Want to do more than just put up a Christmas tree this coming festive season? Here’s a list of eight tech DIY projects to get the festive mood going.
1. Sparkling LED Light Christmas Tree
The festive season isn't complete without a Christmas tree, and this simple DIY project will let you put a geeky twist on yours this Christmas. It's a small, sparkling, and rotating Christmas tree that's unique in every way, and it is straightforward to make. You'll need an iron bar with a 2mm diameter, 11 mini LED lights, 11 resistors, and a soldering tool to create one. Start by outlining your sparkling Christmas tree, and then follow the steps illustrated above to bring it to life.
2. Parallax Christmas Tree Lighting Controller
If you prefer a classic Christmas tree, then this is the tech DIY project for you to set the festive mood this Christmas. And it's even better because you can have your LED lighting move to your Christmas tunes. Get 20 1AMP PC relay boards, and create a housing unit with 16 outlets using wood or any other material you deem fit. Finally, write a GUI to control the lights, set them up, and wait to wow your guests with your unique invention.
3. Christmas Photo Booth
A photo booth will get the enthusiasm for Christmas going and capture the fantastic, clowning memories you'll make this festive season. But hiring a photo booth is quite an expensive affair as the average cost per session (hourly) ranges between $200 and $400. Luckily, you don't have to spend that much on one. Instead, follow the step-by-step tutorial, and you'll end up with a photo booth you can use every Christmas season.
4. Annoying Last Xmas Playing Picture Frame
Nothing says Christmas is here better than Wham's famous song, Last Xmas. It's one of those Christmas cliché songs that will annoy you, and at the same time, get you in the right mood for the festivities. Want to trick your colleagues into listening to it? Make this DIY Last Xmas playing picture frame, and get them every time they push the button. You'll only need a 3D picture frame (you can get one from IKEA), PCB, counter, and MP3 module to complete it.
5. Audio Controlled Christmas Lights
A well-decorated Christmas tree is excellent, but one with audio-controlled lights is a delight. You can make the latter using a few easily accessible and affordable supplies. You'll need holiday lights, electrical tape, a solid-state relay, a power outlet adapter, an affordable speaker from a store near you, a wire stripper, and a soldering iron.
To set it up, carefully open the speaker, remove the pair of wires connecting to the amplifier, and then solder them into the solid-state relay. Solder one of the outlet adapter wires to the relay, and then remove insulation from the female end of the power cord, leaving wires exposed. Solder one of these wires to the outlet adapter and the remaining wires from the power cord to the relay, and you'll have completed the setup to your sound responsive Christmas lights.
The best part about this Christmas DIY is that you can set up these Christmas lights not just on your Christmas tree but also to liven up the huge snowman your kid made the other day.
6. LED Christmas Star
Make your Christmas star even prettier and set the festive mood this Christmas with this DIY LED Christmas star. You’ll need 5 LEDs (while you can get any color you fancy, red LEDs offer the best sparkle), a 9 Volt battery, and 10cm of copper wire. If you prefer a blinking effect, you'll need to get blinking LEDs and a 12 Volt battery or low current 5mm red LEDs. Besides having a pleasant outcome, this DIY project is also the best way to learn your way around the soldering tool if you're venturing into the world of DIYs.
You can also tyr other DIY light ideas to transform your home this festive season.
7. Automated Christmas Tree
Imagine a Christmas tree whose lights you can turn on and off while lounging on your couch? Well, that's just what this automated Christmas tree does. And it's surprisingly easy to make, too. You'll need a mini Christmas tree (or any size that tickles your fancy), a decorative plate, three jumper wires, a 60-LED light strip, an SD card, and Pi Zero.
See the step-by-step guide by Alex Ellis, and once complete, you can ask Alexa to turn on the Christmas tree lights, change colors, or switch them off when you leave for work.
8. Piezo Arduino Jukebox
Listen to your favorite Christmas tunes in tech style this festive season by making this Piezo Arduino jukebox. You'll only need Arduino Uno, a Piezo buzzer, 1220ohm resistors, a pair of male-to-male jumper wires, a breadboard, and a USB data cable.
The step-by-step procedure is relatively straightforward. Start by connecting the positive and negative wires on the buzzer to the breadboard, and attach one side of the resistor to the positive wire and the other end on its row.
Connect one jumper wire to the resistor on its row and the other to the D1 slot on Arduino. Next, connect one end of the remaining jumper wire to the same row as the negative wire on the breadboard and the other to GND on Arduino. Run the code and you have yourself a Piezo buzzer that can bump out your favorite Christmas tunes for nearly no cost.
Usher the Christmas Spirit in Style
The most pleasant time of the year is fast approaching, and the easiest way to usher it in is by setting up Christmas decorations. So, make your snowman, hang your garlands, and make a DIY Christmas tree. If you have one, spruce it up using DIY audio-controlled lights or automated LED lights, and don't forget to annoy your colleagues with a DIY Last Xmas playing picture frame.
The best part? All eight tech DIY Christmas projects are super-simple to make. Try them to start spreading the Christmas cheer today.