How To Make A DIY Pampas Christmas Tree
I know fall is barely here yet, but it’s never too early to start planning for Christmas, especially if it means DIYing something as big as a pampas Christmas tree! And if you put up your tree on Thanksgiving Day like most people, then you have less than 90 days to get started (or 95 days until December, if that’s your preference), but don’t freak out, I’ve got the best DIY pampas Christmas tree tutorial that’s both affordable and easy!
If you haven’t seen it before, this gorgeous fluffy boho pampas Christmas tree from Elari Events went viral on Instagram in 2020, and it’s not hard to see why — it’s absolutely gorgeous and completely unique!
Needless to say, I’ve been obsessed with this tree ever since, so once we moved and decked out our new place with neutral boho chic decor, I knew this pampas tree would be perfect as the first Christmas tree in our new home!
What you will need to make a DIY pampas Christmas tree
If you’re planning on making the viral boho pampas grass Christmas tree shown above, here’s what you’ll need to make it:
An artificial Christmas tree (preferably white - this is the one I used)
Pampas grass stems (200+ total of varying sizes depending on the size of the tree. You can either purchase them or if you live in an area where these grow nearby you can harvest them there. Keep scrolling to see the ones I used + links!)
Hair dyer
Hairspray
Twist ties or clear rubber bands (optional)
The DIY pampas Christmas tree tutorial
Step 1: Assemble the artificial Christmas tree
This is pretty straightforward. Set up your artificial Christmas tree and place it in your desired location. The best places are corners so that you won’t have to decorate the backside of the tree (this saves you time and money).
Step 2: Prep your pampas grass stems
Take your pampas grass stems outside and either leave them out in the sun to expand and fluff out, or if you’re impatient like me, grab a hair dryer and use a warm, low to medium speed setting to manually fluff out each pampas stem (I blow the hairdryer in different directions at the stems for optimal fluffing). Please note: Pampas sheds A LOT so make sure you do this outside because this part is messy!
Step 3: Add your pampas grass to the tree
Now’s the fun part — it’s time to start adding the pampas stems to your artificial tree. Starting at the top, take a small stem and attach it to the branch at the peak of the tree. You can use the smaller branches on that branch to bend around and secure it, or use a white twist tie. Next, do a row of small pampas around the main stem, angling them slightly away from the peak. Continue with your rows, angling each new row further away from the previous one. Once you get about 20-25% of the way down, start using your larger stems using the same method as you did with the smaller ones.
Step 4: Finishing touches
Step back and take a look at your pampas tree. To fill any gaps you see you can work on fluffing out the stem further or take any extra smaller stems and wedge them into the space. Next, check for stability and secure any loose stems with twist ties. Then once your placement is complete, use hairspray (choose a light, flexible hold) to keep them from shedding in your home.
Step 5: Decorate!
Now that your pampas grass Christmas tree is complete it’s time to decorate! Toss a tree skirt underneath or wrap a tree cuff around the base (if you want to place your tree in a basket, do this during step 1). Add string lights and ornaments as desired. Note: Make sure to use lightweight lights and ornaments to keep your pampas stems from drooping.
How I made my DIY pampas Christmas Tree for under $320
I really wanted to make my own pampas Christmas tree but I also didn’t want to spend a ton of money, so I decided to find a more affordable alternative to get the same look but at a cheaper price. Turns out, I was able to cut my spending by buying less pampas stems and arranging them differently so that they filled more of the tree. I also opted not to decorate the back part of the tree because no one will see it, and it was too difficult to decorate back there once the tree went up. It worked out though because I love the way it turned out and it cost me less than $320 to DIY!
Here’s everything I used to make my boho pampas Christmas tree:
The tree frame (aka artificial tree) $80
For the frame of my pampas Christmas tree, I decided to use a white artificial tree. This provided some bulk as well as stability for the placement of my pampas stems. I’ve seen lots of people build a frame out of wood and other materials, however, I wanted something that I could break down and store after the holidays, so this white artificial Christmas tree was the perfect fit, plus it’s under $100! Note: We have 10ft ceilings so we decided on 8ft because it took up just the right amount of space.
Large Pampas grass stems $29.98
For the large pampas grass stems (46"), I bought about 5 packs of 10 for about $150.
Small pampas grass stems $79.99
For the small pampas grass stems (28”-32”), I found a wholesaler who packaged a box of 96 for under $80, which was such a good find, especially since I needed lots of pampas to cover the tree.
My supplies for the tree alone only cost me about $310! However, after I finally started putting the pampas tree together, I realized I would need far more of the large pampas to cover the tree in a way that would match the Instagram famous pampas Christmas tree. So instead of spending more money, I switched up my strategy for a different look that is just as cute, only cheaper!
My alternative pampas placement method:
Instead of stuffing the pampas inside of the tree for that spread out, fluffy look of the viral pampas tree, I didn’t have enough large pampas to work with (poor planning on my part haha) so instead I laid them flat against the artificial tree branches and angled them downward for a sloped look. This helped me to get more coverage and also gave it more of a structured tree shape rather than a fluffy mound. To keep them in place I shoved the stem up and into the artificial tree and allowed the artificial branches to catch the pampas to keep it in place. To reduce the chances of them sliding off I would take some artificial branches and wrap them around the pampas to secure them better (you can also use twist ties or clear rubber bands). I layered the large pampas around the bottom of the artificial tree and about 3/4 of the way up I started using the small pampas stems, but instead of angling them downward, I switched directions and angled them upright slightly towards the top to create the peak of the tree. This was easier since all I needed to do was stick them in and the artificial branches did all the work to secure the stems.
How I added an extra boho vibe to my pampas Christmas tree
tree basket (aka Ottoman) $99
I didn’t want to place a tree skirt under our Christmas tree because our cats would always play under it and end up moving it around so I decided on a basket instead. Unfortunately, I had lots of trouble finding something that I not only loved, but would help fill up the gap between the floor and the bottom of the tree. At first I searched for woven tree cuffs, then I looked for tree baskets, I even searched for actual baskets that would fit around the base of the tree — I couldn’t find anything! Luckily, while walking through my local Target I saw this round woven storage ottoman and I knew it was the perfect alternative! It adds a boho-chic vibe to the neutral Christmas tree, which I obviously love!
Tree stand $60
Unfortunately, the stand for our artificial Christmas tree was too large to fit inside our DIY tree basket (aka woven ottoman), luckily I found this 12” metal tree stand on Amazon for under $60! The interior of the ottoman was only 18” wide and most tree stands are wider than that so this one was the perfect size and it was heavy enough to keep the tree up! My other alternative was to flip the ottoman upside down and cut a hole big enough for the bottom of the tree to fit through, but luckily it didn’t come to that so I was able to keep the ottoman intact to use later as decor for our bedroom.
