5 Tips To Decorating Your Home For Christmas On A Budget

Last Updated on November 18, 2011

Christmas may be just around the corner, but the bad economy has been sleeping on the couch for years and has no intention of leaving anytime soon. Nevertheless, the holiday season should be a time of festivities and not melancholy over the state of the economy. Exercising a little creativity and ingenuity can help you develop a Christmas atmosphere without sacrificing the money in your wallet. The following are 5 tips for decorating your home for Christmas on a budget:

1. Christmas Candles
Retailers sell a number Christmas themed candles with decorations etched into the wax. However, you can generate the same environment simply by utilizing red and green candles and altering their height to accentuate the decoration. As an alternative to having decorations on the candles, surround the candle area with natural items such as pine cones, berries, and evergreen branches. Candles and assorted items can also be placed in wicker or wooden baskets.

2. Recycling Old Items
Old Christmas cards are an excellent way to save money and be creative with your decorations. Dig out some old cards from the attic and alter them to stand as holiday accents for a dresser or coffee table. You can also glue cards onto a matboard or cut out and tape sections to small items to turn your regular ornaments into Christmas themed decor.

In addition, you can fill transparent jars and empty containers with colorful Christmas balls. Glass cups can be put over the fireplace and filled with candy canes and highlighted with ribbons. Making Christmas baskets are as easy as taking an old wooden basket and draping them with a red or green cloth.

3. Throw Pillow Covers
Throw pillows are an inexpensive way to add a Christmas feel to your existing furniture. If buying new pillows is a bit too extravagant for your budget, an alternative option is to purchase Christmas themed cloth and sew a decorative cover for your existing throw pillow. This way when the holiday season ends you will can simply remove the pillow cover and re-use it the following Christmas.

4. Decorative Ribbons
Ribbons are an excellent way to provide cheap Christmas accents to any ornament in the house. You can tie them to candy canes, Christmas trees, baskets or wreaths. Rolls can be purchased in bulk and cheaply at most retail stores.

5. Christmas Wreath
You can save a lot of money but making and decorating your own holiday wreath. Simply go outside and find any type of greenery that you can trim and take home. Twist it into a circle and tie it together with a string. The wreath can then be adorned with various Christmas ribbons and ornaments you have lying around. This adds an element of freshness and nature as opposed to a reusable plastic wreath. If you already own a plastic wreath, however, you can still utilize scented candles to add an effluvium of holiday cheer. If traditional wreaths are a bit boring, try spray painting your wreath different colors. Primary colors tend to go well with each other and will not clash with your existing ornaments.

Above all remember that you can be innovative without having to purchase a sleigh full of new decor. Often times families resign themselves to reusing the same hackneyed decorations when simply tweaking their old ornaments can bring a fresh atmosphere to the holiday season, as well as present a bonding opportunity with your family.

Check out more cheap Christmas decorating tips here!

Mike Jones writes for PublicLiabilityInsurance.org and covers a wide range of business topics including public liability insurance dance teachers.