5 Ways to Decorate for Christmas on a Shoestring Budget

If you are like most of us and have to watch your budget very carefully, pricey holiday decorations are lovely to look at, but not exactly a practical purchase. If most of your Christmas budget is already allotted to gifts and the holiday meal, you don't need to celebrate in a an undecorated space. Here are some fun suggestions on how you can give your home a bright and festive look by spending only a few dollars, if anything at all.

Decorate Your Home with Nature's Bounty. Simply by taking a few steps outside your back door you can surely gather plenty of items to use in your holiday decor. A few thin branches from your tree can be taken inside, cleaned and then spray painted silver or gold. The best branches are those that are very thin and have sticks coming out from all sides. These look marvelous when placed in a vase. Pine cones can be gathered and placed in decorative bowls. If you have a gorgeous tree on your property that still has some luscious green to it, cut off a few sprigs and place on an end table, entertainment center or bookcase. Look through your arts and craft supplies to see if you have any red or plaid bows to affix to the greenery.

Make Paper Chains and Paper Snowflakes. Spend an afternoon with your children making old fashioned paper chains to drape around doorways or your holiday tree. We all remember how to make paper snowflakes from when we were children and they are just as pretty and fun to make as they were then. Use double sided tape to attach the snowflakes to your front door, a bay window or sliding glass doors. If you have children you probably already have colored construction paper for the chains and white printer paper for the snowflakes. Scissors, tape and an enthusiasm for the project are the only other items you need.

Decorate Your Home with Your Children's Holiday Artwork. Children love to spend the days leading up to the Christmas holiday drawing pictures of Santa, gaily colored gifts and beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Use these pictures to give your living space some real holiday feeling. Spend a few minutes printing out free holiday coloring pages and sit your children down at the table with crayons or markers while you get some baking or gift wrapping done. Once they are finished, plaster your refrigerator door, bulletin board or front and back doors with them.

Wrap a Picture Frame. A few sheets of extra holiday wrapping paper can be used to wrap a few of your paintings and pictures in your living or dining room. Stick a bow in the middle and you instantly have a very cute and unique Christmas decoration.

Make a Simple Red and Green Holiday Centerpiece. Gather red or green candles, a few red Christmas balls and a mirror from one of your rooms. Lay the mirror in the center of the table. Arrange your holiday colored candles in matching candlesticks on top. Fold a piece of tape under so that all sides are sticky. Use a small piece to stick on the bottom of the holiday balls and then place them in between the candles. The tape will keep the balls in place. When the lights are turned off, the centerpiece will light up the entire room.