There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a Christmas paper chain. Many of us remember sitting at the kitchen table as kids, gluing colourful strips together and proudly draping our creations across the house. This project brings that same magical, old-style charm back—but with a clever modern twist.
Instead of paper, we’re using craft foam sheets, which means your garland won’t wilt, sag, or melt in the rain. You get the exact same whimsical look of a classic handmade chain, only bigger, brighter, sturdier, and perfectly suited for the outdoors. Think front porch columns wrapped in oversized vintage links, fences trimmed in cheerful loops, and doorways dressed in candy-coloured Christmas charm.
This is one of those crafts that looks impressive but takes almost no time at all. It’s kid-friendly, budget-friendly, weatherproof, and wonderfully festive. Whether you want a quick pop of colour for holiday guests or you’re decorating your entire porch with a vintage feel, this foam chain garland is a gorgeous, easy win.
Materials
- Craft foam sheets in your favourite Christmas colours
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Hot glue gun or strong double-sided tape
- Ruler + pencil
- Clips or pegs (optional for holding links while glue dries)
Step 1: Cut Your Foam Rectangles
Alright, first things first—grab your foam sheets and start cutting them into strips. You want them roughly 8–10 cm wide and 25–30 cm long. Don’t stress about being perfect here; close enough is good enough.
If you want your garland to be porch-spanning and dramatic (which… yes, you do!), you’ll probably want 30–50 strips. You can always make more as you go—this craft is extremely forgiving.
Step 2: Make Your First Link
Take one foam strip and curl it into a loop, overlapping the ends by about 2 cm. Add a little hot glue (or whatever adhesive you’re using) and hold it for a few seconds.
This is the moment where you’ll go, “Oh yeah… I remember doing this as a kid!”
Only this time, the chain is supersized and way more fabulous.
Step 3: Build Your Chain
Now slide your next strip through the first loop and glue it into its own ring. Keep going like this, link after link, until you get into a good rhythm.
You can alternate colours in a pattern (red–green–pink–white is a gorgeous vintage combo), or just mix them randomly for a playful old-school look. There’s really no wrong way to do this.
Tip: If the links try to pop open while drying, clip them with little pegs for a minute. Foam can spring back a bit, but once the glue sets, it’s solid.
Step 4: Add a Little Retro Magic (Optional but highly recommended!)
This is where you can get creative and really lean into that vintage Christmas charm.
- Want sparkle? Add a whisper of gold paint to a few edges.
- Love the idea of movement? Hot glue tiny jingle bells onto every handful of links.
- Doing a soft pastel chain? Mix in some glittery foam pieces for that whimsical candy-shop feel.
- Planning to hang it on the porch? Weave fairy lights through the loops—it instantly looks like holiday storefront décor.
Don’t overthink it. If it makes you smile, it belongs in your garland.
Step 5: Time to Hang Your Masterpiece
This part is honestly the most satisfying. Foam chains are super lightweight, so you can hang them almost anywhere without hardware:
- Wrap around porch posts
- Swag across your verandah railing
- Stretch it from column to column
- Drape over hooks or nails
- Layer multiple garlands for a really full, dramatic look
Because craft foam is water-resistant, you don’t need to baby this craft. Rain? Morning dew? No problem. Your chain will stay perky and colourful all season long.
Step 6: Store It for Next Year
When Christmas is over, simply coil the garland up and pop it into a storage tub. Foam doesn’t crease like paper, so it’ll look just as lovely next December.
Easy. Durable. Reusable. And totally charming.
* This article was originally published here
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