Holiday Decorating Without Spending a Dime
By: Celia Webb
Perhaps you are facing a Christmas with a very restricted budget; maybe the budget is as little as zero. That does not mean you can not create a festive, happy atmosphere for the holidays. Conjure up some holiday magic using what you have on hand or can get for free from your garden.
The key is to use what you have, shop your home for the materials suggested, make the displays, ornaments, and other holiday decorations for which you have the ingredients. Make it a challenge to yourself to spend nary a penny. Be creative and you will end up with cheerful, season-brightening additions to your home.
- Cut evergreen boughs and put them in garden pots to dress up an entry way or corner.
- Cut bare tree branches. Leave natural or spray paint with whatever color you have on hand. Arrange in a vase or pot. Hang ornaments, Christmas cards from ribbons, yarn, or string; cookie ornaments; paper ornaments; beads on wire; or tie ribbons or bows to the branches.
- Pull out your Christmas albums, CD's, DVD's, puzzles, and books. Create displays which feature the covers. If you do not have any holiday themed items, check them out from your local library.
- Use Christmas cards from past Christmases to craft ornaments. Cut simple shapes from the cars like circles, squares, or stars. Punch a hole; run ribbon, yarn, embroidery thread, or string through the hole, and hang.
- Frame wrapping paper and hang it on the wall in place of your usual artwork. You can use frames you already have in use or currently empty frames. Unify diverse framing material by spray painting it the same color.
- If you have old Christmas-themed clothing you no longer wear, either cut out the Christmas patterned portion and frame it or make the garment into a pillow.
- Scraps of fabric can be pieced together to make a cheerful holiday pillow, wall hanging, or table runner.
- Collect pinecones, stones, or acorns. Spray paint gold, red, green, or white and make a centerpiece on a tray including candles or fill glass jars or vases.
- Make a holiday vignette on a tray with ornaments, a bit of greenery, and a Christmas book.
- Cluster candles on a charge or platter.
- Make cookie ornaments using holiday-themed cookie cutters. If you do not have holiday-themed cookie cutters, use a circle shape (you can even use the mouth of a jar to cut the cookie dough) and paint your cookies like tree ornaments.
- Print holiday patterns from the Internet. Search on "free holiday clip art" and free vintage holiday clip art". Frame; make ornaments; or decoupage onto a board and use as wall art or part of a display.
- Use scrap yarn to knit or crochet holiday ornaments. Search for "free knitting Christmas patterns", "free crochet Christmas patterns". Toy patterns can often be used as well so be sure to search on "free knitting toy patterns", and "free crochet toy patterns".
- Fill small bowls with individually wrapped candy or make small bundles of two or three pieces of candy in plastic wrap. Tie with a ribbon, yarn, or string.
- Wrap ribbon around stair banisters and floor lamp poles.
- Put bows on stair newel posts.
- Wrap doors in wrapping paper or stick on bows.
- Draw, paint, or make a collage a holiday artwork, frame, and hang.
- Gift wrap empty boxes and stack them on the floor or table. If you do not have gift wrap, use brown paper bags and string.
- Display Christmas cards you receive on bookshelves; grouped on a table top; lying on a tray or platter; strung on a string; or taped to the refrigerator.
- Paint scrap wood and letter with a holiday message like "Happy Holidays", "Ho Ho Ho", "Merry Christmas", "Santa's Workshop", or "North Pole".
- Play Christmas music you own or find a radio station that is dishing out holiday cheer.
Your holiday season can be merry and bright without spending a dime. Create your own personal and unique decorations. Wishing you a joyful holiday!
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