Have Leftover Holiday Lights? Make These Easy DIY Light Displays Using Clear Plastic Cup

If you’ve ended up with a strand or two of extra holiday lights and want to make good use of them, one TikTok user has got you covered. She’s showing off the DIY Christmas light ball she recalls as her favorite childhood memory to make with her own family, and all it involves is some clear Solo cups, extra holiday lights, and a stapler to make it yourself.

Caitlyn Borden, who specializes in custom hand-painted wood signs and home decor for her business, Juniper Point Design Co., recently shared the handy holiday hack on her TikTok page. You simply take 9-oz. clear Solo cups and attach them to one another in a circular manner by stapling each cup (or attaching using hot glue) to the one next to it. You’ll make three “rows” per half, including 12 for the bottom part, nine for the middle part, and four for the top, forming a base. You’ll then nestle the strand of lights in the center, making a second display that you’ll then attach to the initial one, forming a light-up globe.

In two follow-up videos, Borden explained that you can string the plug through one of the cups, which will allow you to plug them in and turn them on once you’re finished. You can also poke holes and run a ribbon through to create a festive way to hang each ball.

Not only can this be done in a matter of minutes (and with supplies you’ve probably already got on hand), you can create as many as you like and place them wherever you need a little extra sparkle. In the comments section of her posts, viewers suggested using LED lights to be certain that the lights won’t get warm and potentially melt the plastic cups. You could also spray paint the cups to make an even more vibrant display. The possibilities are endless, and it’s a great way to get a little crafty while preventing your extra lights from collecting dust in storage.