Christmas Decorating on a Shoestring Budget

Wondering how to cut back on the costs for your Christmas decorating this year? There are some things that you can do that will still make your Christmas decorating look fantastic, but that will cut back on some of the expenses of decorating.

Thrift Shops and Garage Sales: Many people like to buy brand new decorations every year, and they often give their older decorations to thrift shops. You can often find great deals when you shop in thrift stores for Christmas decorations, and you will most likely find that they are still in very good condition, especially if they were only used for one Christmas. Likewise, keep on the lookout for Christmas decorations at garage sales too, you can often pick them up for almost nothing there. Christmas Lights: Instead of buying new Christmas lights because your old ones just aren't working, invest some time instead. Buy some new bulbs, and then set to work to find out exactly which bulbs are blown. It can be a bit time-consuming, but it can also be a great job for one person in your family to do who perhaps isn't that gifted at decorating. This can really save a lot of money. Reuse old Baubles: If you have Christmas tree decorations or baubles that have lost the string for hanging them on the tree, you can still use them. Set them together in a basket to make a colourful Christmas bauble display. Then set the basket--a glass bowl will do just as well--on a table, shelf, or on the mantelpiece. Candles: You can usually pick up nice looking candles fairly cheaply. You don't necessarily have to buy fancy patterned candles, but just choose simple red, green and white candles and put them on a candlestick or buy clay and stand them in the clay. Then, cover the clay up with Christmas cloth, or ribbons, or pine needles. Cheap and effective, they look great sitting on the table or set around the living room. You can also match silver, gold and blue to make a great Christmas color scheme as well. Bake Cookies: Not only will you save money on store bought cookies and cakes, but you will probably have a lot of fun if you get a few people together and bake your own cookies. Play Christmas music in the background, drink a glass of wine or hot chocolate, and start up your own Christmas tradition of baking. It can be lots of fun and really brings out the festive spirit of Christmas. Christmas Music: No Christmas is complete without Christmas music wafting throughout the house. It is great to play during meal times, soft muted Christmas carols or instrumentals, and it's also fantastic to work to, to decorate to and to bake to. Make sure you have a big enough selection though so you're not listening to the same songs or album over and over again. Once Christmas is over, pack away the Christmas music till next year. Pine Cones: If you live in an area where you can freely gather pine cones, do so. They make great Christmas decorations. Either leave them natural looking, or you can paint them silver or gold, or even spray 'snow' on them. Scatter them under the tree and in other areas around your room, to add to the Christmas look. Decorate your Table and Bring out Christmas Table-wear: Look for your most Christmassy looking tablecloth and use that for your Christmas meals, and dinners leading up to Christmas. Also bring out your most colourful dinnerware and serve your meals on that. If you want to, you can invest in this type of tableware during the year, or over a few years, so that you gradually build up a special Christmas set. Again, once Christmas is over, tuck it away till next year. Table Piece: Design your own center piece for your table. It can be easily done with a sawn off tree branch, some ribbons, a bit of clay and candles. Be inventive and make up a natural looking Christmas center piece for your table. If you make it sturdy enough you can use it year after year. Christmas Teddies and Dolls: Get your children in on the act. It's really fun to see little teddy bears or dolls all decked out in Christmas outfits. If you don't have anything specifically Christmassy for them, just tie ribbons around them and give them a little Christmas present to hold under their arm or to sit on their lap. Cluster the teddies and dolls around the room, for a real cute festive look. These are just a few ideas of how you can cut costs this Christmas. Just think, if you are able to save on your decorations you'll have more money to invest into either your Christmas presents, or your Christmas celebrations. And, it can look just as nice as if you had spent a lot of money on expensive ornaments and decorations. Happy Holidays!