DIY Candy Cane Picks Made with Expanding Foam

Want to add a little extra Christmas magic to your holiday decorating? These DIY candy cane picks are such a fun and unexpected way to decorate for Christmas! Made with expanding insulation foam and a little red and white paint, these oversized candy canes are perfect for sticking into Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, and holiday planters.

When I was making my plant tentacles for Halloween– one was really curly and I thought that it would be perfect for Christmas! So let’s do it!

I love how chunky and whimsical these candy cane decorations turned out! They have a fun, handmade look that makes them stand out, and you can make them in different sizes to fit whatever you’re decorating.

The best part? You don’t have to spend a fortune on oversized Christmas decorations. A can of expanding foam and a few inexpensive supplies are all you need to make your own!

Why You’ll Love These DIY foam Candy Cane Picks

Budget-friendly Christmas decor: Make several candy cane picks without spending a lot of money.
Customizable: Make them as big, small, thick, or skinny as you want.
Perfect for Christmas decorating: Use them in trees, garlands, wreaths, porch planters, and holiday arrangements.
A unique Christmas DIY: The expanding foam gives each candy cane a fun, textured appearance.
Easy to customize: Change the colors to match your Christmas decorating theme.

Supplies Needed to Make Candy Cane Picks

Here is what you’ll need to make these oversized candy cane decorations:

Expanding insulation foam (spray foam)
Red acrylic paint
White acrylic paint or spray paint
Paintbrushes
Disposable gloves
Scrap cardboard or a plastic tablecloth
Wooden dowels or sturdy wire for the picks (optional)

A quick note about expanding foam: Spray foam expands quite a bit, so a little goes a long way. Always work in a well-ventilated area and follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions. Wear gloves and eye protection, and protect the surrounding area because this stuff can be messy!

How to Make Candy Cane Picks with Expanding Foam

Step 1: Create the Candy Cane Shape

Start by preparing your work surface. Expanding foam is sticky and can be difficult to remove once it cures, so make sure you have plenty of protection underneath your project.

Apply the expanding foam in a candy cane shape. Work slowly and build up the thickness until you get the chunky, oversized look you want.

You can make a variety of sizes. I think a mixture of large and small candy canes looks especially cute when they’re grouped together.

Allow the foam to fully cure according to the manufacturer’s directions before handling or painting it.

Step 2: Paint the Candy Canes

The expanding foam turns yellow over time, so I spray paint them all white. You can also use acrylic paint.

Then Paint your candy canes with alternating red stripes. You can make traditional candy cane stripes or paint them a little more loosely for a whimsical, handmade look.

Let the paint dry completely before moving on to decorating.

Step 3: Add the Pick

Once the foam has cured, attach a sturdy wooden dowel or wire to the back or bottom of each candy cane to create a pick.

Make sure the pick is secure enough to hold the candy cane upright when you place it in a tree, garland, or planter.

Step 4: Decorate with Your DIY foam Candy Cane Picks

Once everything is dry, your DIY candy cane picks are ready to use!

Stick them into Christmas trees, tuck them into garlands, or use them in a large outdoor planter. I love how they look mixed with greenery. The red and white stripes really pop against all the green!

Ways to Use Your DIY Candy Cane Decorations

There are so many ways to use these oversized candy cane picks around your home during the Christmas season.

Christmas Tree Decorations: Tuck the picks into the branches of your Christmas tree for a fun oversized candy cane effect.

Garland: Add several candy cane picks to a greenery garland along a mantel, staircase, or porch railing.

Christmas Planters: Mix them into evergreen branches and other greenery in your outdoor Christmas planters.

Holiday Wreaths: Add a few smaller candy canes to a Christmas wreath for a playful peppermint-inspired look.

Porch Decorations: Group several candy cane picks together in a large planter near your front door for a fun Christmas porch display.

Tips for Making Expanding Foam Christmas Decorations

Start with less foam than you think you need. It expands as it cures.
Make several different sizes so your finished arrangement has more dimension.
Make swirls going both left and right. The front is cleaner so don’t think you can just flip it over.
Let the foam cure completely before painting.
Use a protected work surface because expanding foam can be very messy.
For outdoor use, choose compatible exterior coatings and a weather-resistant construction, and test your finished pieces before leaving them outside.
Remember that cured expanding foam is lightweight and can be fragile, so handle your candy cane picks carefully.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of foam do you use to make candy cane decorations?

Expanding spray insulation foam, also called expanding polyurethane foam, is used to create the chunky candy cane shapes. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application and curing.

Can you use expanding foam decorations outside?

You can use properly protected foam decorations outdoors, but they aren’t automatically waterproof or weatherproof. Mine are on a covered porch so I’m not sure how they will hold up in the elements. Use compatible coatings and paints, and protect them from prolonged exposure to moisture and harsh weather.

Can you make different sizes of candy cane picks?

Absolutely! That’s one of my favorite things about this project. Make a few oversized candy canes and some smaller ones to mix into your Christmas decorating.

More Fun DIY Christmas Decorations

If you love making your own Christmas decorations, check out some of my other holiday DIY projects! Homemade Christmas decorations are a fun way to add personality to your home without spending a fortune.

Christmas dollar tree crafts

Save DIY foam Candy Cane Picks for later

Too busy to get crafting today? No problem! Pin this post to remind yourself about this project later! Sharing my projects helps me reach more people, allowing me to continue sharing free content!

These DIY candy cane picks are such a fun way to add a little extra Christmas cheer. Whether you tuck them into a Christmas tree, add them to a garland, or use them in a porch planter, they’re sure to get noticed!

Happy crafting!