I’m a big fan of the holidays. I am openly a Pinterest mom from Halloween to Christmas and I super don’t care what anyone thinks of it. That doesn’t mean I think we should live on Pinterest, because I don’t. Each year, I add one Christmas decoration (inside and out) to my collection. Last year, I opted to learn how to make kissing balls as our “one thing.” But kissing balls are ridiculously expensive. We’re a homeschool family (read: one income), and in our neck of the woods, kissing balls could easily run me over $200! That’s when I realized: I could probably just make them myself.

Today, I’m going to show you how to make four kissing balls for less than the price of… ONE! No, I’m not kidding. Kissing balls do not have to cost you your firstborn child. If you’ve got an hour or two to spare, you’ll have a beautiful kissing ball that all your neighbors will be envious of. And maybe that encourages them to decorate, too.

Let’s get to it.

Step #1: Order Your Forms

The first thing you need to do is buy your balls. Yep, I said it. I like these because they come via Prime when you’re short on time, but the netted balls work a lot better if you aren’t trying to pull something out of your rear last minute.

Step #2: Go Ribbon Shopping

While you’re waiting on your forms, go ahead and buy some WIRE RIBBON. You can find reasonably priced ribbon at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn or the Dollar Tree. I recommend that you pick something that coordinates with your overall theme and ensure that you’re buying a WIRE RIBBON. I said that twice on purpose. Read it again if you have to. Wire ribbon holds its shape well in the windy, blucky weather, which means you won’t have to straighten your bows as much as your toddler changes clothes. I highly recommend going to the actual store and enjoying the festive vibes and instant gratification.

Step #3: Create a hanging situation.

This year, we’re using zip ties to help hang our balls because we ordered the non-netted variety. Our balls are 6inches in diameter, so I used two _____ zip ties. I zipped them around the ball in a perpendicular fashion and then tied my ribbon around both zip ties to secure it to my porch.

Step #4: Prep Your Site

Yes, you need to decide where you’re hanging your kissing balls before you start creating them. I opt to place four kissing balls on my front porch. Once you’ve decided on your site, you’ll need to decide how you’ll secure them. They aren’t light, so plan accordingly. I use small eye hooks to hang ours. I hang flowers in the spring and summer, so I can justify permanent holes in my soffit. You do you.

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Step #5: Soak Your Balls

This step is 100% optional. I did not soak my kissing balls last year and they made it through the whole season without issue. For reference, I decorate on Black Friday and we don’t take down our greenery and lights until Valentine’s. Santa comes down the week after Christmas. Keep your judgement to yourself – it’s cozier this way.

Step #6: Hang Your Balls

I realize how foul this all sounds. It’s intentional, so either chuckle or ignore it and move on. It’s important to hang your kissing balls before you start working because it’ll save your neck, back and shoulders. It’ll also save your kissing balls from getting smushed on a table. Trust me on this one. Nobody likes smushed balls. This is a good time to turn on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and let everyone know that you are outside decorating. Full disclosure: this year, I hung my balls inside and then transitioned them outside to their final resting place. It was much easier on my fingers, and my house smelled amazing!

Step #7: Chop Some Greenery

This is where the fun begins. Though it’s also very sticky. The innuendos do not quit today. We’ve been clearing out some scrubby pines on our property and kissing ball season makes me feel less bad about chopping down trees. It’s a great opportunity to make something beautiful out of something that otherwise looks like unkempt pubes. You will NEVER be able to unsee that, I promise.

If you decide to head out into the woods, make sure the land you’re cutting from is not restricted. Often, conservation land will have “no cutting / hunting” signs posted. I’ve found that our local wildlife management area is “cut friendly,” so that’s a good starting point if you need to research something.

Step #8: Add in Natural Embellishments

You can add whatever you want for embellishments. I typically go for natural materials because that’s how I roll. I clipped some wintergreen berries and dried goldenrod for some extra floof and color last year, this year I left them green. Whatever flies your kite.

Just a fun little tidbit: the birds love the berries. Make sure your balls are well secured and grab a field guide to place by your window. And if you are already up-to-snuff on your birding, download the Merlin app and help the ornithologists at Cornell University.

String Lights

Night comes early this time of year. I love simple, warm white Christmas lights. Last year, I tried out solar lights, and didn’t love that on cloudy days, they weren’t very bright. The front of our house is north facing, so it looked a little wonky having both solar lights and the regular plug-in variety. And at one point, one strand went haywire and started flashing and dancing, so that was decidedly trashy unclassy. This year, I opted for battery operated lights with a green wire. I prefer this shape, but you can also get them in microdot for an equally beautiful effect.

Enjoy

Now all you have to do is step back and enjoy. And, seriously, take the time to do that! I love doing a big reveal on the evening of Black Friday. I like to have everyone go outside and have hot chocolate around the fire as the sun sets, but you do whatever makes you feel most like you’re living your own Clark Griswold moment.

Happy Holidays!

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