DIY Memorial Day Decorations to Honor Heroes

Americans’ most special long weekend is less than a month away. May 27th will be a date to honor the people who sacrificed their lives to defend the country. Plus, it’ll mark the beginning of summer. That’s why many are already organizing gatherings or looking for activities to pay tribute to fallen heroes. In both scenarios, you may need to craft some Memorial Day decorations to showcase the holiday spirit.

Besides celebrations and special events, you can create a reflective and patriotic atmosphere in your home or office with handmade decorations. And you don’t need to be a craft expert! By letting your imagination run wild and gathering some easy-to-find materials, you can pay tribute to the nation’s heroes in a meaningful way.

If you want to DIY some Memorial Day decorations, these ideas can give you inspiration to prepare your home or office for the upcoming celebration. Read on!

5 DIY Memorial Day Decoration Ideas for Your Home

Decorating is one of the best and most meaningful things to do for Memorial Day, especially if you craft some items yourself to add a patriotic touch to your spaces.

Whether you want to pay tribute to fallen soldiers or have fun with your children, doing some crafts is a great activity for this holiday. Find the best family-friendly ideas for Memorial Day decorations below!

Small Flags With “Thank You” Messages

Flags are common DIY Memorial Day decorations. They’re easy to make and require only a few materials. You need to gather the following:

• Red, white, and blue construction paper
• Markers
• White paper stars (you can make them yourself or buy pre-made)
• Red or white paper stripes (choose the color based on the one you use for the background)
• Glue
• Craft supplies

Cut a rectangular piece of red or white construction paper. Decorate with stripes, which you can make yourself and must be of a contrasting color, considering the following:

• For a white background, use red stripes
• For a red background, use white stripes

Place and glue a smaller blue paper rectangle in the top corner and decorate it with white stars. Then, write “Thank You” messages with your markers, and that’s it! You can use these flags to decorate your house, place them on a soldier’s grave, or display them at a local veteran’s home.

Star and Ribbon Patriotic Wreath

On Memorial Day, door decorations are a must! Are you looking for ideas to craft something and make your property look “patriotic”? A beautiful wreath is an excellent option!

If you want to craft a Memorial Day-themed wreath to decorate your front door, you’ll need the following materials:

• Wire wreath base
• Red, white, and blue ribbon
• Red, white, and blue cardstock
• Glue, preferably a hot gun glue
• Scissors

Place the ribbons in an alternating fashion on the wreath base and wrap them to create an interwoven pattern. Although it isn’t strictly necessary, you can secure them with glue to make sure they won’t come off.

After that, you just have to decorate the wreath with other visual elements, such as stars or small flags. Use the cardstock to craft them!

Patriotic-Themed Paper Lanterns

These beautiful DIY Memorial Day decorations will turn your porch or entryway into a neighborhood attraction. Here’s what you need to craft them:

• Paper lanterns
• White glue, watered-down
• Red, white, and blue tissue paper
• Star-shaped paper punch
• Scissors

Cut the tissue paper into small squares and use the paper punch to craft stars. Then, grab the lantern and carefully glue these small elements, incorporating the three patriotic colors.

After just a few minutes, you’ll have a beautiful and patriotic lantern to hang in outdoor spaces.

Memorial Day-themed Mason Jars

Vases make the best Memorial Day table decorations, but do you know that you can make your own with materials and tools you probably have at home? This idea uses mason jars and is so fun and attractive.

This is what you’ll need:

• Plain glass mason jars
• Paint brushes
• Red, white, and blue acrylic paint
• Masking tape (optional)

Choose between painting your mason jars completely in one color or leaving them transparent. If you decide to paint them, wait for them to dry completely before proceeding.

With the masking tape, create star shapes on the jar’s surface. Using a smaller brush, paint inside the stars with a contrasting color. Once completely dry, remove the tape.

Bandana Tablecloth

Are you planning to have dinner with your loved ones on Memorial Day? You can decorate your home furniture to celebrate this special and important date.

This is one of the best ideas for Memorial Day table decorations, as it’s easy to make and budget-friendly. Plus, you can use it next year!

To create a festive bandana tablecloth, you’ll need the following:

• Plain white tablecloth
• Straight pins
• White, red, and blue bandanas

Spread the tablecloth on a flat surface and arrange the bandanas on top in a creative way. You can form a flag design with diagonal or horizontal stripes, for example.

The last step is to secure the bandanas in place with the straight pins. You’ll have a beautiful and original decoration piece in no time!

Other DIY Ideas for Memorial Day Decorations

Did you take advantage of the best Memorial Day furniture sales to buy new stuff for your home, and now you need to decorate them? Do you want to make sure your house pays tribute to the brave people who fought until their last breath for your country?

Below are more Memorial Day decoration ideas you can make yourself in just minutes and with only a few materials:

• American flag with upcycled fabric: Instead of crafting small paper flags, recycle old fabric to make a large one. You just have to cut fabric strips and sew them together. Then, decorate this piece and attach a wooden dowel to the top if you want to hang it.
• Patriotic-themed votive jars: You can add a unique touch to your home with decorated votive jars. Gather some empty glass jars and paint them completely or create original designs, using red, white, and blue colors. Once completely dry, put a candle inside and place these Memorial Day decorations in the desired location.
• Memorial Day photo display: Search photos of veterans or military personnel and gather some picture frames of different sizes. Creatively arrange them, forming a flag or a star shape, and wrapped with red, white, and blue ribbons. As a result, you’ll have a beautiful and meaningful decorative element.
• Chair bows: If you plan to host a Memorial Day party, red, white, and blue bows are excellent decorations. Whether you choose an outdoor or indoor area, they’ll look really good on your chairs and can take your set-up to the next level.
• Pinwheels: These DIY Memorial Day decorations are also perfect for outdoor areas. Just make a pinwheel with red, white, and blue construction paper, decorate it with matching washi tape, and put it in a vase or leave it in a bucket for other people to grab.

5 DIY Memorial Day Decoration Ideas for Your Office

Your office is an important space where you spend hours each day. As such, it’s another great place to showcase your patriotism and pay tribute to the country’s fallen heroes.

The best part is that many stores offer discounts and deals weeks before this holiday. Just look for some Memorial Day sales online if you want to buy office accessories at a great price.

Are you ready to decorate your workstation for this special day? Find some ideas below!

Banner with a Meaningful Message

Memorial Day is to appreciate, remember, and pay tribute to the people who served the country. If you want to have a reminder of this holiday’s meaning, you can craft and hang a banner with a meaningful message.

These are the materials you’ll need for this decoration:

• Large white sheet or canvas
• Fabric or acrylic paint, preferably red, blue, or white colored
• Paint brushes
• Stencils (optional)
• Masking tape (optional)

Are you using a canvas? Paint the surface with white paint to create a clean base. Then, write a message in red or blue paint, such as “We Remember.” For the lettering style, you can choose between two options:

• Freehand: Use a pencil to sketch the letters before painting
• Stencil: Using masking tape, secure the stencil and carefully paint the words

The process is the same if you’re using a sheet, but you may not need to apply a base coat. After painting the message, let the canvas dry completely and hang your banner in a central location.

Memorial Day-themed Desk Decorations

Whether you have a traditional or a sit-stand desk, this furniture piece can also be decorated to create a patriotic atmosphere in your office. For example, you can make a miniature field of flags.

Gather the following materials to craft this decoration:

• Small American flags on dowels
• Small pebbles
• Sand
• Styrofoam blocks (optional)
• Red, white, and blue construction paper (optional)

To create a miniature field of flags, carve out a shallow base in a Styrofoam block and fill this space with sand or small pebbles to resemble soil. Place the flags on top and secure the dowels into the base.

You can also use construction paper. In this case, you have to cut the paper into origami flag shapes and arrange them in a small container with sand or pebbles. The next step is to place this decoration in a strategic area.

If you want to add more patriotic elements to your workstation, you can look for some Memorial Day-themed or red, blue, and white office desk accessories.

Memorial Day Door Decorations

Many Memorial Day door decorations are suitable for offices, too. To create a festive atmosphere in your workplace with these elements, you’ll need the following:

• Red, white, and blue streamers
• Markers
• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Tape

Using your scissors, cut patriotic shapes from the construction paper, such as stars and flag stripes. With a marker, write a meaningful message or a quote on them. After that, you just have to tape the streamers and paper decorations to the top and sides of your doors.

Patriotic Bulletin Board Display

If you're looking for ideas for easy DIY Memorial Day decorations, this one is perfect for you. With just a few materials and a little creativity, you can transform your office bulletin board into a patriotic display.

These are the materials you’ll use:

• Red, white, and blue construction paper
• Magnets or pushpins
• Scissors
• Markers
• Pictures of veterans or military scenes (optional)

Cut the construction paper into various shapes, making stars, flags, and stripes, and encourage your co-workers to write messages of appreciation for the fallen heroes.

Once you have the decorated paper shapes and the printed pictures, arrange them on the bulletin board to create an attractive design. Decorate with a patriotic-colored ribbon for an extra touch.

American-colored Snack Bar

Whether you have a snack bar in the office or need to create one, choose treats featuring red, white, and blue colors for a patriotic decoration.

This snack bar isn’t exactly a decoration, but it’ll definitely add color and patriotism to your office during this special day. Below is what you’ll need:

• White, blue, and red candies, cookies, fruits, or snacks
• Napkins
• Disposable plates
• Red, white, and blue tablecloth

In a common office area, set up a table and place a festive tablecloth on the surface. Then, arrange the snacks and treats in a special way to create a visually appealing bar. Place napkins and disposable plates to avoid making a mess.

Besides adding a patriotic touch to your workspace, this creative snack bar is a delicious way to celebrate Memorial Day with your colleagues.

Other DIY Ideas for Memorial Day Decorations

Are you looking for more ideas to decorate your ergonomic chair, shelves, or office walls for Memorial Day? Find more recommendations below:

• Photo display: With photos of veterans or military personnel, historical images, small American flags, and a corkboard, you can create a photo display to honor the country’s heroes.
• Wall of Remembrance: Using butcher paper, sticky notes, and markers, you and your co-workers can create a “Wall of Remembrance” to share messages of appreciation.
• Chain garland: Create a patriotic chain garland with red, white, and blue construction paper to add a festive touch to your office.
• Flag origami display: Fold origami flags with your colleagues (you can watch some tutorials on YouTube and challenge each other to make this activity funnier) and string them together to create a decorative garland.
• Decorate your chair: Place decorative flowers, flags, or bows on your chair’s backrest to make sure your setup is perfect for Memorial Day.

Decorating Your Home or Office for an Unforgettable Memorial Day!

Although not essential, Memorial Day decorations will make this special date more meaningful. Plus, they’re great to honor the country’s heroes and show you’re proud to be American.

If you were wondering how to decorate for Memorial Day, these ideas are amazing! You can make them yourself with just a few materials and without breaking the bank. Choose your favorite and start preparing for this upcoming holiday!