The holidays are upon us, and for many, that means having all the fun of dressing up our homes for the occasion. I’ll admit it – my grandmother was the one who really went all out when it came to holiday decorating as a kid, and while I inherited many things from that beautiful woman, her love for decorating wasn’t among them.
At all.
That meant I had to develop my own sense of style, mainly because I have kids now, and they expect it. And, honestly, it is pretty fun, even if it isn’t perfect all the time. One thing that has helped on my journey is “budget” decorations, such as the ones below, that can be made at low cost and brought out year after year. Hopefully, you’ll appreciate them as much as I have!
1. Wrap Your Cabinets
For a simple, quick, and pretty cost-effective holiday decoration that has huge wow factor for how little it will cost you, look no further than wrapping your cabinets! That’s right, turning the cabinets in your kitchen or living room by wrapping them in traditional wrapping paper is a great way to fill any space with holiday cheer. The team over at Real Simple even recommends adding a bow to complete the look.
2. Ugly Sweater Garland
Most people by now know that ugly Christmas sweaters are a thing, but did you know that you could turn them into cute decor? Well, not real sweaters, but smaller felt or paper ones. The best part about this decorative garland, at least according to The Pioneer Woman, is that you can dress them up any way you want, from super cute to ugly as can be! Get the kids involved for a fun family event everyone can enjoy.
3. Snow Jars
Now, I know I can’t be the only one with glass jars, or even mason jars, left lying around. What I didn’t know is that these could be the perfect “snow jars.” According to Midwest Living, you just need some Epsom salt at the bottom of the jar to fill in for the snow, then top the faux-snow with mini houses, little reindeer, or even bottlebrushes to complete your mini-holiday landscape!
4. Snowman Candle
If you have old glass votives lying around, those can be the exact thing you need for this next DIY Christmas decoration straight from ModPodgeRocks. Simply take a few of them and coat them with a nice layer of Mod-Podge. Roll in Epsom salt, allow it to dry, then decorate it with buttons or a scarf for a cute little snowman. Plop a votive inside and you’ve got yourself a nice glowing decoration for those Christmas nights.
5. Upcycle Old Plastic
Even old toys can get in on the decorated game when it comes to this upcycle. HGTV suggests grabbing those old plastic decorations you have lying around or even cheap plastic figurines of reindeer, covering them with glue, and then rolling them in German glass glitter for a really cool effect. I bet you most people wouldn’t even be able to tell you didn’t buy the pieces at a high-end store!
6. Alt Advent
Advent calendars are all the rage lately, but they can get pretty pricy. Instead, take Ideal Home’s advice and make your own. You can pick out small, unique items from your local Dollar Tree or similar store to fill up the days without breaking the budget, plus you get a cute piece of decor to boot!
7. Cinnamon Bows
When it comes to the holidays, one of the things I think about most is the smell. Fresh-baked cookies, peppermint, and, of course, cinnamon. It isn’t hard to fill your home with the scents of Christmas; all you have to do is grab some sticks of cinnamon from your local store and, as Real Simple suggests, wrap them with a pretty bow. These bundles can go on your tree, hang from windows, or be perched above entryways for a lingering spicy scent.
8. Cute Candles
One super simple Christmas decoration you can make on a budget involves candles, but instead of burning them, you’re actually going to shape them! Take cheap taper candles, the tall ones, in holiday colors like green, gold, and red, and put them in a hot water bath. Allow to soak just enough to be pliable (a minute or two), and then you can twist and bend them into cool shapes! As Apartment Therapy shares, this simple hack is cute, and you can create a ton of different shapes with very little effort!
9. Christmas Village
Mini-house villages are a bit of a tradition in my family, but buying ceramic ones can get pretty expensive. So, why not take The Pioneer Woman’s advice and make your own instead? You can buy cheap, unfinished birdhouses and decorate them any way you like, including to fit whatever your theme of the year is, and even get the family involved to make their own individual houses!
10. No-Water Tree
Sometimes, you just don’t have the space or energy to have a full-grown Christmas tree in your home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have some holiday cheer! Midwest Living suggests taking green ornaments and some 16-gauge wire to create a no-water tree on your wall. Just form a large triangle with the wire, complete with horizontal wire to hang the balls from. You can even decorate with other small ornaments or tuck your presents underneath!
11. Paper Fans and Ornaments
Folding fans might seem like something that you would make back in school, but they make for surprisingly nice Christmas decor. Ideal Home suggests using different shapes and techniques to create a wall display that pops, and I think it would be interesting to use gold or silver foil paper for even more sparkle!
12. Pom Pom Garlands
Poms are another simple piece of decor that is fairly easy to make and even easier to turn into festive decor for your home. HGTV recommends making a few in holiday colors and stringing them up for a cute and easy garland perfect for hanging on your mantle, over doors, or even paired with the paper fans and ornaments as a focal piece on your wall!
13. Candy Dishes
Last but certainly not least, we will make something simple yet beautiful: candy dishes! You want to grab old, upcycled, or vintage glass jars and fill them up with all sorts of pretty candy that you and your family love. Personally, I think some Ferrero Roche gold chocolates would look really great in there — if you can get people to keep their hands off them!