How to Upcycle a Christmas Pageant Costume

If you’re anything like us, Christmas gets you thinking about family, friends and of course – presents! You might be thinking about that shiny new toy you can buy a friend, or perhaps a new game you’d like from your family. While new things are nice sometimes, what about your old things?

‘Tis the Season to Upcycle

Upcycling is all about taking something that might be destined for the bin or tip and making it new, better, different, or useful. It’s a chance to give things an extra life before going into landfill and a great way to help the environment.

You’ll be surprised at how much you can do with just a little, and you don’t need any special skills. It’s easy and fun, and you’re bound to love it.

So, crack out the scissors and hot glue. We’re upcycling this year’s ‘A Very Darwin Christmas Pageant’ costumes!

Surprise Supplies

Have a look around the house to see what you can find. Look out for abandoned headbands and scrunchies, stockings and tights with holes in them, clothes that have been outgrown, worn out, or stained, cardboard boxes and other clean recyclables, and anything else that catches your eye. Bonus points for finding things that are already green, red, white, or gold!

If you know how and want to sew, that’s great. If not, a hot glue gun will be your Christmas miracle.

Ideas and Inspiration

Now that you have a treasure trove to upcycle, it’s time to make some Christmas cheer. Think reindeer and snowmen, Christmas trees and candy canes, presents and gingerbread, surfing Santas and cheeky elves.

Headbands are perfect for making reindeer antlers or wearable Christmas tree toppers. For antlers, draw the shapes onto cardboard, cut them out, and attach them to a headband. Wear all brown, paint your nose red, and Rudolph’s your uncle! For a cute Christmas tree costume, attach a tree topper or cardboard star to a headband, wear all green, and decorate yourself with tinsel and baubles.

Well-loved red and white clothes can be combined to make a candy cane. Start with a white t-shirt and pants, then cut strips of red material and glue these diagonally across your whites. Top this costume with a painted cardboard hook attached to a hat or headband, and you’re ready for the Pageant.

Feeling too hot and sweaty to think about dressing up? A red t-shirt could be a summer Santa coat. Add thick white strips for the hem and sleeves, draw or stick on bells and buttons, and stuff the front with an old pillow.

Cardboard boxes can be painted and cut into angel wings or even wearable Christmas presents. The possibilities are truly endless. What else comes to mind when you think of Christmas?

Last Bits and Bobs

You may not have absolutely everything you need to complete your look, but that’s where craft supplies and op shops can help you find your finishing touch. You might want to paint or dye some parts of your costume or add lights and ribbons to make it pop. That’s all part of the fun of upcycling!

Be There with Bells On

This year’s Darwin Christmas Pageant will be held on Saturday November 18 and we cannot wait to see you in your shiny upcycled costumes!