnuts aren’t available here, we use wooden beads and felt for a sweet nature-inspired craft.

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Large wooden beads (unpainted)
β€’ Green and Brown felt
β€’ Fine tip black marker
β€’ Twine
Best For: Storytime Crafts, Nature Tables, Teachers
Time: 20 Mins
Mess Level: Low
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: Use “heathered” or high-quality wool felt rather than cheap acrylic felt to give the “gum leaf” hats a realistic, organic texture.

[Image-4: Three “Gumnut babies” with different colored leaf-hats hanging from a branch, with a soft focus background.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: 50pcs Natural Large Wooden Beads 🐦 Why I love it: You need substantial 1-inch beads to make these look like real pods, and local stores usually only stock tiny jewelry beads. #NancyApproved

5. Aussie BBQ Table Decor: Hessian & Eucalyptus Runners ❄️

Focusing on the outdoor BBQ aspect of an Aussie Christmas, this no-sew table runner uses light fabrics like hessian (burlap) and stenciled native fern designs. It feels rustic and breezy.

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Roll of Hessian/Burlap
β€’ White acrylic paint
β€’ Fern or Leaf stencils
β€’ Sponge brushes
Best For: Christmas Dinner Hosts, Outdoor Parties
Time: 30 Mins
Mess Level: Medium
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: Iron the burlap with plenty of steam before painting; trying to paint over the creases will result in messy stencil lines.

[Image-5: An outdoor table setting featuring the runner, topped with white plates, silver crackers (bonbons), and a pavlova in the center.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: 12 Inch Wide Burlap Roll 🐦 Why I love it: Cutting burlap by the yard is a mess of fraying strings; this finished-edge roll is ready to use instantly as a runner. #NancyApproved

πŸŽ… Quick Question!

Real tree or Artificial tree? Tell me in the comments!

6. Paper Plate Koala “Clingers” ❄️

This is such a cute craft where the Koala’s arms act as clips, allowing them to “cling” to your tree branches or tinsel. It’s an easy win for a busy afternoon!

πŸ“ Key Materials✨ Why It Works
β€’ Small grey paper plates (or painted)
β€’ Grey cardstock
β€’ Googly eyes
β€’ Black pom poms
β€’ Clothespins
Best For: Preschoolers, Classroom Activity, “Busy Mom” quick wins
Time: 15 Mins
Mess Level: Low
πŸ’‘ Pro-Tip: Glue a wooden clothespin to the back of the plate instead of just using paper arms; this makes it a functional clip-on ornament that actually stays on the tree.

[Image-6: A happy child holding the Koala craft, plus a shot of the Koala “hugging” a Christmas tree branch.]

πŸ›’ Buy on Amazon: Grey Paper Dessert Plates 🐦 Why I love it: Finding grey plates at Party City is surprisingly hard (they usually only have bright colors), so grabbing a bulk pack online saves a painting step! #NancyApproved

Conclusion

I hope these DIY ideas for a beach-themed Christmas help you bring a little bit of sunshine into your winter! β˜€οΈ Whether you try the driftwood Christmas tree or the sweet Koalas, you’re sure to create a unique holiday vibe. If your kids ask, “How do Australians decorate for Christmas?” you can now show them exactly how it’s done!

Happy crafting, friends! Don’t forget to tag me in your photos on Pinterest! xo, Nancy.

Nancy Williams!
Nancy Williams!

Hi, I'm Nancy Williams!
Welcome to my creative corner, a place dedicated to making every occasion special!

As a busy mom of three (two boys and a girl), I’ve always believed that the magic of childhood is built on traditions and celebrations. My days are filled with laughter, learning, and... let's be honest, a lot of glitter and craft supplies!

For me, nothing beats the joy of seeing my kids' faces light up during a fun holiday activity or while making a messy, wonderful DIY project.

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