Christmas Decorating on a Budget

Is it your first Christmas on your own? First Christmas in a new house? First Christmas on a budget? Or just another Christmas for you? OK, I am thinking you fit into at least on of those categories so keep on reading …

With all of the sparkling lights and fancy dancing Santas, it is darn hard to walk through Target or Walmart or Lowe’s or even the drug store and not at least want to buy something to add to your decorations. So my tip … let yourself indulge. I hear you. “What? What about my budget?” I know. I know. Our rule is that we are allowed ONE new Christmas decoration a year prior to Christmas. If we can find it for sale, great but we get one item (or set) that we are allowed to buy before Christmas. Why? Even on a budget you have to give yourself a treat now and then. This is on of our now and then treats. That being said, some years we use it and other years we don’t so keep in mind you don’t have to use all of your treats! 😉

So for example, the first year in this house, we got red bells from Target for the front porch. I LOVE those bells. They make me so happy to hang them up. They were on a small sale but I fully enjoyed them and they were worth every penny we spent on them!

Now that you have your one item in mind to buy to decorate with this year, you are thinking you need more, right? I know. I know. So this is where you start getting your crafting and homemade making skills. I say that loosely. No major skills are really needed so don’t get scared.
Here are some of my favorite Christmas decorating on a budget tips …

1) Popcorn garland. Pop PLAIN (It MUST be plain!) popcorn. Get a piece of thread and a big needle. My preference is a quilting needle and quilting thread since it is thicker but they aren’t required. Put in your favorite Christmas movie and start threading the popcorn on the thread. A popcorn garland was our garland on our tree for many years. (Yes, you can keep reusing it! We just stored it on the top of the ornament box.)

2) Paper chains. You know the paper chains your made in school, right? Get some red and green or whatever color paper. Let you kids draw on them or just leave them plain. Cut the paper into strips and staple them together into connecting loops. Ta-da! You have a great decorating to hang around a door or path through! We decorated with these for awhile and I can’t wait to bring them back with the kids now.

3) Candy canes. Watch for sales and you can find candy canes cheap. Hang them on your tree. Hang them on your kitchen cabinet door knobs. Put them on a gift instead of a bow.

4) Make your own tree skirt. One of my favorite tree skirts was the one my mom made from a white round table cloth. She cut a slit in it and decorated it. How simple is that?!

5) Use holiday fabric to decorate a small area. Make a table cloth or make a display area. If you don’t sew, don’t fret. You can fold the edges under and iron them to hide the raw edges! Watch for sales or coupons at the fabric store because the holiday prints go on sale before Christmas!

6) Make your own ornaments. It can be anything from paper cut outs to cookies to something fancy your can make yourself. Find stuff around your house you can use as ornaments … your old hair clips, kitchen utensils that you can loop a string around, old key chains, anything is game!

7) Check out the local thrift shops. Holiday decorations are common at thrift shops! Someone was cleaning out or they replaced their decorations or whatever reason but you can find great savings on that snowman or Santa or nutcracker!

Of course, the biggest tip is waiting until after Christmas to shop for next year’s decorations. We buy anything we need to replace after Christmas. I also buy my Christmas cards for next year when they go on super sales. That being said, until then get your homemade decorating on and start your after Christmas sale list now! 😉

What are you holiday decorating on a budget tips? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Watch for my next big tip post … Holiday Gift Giving on a Budget!