14 Cute DIY Christmas Stockings

Decorating a Christmas stocking can be a fun project for the entire family, but you don't need to make a stocking from scratch to be able to personalize it. Many store-bought stockings can be upgraded with embellishments that tie into your style.

These DIY Christmas stocking decorating ideas range from easy to complex and are guaranteed to become a focal point of your holiday decorations. Whether you enhance your existing stockings or purchase new ones is up to you.

01 of 14

Personalize Stockings With Family Photos

Fynes Designs

Most people make personalized Christmas stockings by writing the name of each family member on the rim of the stocking. Make that concept more visual by adding individual photographs of your family members instead. The overall look is more unified when you treat each photo with the same filter, which in this case is a black and white overlay.

Easy Sew Personalized Stockings from Fynes Designs
02 of 14

Cut Out Whimsical Creatures From Felt

Lia Griffith

There are a ton of Christmas stocking decorating ideas geared toward children, but this is one of the more charming ones. Cut out or purchase felt shapes that are holiday inspired. Lay them all out and let your children glue them onto their stocking.

DIY Felt Christmas Stockings from Lia Griffith
03 of 14

Create a Rustic Monogram Using Wood Slices

Interiors by Sarah Langtry

If you want to make your stockings appear more rustic, add customized name tags using wood slices. All you need to do is drill a hole into the wood slice and add a name using a felt tip pen. If your handwriting is not very good, consider using vinyl lettering instead.

DIY Pom Pom Trim Stocking from Interiors by Sarah Langtry
04 of 14

Stamp on Names and Add Festive Accents

EAB Designs

This Christmas stocking idea utilizes holiday embellishments you might have around the house. Did your grandmother leave you with some festive holiday brooches? Use those in the upper right-hand corner. Finish the stocking off with a hand-stamped name tag.

Burlap Christmas Stockings from EAB Designs

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05 of 14

Make Monogram Pins

Blue I Style

Instead of embroidering on or adhering an initial to a stocking, consider using a pin. This way you aren't committed to one design that could go out of style. You can easily change out stockings or styles as the years go on.

Christmas Stocking Monogram Pins from Blue I Style
06 of 14

Stuff Stockings With Painted Pine Cones

The Inspired Room

Elegant Christmas stockings are usually pretty simple. They come in luxurious fabrics that have soft textures and are generally neutral toned. What makes these stockings more elegant is their stuffing. Consider adding glittery painted pine cones inside a sweater stocking to recreate this look.

Pine Cone-Filled Sweater Stockings from The Inspired Room
07 of 14

Dangle Chipboard Letters and Jingle Bells

A Beautiful Mess

This stocking decorating idea is both festive and elegant. Pair glittery jingle bells with silver lettering that is woven into a name with a piece of yarn. The final touch is a knitted yarn bow that matches the stocking.

Customized Stocking DIY from A Beautiful Mess
08 of 14

Convert Luggage Tags Into Stocking Decorations

Bless'er House

If you want to add a name tag that will withstand many years of being stuffed inside a holiday tote, consider using luggage tags. A soft brown leather luggage tag will bring a rustic element to your stocking. Print off names on a yellow-toned paper so the tags look vintage.

DIY Personalized Stocking Tags from Bless'er House

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09 of 14

Fill Stockings With Faux Greenery and Ornaments

Michelle Fritz

If you have stockings you don't want to change, consider switching up what you put inside the top of the stocking. To add a farmhouse element to your stocking setup, stuff the inside with faux green boxwood along with gold and silver ball ornaments.

DIY Farmhouse-Style Stockings from Michelle Fritz
10 of 14

Embellish an Entire Stocking With Pom Poms

Hobby Craft

For a whimsical boho stocking, embellish the exterior with a variety of different colored pom-poms. Instead of choosing every possible color, try to stick to between three to six colors all within the same tone. For instance, you might choose pastels or you might choose jewel tones.

Pom Pom Stocking from Hobby Craft
11 of 14

Embroider on a Name in Cursive

A New Bloom

One classic way to decorate a stocking is by embroidering names on the rim. Practice your font style on a scrap piece of felt so you know what the end result will look like. We like how this crafter matched the thread to one of the pom-pom accents.

DIY Felt Stockings With Tassels from A New Bloom
12 of 14

Craft a Boho Stocking Using Leather Trees

Kojo Designs

In most cases, a burlap-toned fabric stocking might be considered rustic or farmhouse. In this case, the combination of leather and a drop cloth creates a very modern bohemian vibe. The easiest shape to cut out of leather would be these Christmas trees, but you can experiment with other seasonal shapes like snowflakes or candy canes.

DIY Christmas Stockings from Kojo Designs

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13 of 14

Decorate Christmas Stockings With Rickrack and Pom Pom Trim

Salty Canary

Trim your stocking the old fashioned way using rickrack ribbon and pom-pom trim. This idea is a fun one to take on with kids. However, if you want the stocking to look crafty yet elegant, follow the exact template you see here.

DIY No-Sew Christmas Stocking from Salty Canary
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Clip on a Single Evergreen Branch

Twelve on Main

Don't overthink stocking decorating. In many instances, editing down your decorating is a good idea. Sometimes the simplest touches will make the biggest impact. All this crafter did to elevate her stockings was clip on small evergreen branches using clothespins. The plain stocking is decorated with a simple farmhouse stamp and cursive name that are both meant to look faded.

Simple Farmhouse Style Christmas Stockings from Twelve on Main