How to Make DIY Antique Style Christmas Tree Candles
How to fake the look of antique Christmas tree candles with this step-by-step tutorial to make DIY candle holder clips using battery lights.
Just call me Clark Griswold because when it comes to Christmas lights, more is MORE in my book during the holiday season!
I’m like Oprah talking to all of our garlands, wreaths, and mini trees in our house this year. You get fairy lights and YOU get fairy lights and YOU ALL GET FAIRY LIGHTS! No holiday decor is safe.
DIY Antique Candle Christmas Tree Lights
This year I wanted to add, you guessed it, more lights to our Christmas tree. And I wanted to do it in an antique-y sort of way to go along with this year’s rustic Swedish Christmas.
If you love the look of traditional candles with brass holders but want to avoid a fire hazard and messy candle wax, this Christmas candle holder idea is simple to make.
(Some affiliate links are provided below. Full disclosure here.)
Supplies
- Battery powered remote controlled Christmas tree candle lights
- Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks
- Metal clip-on candle holders
So I found these battery powered remote controlled candle lights with these plastic clips I could put on its branches. But the clips were plastic and not pretty at all.
Step 1 – Test Battery Operated Candles
Put batteries in the candles first (one less step you have to do later) and test them to make sure they all work.
Step 2 – Bend Candle Clip Prongs
Take one of the metal candle clips and bend the prongs so they are flat. (They’re so pliable that I was able to use just my fingers. No tools necessary.)
Step 3 – Fill Candle Clip With Hot Glue
Use your hot glue gun (set on high) to fill the inside space between the prongs with hot glue.
Step 4 – Set Battery Candle in Hot Glued Clip
Place and hold the end of a battery powered candle into the hot glue, making sure it’s standing upright in the holder. Hold it for about a minute until the glue is slightly cooler and dried.
Repeat for however many candles you want. And that’s it!
Honestly, this hardly could merit a tutorial but there ya go.
Our Christmas tree has a little bit of antique style nostalgia now without the fire hazard of real traditional German style taper candles.
UPDATE: Four years later, these DIY candle holder clips are still going strong! In storage, the hot glue does sometimes separate from the battery candle, but it’s easy to just add a little fresh dab of hot glue to them each year to put them right back in the tree.
So pretty, right?! I think I need to do this to other wreaths and trees in our house. But there I go Griswolding/Oprah-ing again. 😉
Think you’ll try this Christmas candle DIY?
More DIY Christmas Decor Ideas
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- 18 Christmas Wall Decor Ideas and Holiday Art Printables
- DIY Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments
- DIY Candle Holder from a Thrifted Brass Canister
- Christmas Wall Decor: Sheet Music Art Gallery Wall
I also have the Swedish tradition of candles on the tree. I did find some strings of candle lights soooo many years ago, while at a Santa Lucia show with my Nana and Farfar (swedish grandma and grandpa) such a wonderful memory. those have since failed me, but I did find some online a few years back but still have a string — these would be so much simpler. i will definitely be checking them out. As I always tell you — you ARE the best
Thank you for this wonderful idea ! I have already ordered the candles and clips. It’s so close to Christmas but I wanted to order these anyway. Definitely will enjoy them ! I also wondered how the batteries were removed, once they were glued down. Enjoy your blog ,Lauren !
You’re so welcome! The batteries are changed from the top which makes it a breeze to change out when needed.
I love this! I have metal clips I bought in Germany over 30 years ago. Every year I put in candles for the aesthetic, never lighting them of course. Now I can have lighted candles! Thanks for sharing!
What a great and easy idea!
Where did you find the little candles? I haven’t found any that small of a diameter. I have antique candle holders like yours and would love to use them in this way! thanks for the reply!
Hi CJ! There is a link in the supplies list to the candles I used. They’re not as skinny as the traditional Christmas tree candles, which is why I bent down the prongs to make them fit with the hot glue.