Holiday Decorating on a Budget

Psychologists report that holiday decor elevates our spirits and makes us happy. However, while decorating can be fun and satisfying, it can also be stressful. Perhaps the key is simplicity. Forget untangling all those light strands; forget the gaudy store-bought ornaments. Find creative ways to be festive and celebrate the Christmas season. Besides the traditional tree, you can embellish your spaces with these simple, low-cost ideas:

Use what you have. Create a stylish vignette with your collectibles: your snow globes, Santas, nativity scenes from different cultures, or several of your children's teddy bears (adorn each with red or green ribbons). Cherished heirloom toys or several copper or tin cookie cutters grouped on a mantle or hall table make a festive scene.

Bring nature in. Add a colorful poinsettia or amaryllis, or several, to the room. Live plants work well for any season and bring an organic element to the decorations. Evergreen boughs add style and fragrance to mantles, stairways, or around/over doors. These can be picked up free or for a small fee from your local tree lot. Then decorate with bows or small ornaments.

Turn out the lights. Nestle a tea light candle in peppermints, nuts, polished stones, or colored glass within a clean glass (mayonnaise, baby food, etc.) jar and adorn with ribbon around the neck. Group several together for evening drama.

Jazz up your table. Create a centerpiece with inexpensive, colorful glass balls in a bowl and embellish with a large candle, a few sprigs of greenery, and some leftover ribbon. Or, forage for pinecones. Clean and spray paint according to your color scheme (gold or silver is striking), spray with scent if desired, and group in a bowl or basket.

Use ribbon. Tie to chair backs, candlesticks, picks in plants, wreaths, garlands, basket handles, drapery tiebacks, stair railings, and doorknobs. Be sure to coordinate your colors to your overall theme.

Be crafty. Make your own tree ornaments. String popcorn. Purchase a set of plain white gift boxes, in various sizes, and embellish with color coordinated ribbon or string. Arrange on a mantle for effect. Create an artful arrangement of all those Christmas cards you receive from friends and relatives. Use a card tree or an inexpensive bulletin board (paint the edges for more pizzazz).

As you decorate, remember that your simple "look" will be more stylish with a coordinated color scheme: traditional red and green, shimmering gold and silver, or simply those colors that compliment your existing décor.

To signal the joy of the season outdoors, hang festive evergreen wreaths on your doorway. These can be inexpensive if purchased plain and decorated, as simply or elaborately as you desire. Make it a fun family project. Another is painting a supersize family Christmas card to mount in your front yard. Hang inexpensive, colorful ornaments from tree branches in your yard. If you have a pine or other evergreen tree in your yard, embellish it with bird-friendly (edible) ornaments. Decorate your mailbox with bright ribbon. Get the children involved in the decorating process. Give free reign to their creativity. In addition, find your inner child.

Whether you celebrate the nativity, honor the seven principles of Kwanzaa, or observe the rekindling of the Temple menorah, making your space festive is good for you.