Most of my holiday decorating is focused indoors. Decorating the outside of my home always feels like too much effort, especially considering you have to take everything down again about a month later. Unfortunately, that also means the number of people who get to see my holiday decorations is quite limited.
That’s why this year, I decided to tackle a DIY that gives my home some holiday curb appeal without a huge amount of effort. It’s also budget-friendly (or completely free if you have the materials already). And like all my favorite Christmas crafts, they’re easily customizable to your Christmas color scheme or theme for the year.
An inflatable beach ball, some spray paint, and a plastic container are pretty much all you need to create adorable giant outdoor Christmas baubles. Dot them around your garden or on your front porch to make the outside of your home feel as festive as the interior.
Why You Should Decorate Outdoors for the Holidays
I know I started this by complaining about decorating outdoors at Christmas. But think about how many times you’ve slowed down to admire a beautifully decorated home during the holidays. They have an undeniable allure, particularly when your neighbors get involved too. You don’t want to be the only Grinch on the block that didn’t put up any decorations.
You don’t have to go all out and compete for the best decorating on your street. Just a few of these giant baubles on your front lawn can change the festive feel of your home from the outside.
Making vs. Buying Giant Baubles
I’ll admit I’ve been tempted to buy giant ornaments online. But after looking at the price and considering how costly the holidays are, I thought it would be way easier (and more fun) to make my own. Plus, after the holidays, storing those bulky plastic ornaments is a battle in itself.
Between the steep cost and the storage headache, I thought a DIY approach was the more sensible alternative.
With this DIY, you’re free to experiment and get creative with everything from color to texture and finish. As long as you can find spray paint in the color you’re after, you can customize your ornaments to your heart’s desires. Or let your kids pick the color or add their own patterns.
Your homemade ornaments may not come out showroom-perfect, but I’d argue that’s what makes them so charming. They carry a little creativity and personality that store-bought décor can’t capture. And once the season is over, you can simply deflate the beach ball and tuck everything away.
What You’ll Need
You only need four items to complete this super-simple DIY. I stuck with what I already had at home, but if you have other bauble-friendly items (like plastic balls), those are perfect, too. Just make sure whatever you choose can withstand the elements.
- Beach ball: This forms the main body of my ornament. If you’re purchasing balls, try to look for ones with slightly different sizes for some interest around the garden.
- Plastic container: This creates the cap at the top of the ornament. Choose the size of the container in relation to the size of your ball so it looks in proportion.
- Spray paint: Pick a weather-resistant outdoor spray paint to make sure it can handle the elements. Otherwise, bring your ornaments indoors to protect them from rain as needed.
- Metal wire (optional): To create the hook on the top of the cap for ‘hanging’.
- Newspaper or cardboard (optional): Protects your work area while spray painting and makes clean-up easier.
Consider gathering a few color options if you’re making multiple ornaments. Metallic paints add a nice sheen, but classic red or green works, too. I would avoid white as dirt will show up quickly, affecting the overall look. If you do want something less colorful, try silver.
Step 1
First, blow up your beach ball until it’s firm. Don’t try to paint before it’s blown up or you’ll see plenty of gaps when you do finally inflate it.
Spread out some newspaper outdoors or in a well-ventilated area and place the ball on top. Shake your spray paint can thoroughly and apply light, even coats. It’s better to do a few thin layers than one heavy coat that might drip.
Let it dry as recommended on the paint can (usually at least half an hour between coats). One coat covered the existing patterns on my beach ball when I used green, but I added a second light layer for a more uniform finish. The red needed several coats to turn completely red. If you’re aiming for a bolder hue, definitely add a second or even third coat.
Step 2
Grab your small plastic container. It’ll sit at the top of your bauble to mimic the metal cap you’d see on a traditional ornament.
Use a sharp tool (carefully) to make two small holes on opposite sides near the rim. These holes should be just big enough for your metal wire to pass through later. If you don’t have the right tool, you can also heat up the end of a metal nail to poke holes in the plastic.
Now, spray paint the container silver or any metallic finish. This makes it look like a real ornament topper. Let it dry completely before handling to avoid any fingerprint marks on the surface.
Step 3
Once your beach ball is completely dry, add a ring of strong glue around the top area where you want the container to sit. Gently press the container (open side down) onto the ball. Hold it in place for a minute or two so the glue sets. If you want to use the balls for something else later, you can also use tape, although it won’t hold as well.
If you’re working outdoors, pick a day that’s not too windy and avoid touching it until it’s firmly attached. The last thing you want is for your ‘cap’ to slide right off.
Step 4
Cut a piece of metal wire and form it into a simple hook shape. Thread it through the two holes in your container. Adjust if necessary, so the hook stands up straight. This hook won’t bear much weight—it’s more for show—but it finishes the look nicely.
Step 5
Your bauble is now ready to head outdoors. Place it on your porch steps, tuck it into your garden beds, or line a few along a pathway. Because these are so lightweight, a small gust of wind might shift them, so nestle them against a planter or add a discreet anchor underneath if you’re expecting rough weather. Or you can hang them up to turn any tree into a Christmas tree.
Other DIYs to Try
If you love the idea but don’t feel like spray painting or want a smoother finish, plastic exercise balls are a great idea. Or, if you want your baubles to light up at night, follow the same process with LED beach balls.
Experiment, add patterns or glitter to make them really sparkle. And as with any DIY, your giant outdoor baubles don’t have to be flawless. The point is to get creative and enjoy the process, especially if you’re crafting with kids.
If You Enjoyed This DIY…
Then you’ll love my DIY Giant Outdoor Christmas Lights made in much the same way with LED beach balls. Get the tutorial here.
