Holiday Decorations on a Budget

It seems like I have lived my life looking for ways to save money. Christmas is no exception. Some of these ideas I have used in the past or will use this Christmas. I hope they can make your house a little brighter at the holidays.

If you didn't go shopping for decorations after Christmas last year, you still have time to organize decorations without spending an arm and a leg. Gently used Christmas decorations are available at garage, house or estate sales. While there also look for cookie cutters and reels of ribbon. Decorations will also be listed in your local paper, on Craigslist or E-bay. While checking all of these places for decorations, you might also find a present for that person who is difficult to buy for.

Bows in holiday colors can be tied around candles, or hung in your Christmas tree. To tie pretty bows, use a piece of 3/8 inch wide or wider ribbon about a yard long. Make two loops a little smaller than you want the bow to be near the center of the ribbon. Tie the loops in a single knot. By tightening a bit here and tugging a bit there you will achieve a beautiful bow. A longer ribbon will provide a beautiful streamer to hang down your Christmas tree. A series of bows in graduated sizes can be used on the tree to replace tinsel.(see picture)

Other inexpensive decoration can be found right in your own home. Do you need a centerpiece for your table? Instead of putting all your ornaments on the tree, put several in a clear glass bowl. If you have a bit of garland, you can lay it in the bottom of the bowl or around the outside. Set the bowl on a piece of red or green cloth. It will look festive and not be so tall that it interferes with the eye line between your guests.

Cookie cutters can also provide decorations in any number of ways. They can be hung from narrow ribbon on a Christmas tree or to replace the usual light pull. They can be gathered into a bowl much like the ornaments or with the ornaments. So take them out of storage. Wash and dry them carefully and enjoy them. If you trace around some of the ornaments onto pieces of felt, once again you have inexpensive ornaments. Cut around the shape, punch a hole and push a ribbon through. Use it for an ornament on your tree or for a gift tag when you wrap your presents. Spray it with glue and sprinkle with glitter for even more sparkle. You can include children in making these ornaments which can be decorated with colored markers and given by them as gifts.

An easy way to make a room seem more festive is to wrap the pictures that usually hang on the walls. Choose paper that contrasts with the color of the wall. Tie the picture with a big bright bow and tape the ends on the back of the picture. No one will know the ribbon doesn't go all around. You can attach labels on them with fun sayings like "Do Not Open Until Christmas" or "From Santa" written in red marker. For extra sparkle drape a little shiny garland across the top of the picture or across the tops of your curtains.

You can replace ho hum curtains with an inexpensive piece of shiny fabric and a special bow. This will change the room dramatically. At our house it hangs around and in front of the green house window that holds our nativity.(see picture) Yards of lace from a fabric store can be used for garland on your tree. If you buy narrow lace, you can wrap it around a pencil and starch it until it is stiff. Then put a small piece of ribbon through it to hang it from the tree. This will give you lace icicles, that are spectacular and pet safe.

I hope one or two of these ideas will prove helpful to you. No one will realize how inexpensive they are. They really change the personality of a room or make the commonplace seem more elegant.