Are you looking for inexpensive Christmas decorating ideas? I love finding new and inventive ways to decorate for the holidays while pinching pennies. The decorating ideas I showcase here are also excellent crafts to do with children.
Between you and me, I love shopping end-of-the-season deals for the “bigger” stuff, when things are marked drastically down, but shopping for new at the end of the season doesn’t help when you realize you need decor at the beginning of the season. And if you’re military or a frequent mover, like me, sometimes you’ll find, when unpacking your beloved holiday items, they didn’t survive the move, and purchasing a replacement needs to happen immediately.
I’m also a craft-loving person, and I love the homemade look. Here are my easy tips to decorate for Christmas on the cheap.
Cheap and Easy Homemade Christmas Decorating Craft Ideas
1. Gift Tags and Ribbon for Hanging Garland
Yes, believe it or not, this is a set of four gift tags, ten tags were only a $1 at Walgreens, and I purchased a snowman, a Santa hat, a Christmas tree and gold reindeer. I tied each of these tags to a simple glittery red ribbon, and hung with thumbtacks from the edge of the ceiling. To keep it even and prevent too much sagging, I kept dividing them in half, separating as I hung them up. Pretty, no?
2. Coiled Decorative Ribbon for Doorways
I purchased some beautiful velvet ribbon, and paired it with gold, to coil and hang over my doorways, hanging them with clear thumbtacks.
3. Use Inexpensive Ribbon as Bow Embellishments
Here’s another example of using ribbon over a grouping, like I do in the hallways, but do you see the candlestick on the shelf? I purchased yet another type of wide fabric ribbon and fashioned bows to attach to my regular, everyday decor, to spruce them up for the holidays at little-to-no cost. I used this same ribbon for my homemade Christmas tree, too.
4. Decorate with Cheap Ornaments
Each of these adorable ornaments were only a dollar a piece. I hung them from the hooks on this shelf to add more holiday spirit here by the front door.
I used cheap ornaments here, too, to decorate a “tree” piece of decor whose glass pieces were broken in the move. Now, this “tree” serves as an ornament display on my shelf.
5. Pair Cheap Garland with Lights
The fake pine garland above is pretty bare on it’s own, and almost on it’s last legs. However, when paired with inexpensive chunky LED lights (LED to help save you money on electric), it really gives off the holiday ambiance well, and you barely begin to notice the garland’s age anymore.
Also on the shelf you’ll find bargain holiday tchotchkes each a dollar or two a piece. When paired together with my regular decor and new ornament “tree” like this, they look more expensive, don’t you think?
6. Add Inexpensive Scented Pine Cones to a Vase
These pine cones smell SO GOOD, and are decorated with glitter and color. Place them into a plain glass vase, and you can dress them up with a decorative bow (something I have planned). Note I added a decorative bow to the “tree” here (the one that isn’t broken, that is).
I placed another bag of these pine cones in my trifle bowl in the kitchen, too. Really cute and inexpensive way to decorate and give off that delicious cinnamon scent for the holiday, too.
7. Hang Ornaments Staggered from the Ceiling
This beautiful set of twelve ornaments are adding flair to the opening between my kitchen and living room. Now, I have decor completely framing that opening, both on the shelf and from the ceiling.
8. Use Leftover Wrapping Paper to Decorate Empty Boxes like Gifts
If you’re anything like me, you probably have leftover wrapping paper kicking around from last year. Put it to good use, and upcycle an empty box by wrapping it in that leftover paper, placing it sporadically around the house, or group together with other “gifts” to create that holiday feel.
9. Bulbs and Inexpensive Vases for Cheap DIY Christmas Centerpieces
As I explain in my budget-friendly DIY Christmas Centerpieces post, these sparkly ornaments came four to a tube and only cost a dollar per tube. I used approximately five tubes to fill this tall vase.
What ways do you inexpensively decorate your home for the holidays?
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